From Social Media to a Social Life...

Facebook celebrated it's tenth birthday this week and while I joined the rest of you in creating my 'lookback' video (I know you gave in and created yours too!) it got me thinking about social media and the internet in general and how much of an impact it has on my life these days. I have access to the web pretty much 24/7 on my iphone, which is always close by. One of the first things I do in the morning is check my emails, facebook messages and instagram. I chat to my friends, arrange playdates with our children and even send notes to my husband through facebook messenger on a daily basis. I immortalize special moments in my day (and most of my meals!) through instagram and keep up to date with news and happenings in the world through twitter. But it's not just the social aspect; I also pay my bills online, make pennies by selling on ebay and we are currently searching the net to buy our first home. The internet plays a central part in our lives.

However, Ten years ago, when facebook was starting out,  I didn't really use the internet, my mobile wasn't a smartphone, heck it just about sent text messages. (Although I have to admit I was rather proud of my Nokia 8210 with it's state of the art polyphonic ringtones!) Ten years ago I had my own flat, but no computer or internet access, My social life was spent with friends in pubs or at festivals.

As I got older and started my family the chance to leave the house to socialise disappeared so I spent my 'free' time with my husband. I love him to bits but there was a gap in my life for girlie gossip and silly chatter that just wasn't being filled.

Just over five years ago I joined facebook and realised I could get adult conversation without leaving the house! It didn't take long for my social media addiction to grow and I soon started blogging and found myself part of an amazing online community,  ladies who lived all around the country became my closest friends and I was lucky enough to meet just a few of these including Mandi from Hex Mum, Carly from Mummy and the Chunks and Clare from Emmy's Mummy last year at Britmums.

These lovely ladies have supported me through a lot and if it wasn't for Social Media I wouldn't have had that. We have used facebook to watch each others children grow up, support each other through toughs time and celebrate the happy occasions.

Over the last year though social Media has brought me something a bit different, it's brought me an actual real world social life!! (For the first time in years I have a reason to wear make up and do my hair!)

I started chatting to the lovely Pippa from Red Rose Mummy on twitter a few years ago when we realised we were quite local to each other and both had other halves involved in the scouting movement. Before long it became apparent that the Bury area was somewhat of a Parent Blogger hotspot! Over the last few months I have started going out socially with some of my fellow Northern bloggers and it's been lovely, who'd have guessed you can have children AND real life friends? No one told me!

So in homage to Ten years of facebook I just wanted say thank you to social media for giving me back a social life!

I'll leave you with this lovely picture of the Bury Blogger Massive including, Emma from Not Such a Yummy Mummy, Sim from Simslife, Jenny from The Brick Castle, Heather from Bury Family Life, Karen from Grumpyish Mum, Pippa from Red Rose Mummy and me from, well... here!

Have you formed friendships online? I'd love to hear about them...