I'm a fan of social networks, to an extent. I find myself spending the most time with Twitter, Del.icio.us, Livejournal (where I blog), reading other blogs using Bloglines and Facebook. It's something a lot of other college students do, though they tend to prefer facebook, at least on my campus. I find it's a great way to learn and get and give support.

I do blog because it helps me deal with life with lupus and its side dishes. I think the more we scream,then the more they may listen,hopefully.I just hope people will see exactually what it means to live with an illness that you can't see. I can remember when I was in school we were told to not judge a book by a cover.

I use social networks to keep up with friends every so often. But to be honest, I'm not sure I'll be able to deal with my whole network knowing that I have a chronic illness. I also prefer to keep work and friends/family seperately. Have learnt from experience that not everybody knows how to handle it when they know you are chronically ill.

I like the online social networks when I am feeling up to it. I sometimes go for a very long time without posting and when it is too long I find things have changed a lot! I do not go as regularly as I used to, but lately feel that I should since I am sure that my husband gets tired of listening, and I have not made any friends here in Sweden. I do have trouble making friends since I cannot make plans without having to cancel them more often than I would like to. Online there is not the same responsibility to "be there"

I love online social networking. I find it easier to keep up with friends and it's free. No phone minutes have to be used. I love blogging. I'm not the best at keeping mine up. I do read my favorite blogs everyday though. By reading the blogs I feel less alone. I know I'm not the only one dealing with my diabetes and I can read that they go through exactly what I go through. It just makes things easier.

I've just started fo join different social networks since my kids have asked me to join their facebook and myspace networks. I live with chronic pain everyday and my life was just going down hill when I decided I needed to get up and get a life,so I went out and bought me the cutest little puppy and he helps keep me busy.

I just started a blog, simply because I think it might be a form of therapy. I'm much older than many people here, so social networks don't interest me. I think they are for the younger set, and am leery of some of the things I have seen posted on them as well. That being said, I have been on Classmates since it started, and finally people my age are starting to join that. It's a great way to reconnect with people you grew up with but lost contact with over the years.

I hardly surf the net till slightly more than a month ago when I was diagnosed with lupus(SLE)- trying to understand, accepting and living with it. I've never chat/blog till today (6 May 2008). I'm drawn to this site by its name as on good days that's how I feel when I look into the mirror and in-laws, friends and colleagues seem to think so too. What matters something is going on in this body of mine and I want to control it. My pillar of strength - my husband, daughter and sisters.