"I saw it on Facebook" must be one of the most frequently said lines today. We use Facebook (and other social networks) as a shorthand way to check in with our "friends." You can easily find out that Jane if off on a Caribbean vacation and that Harry is traveling for business (yet again) to China. You can see that Mary has changed her status to single and that John has invited everyone to a barbecue at his place.

But here's the thing: Facebook is not real life. Exchanging likes or comments on Facebook does not substitute for personal connection. If you truly want to know what is going on with someone, you will need to talk to him or her directly.

First of all, people post selected items on Facebook. Only extremely bored people with lots of time on their hands post minute-by-minute accounts of what they are doing (went to breakfast, went to the gym, went to work, had a burger for lunch, and on and on).  People also tend to post only  positive stuff ("my daughter is on the honor roll" and "I just came back from my second climb of Mount Kilimanjaro").

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