Jennimar Mendez Mendez1
Mr. Stehle
English 098-108
April 9, 2013 Sweet as Honey

Many will agree that Facebook is much sweeter than Myspace. I had my first taste of Facebook a few years ago, and just like honey. It sticks to anyone who enters the site. I was addicted to the games almost immediately, I found myself logging in and out nine times a day. I enjoyed the games, posting my pictures for comments by friends and looking at what they were posting themselves; a new hobby for me was in full effect. It was great being able to do these things and more on
Facebook, but the best part was being able to type in my daily status. It felt great knowing my list of friends were paying attention to what I had to say, especially since I was ignored before Facebook existed. I enjoyed typing “good morning my facelookerz” or “workbound gotta make that paper.”
Facebook was my therapy; the second I would log on, the problems in my daily life were completely blocked . Everything was great--until I had the desire to locate classmates from my childhood. I wanted to locate classmates who attended Alexander Burger J.H.S. in New York with me. It was aggravating how much time was spent trying to locate them; there were at least two-hundred students my senior year. Looking them up became a frustrating task that will never be completed. It didn’t matter that I was typing their first name, last name, city, state and the name of the middle school; the search engine was not reading me correctly. I desperately wanted to reunite with them and I wanted to reminisce the three years we studied together, but I really wanted to know what life had handed them. I was so upset at Facebook that at times I would log off the site, shut down my computer and curse the famous name “Facebook”. The search button was visible to my beautiful brown eyes, but my classmates weren’t.
Facebook needed surgery--and fast.
Mendez 2

I read an article in the New York Times regarding restructuring the Facebook search engine. This article put a smile on my face, hooray; sweet as honey. My first thought was “about time,” and I know some things take time. I want you to keep in mind that this is not a regular site like Myspace. As soon as anyone enters Myspace they can see it’s only about designing their profile page. Facebook is a site where people come together, friends keep in touch just like me. Families who are spread apart in the
United States are still being part of their daily lives. It doesn’t matter that a cousin is in or an aunt is in
Florida, Facebook keeps the family together. Posting a birthday video or wedding pictures help keep a family member involved in some way. Facebook helps us continue to make precious memories that we take for granted at times. I was not able to spend time with my nephew on his first birthday, but seeing the video that my sister posted last month made me feel as if I were in Florida celebrating with them.
Seeing my nephew sitting next to his birthday cake was a priceless moment for me. Sadly, I do not have any family members living in Philadelphia. My family is spread apart in many places around the world. I miss them very much, especially my cousin who just moved to
Germany three months ago; all thanks to the United States Marines. Every Saturday we post a few videos and we are still involved in each other’s lives. Instead of playing Scrabble or Monopoly, we play internet games that are provided by Facebook. If it weren’t for Facebook my cousin and I would not be able to do these things on a weekly basis; it keeps our bond strong and unbreakable. I wish Facebook were around when my aunt was in the Army. I went into a deep depression because she was serving in
China.

Mendez 3

Facebook is a high-demand Internet Company. The article in the New York Times regarding
Facebook’s clearly states that it’s mission was to communicate better with their customers, restructuring the search engine was the perfect way to do it. Facebook wanted to restructure the search engine so it would be easier to locate anyone or anything. Since the restructure, the search engine understands twenty- five close synonyms to the word “student” and two-hundred seventy-five thousand different ways to ask about the word. The main intention was to have the search engine go from reading “robospeak” to the
“natural intuitive language” we speak and type. Facebook’s new engine restructure will keep their current customers longer and bring new customers to the site because of this restructure. I say ”job well done Facebook, keep up the awesome work.” If I am still logging in to Facebook years later, they are doing something right. My mother just started using Facebook; unbelievable because she is always complaining about modern technology. My mother is the type of woman who complains about everything. Seeing mother’s happy status and her beautiful pictures on a daily basis, bring me nothing but joy. Eventually, I know I will be logging in nine times a day again. Especially since I now know they restructured the search engine. So, goodbye
‘robospeak’-- they should have given you a restraining order a long time ago; you are no longer welcomed at Facebook. Oh yeah, sweet as honey.