I'd die without my spotify at work. keeps me sane and drowns out the bullshit that goes on around me so in a sense, makes me more productive.

I think you make an excellent point plt. I'm not the only one that agrees with you either. But in a lot of places, it's the boss's dime, so it's the boss's time.

I telecommute. I guess when I screw around I should probably sign off the VPN, but nobody has said anything about my browsing habits, and I don't imagine they even watch. (<50 employee company, very "ambitious")

I just uploaded all my local music to google's music player. now I can play it all from my phone, my tablet, or any desktop I log into. very cool.

maybe that one will get past your IT people?

How is that working out? I'd like to open an account to help build our fencing club and keep up with a very few old friends, but I don't want it to turn into a soul eater.

@ IM - check this out from HowStuffWorks - How to Surf the Web Anonymously.

Griff: once you go bacefook you can't go back. Really, people act as though once you're on there you have an obligation to keep checking in. "How did you not know? It was on bacefook!"
I have a friend from hs who constantly sends me game requests. I need to turn off my notification on my phone. I don't really mind but it should be obvious i haven't played a bacefook game in months.

On the other hand, it was nice to get all the birthday wishes from friends old and new.

Sam: thanks. I really just check in on the news and come to the cellar at work. I have processes that have to run awhile which gives me those moments. I have to be careful, it's easy to get carried away.

Just, when i am trying to concentrate and office chatter is at max, some nice 80s hits on i heart radio helped somewhat. I can play albums off youtube, but i miss the variety.

A real radio with headphones would work.

I think the friend isn't really the one sending those requests. The friend plays a game, and the game sends a request to all the friend's friends. It's automatic, and one of the many evil things about FB.

I hate FB. But I go to FB daily because I like the people there. I wish we could all agree to go somewhere else to communicate.

It's like holding a party in a bus station's restroom. It stinks in there and is really nasty, but all your friends and family are in there. Everyone wonders why they are hanging out in the restroom, but there is no way to convince everyone to hang out somewhere else. Google+ was like the lobby outside the bathroom. A few people said "hey, let's go step out into the lobby where it doesn't smell like urine," but the party in FB was in full swing by then, and when a couple people stepped out in the lobby, they noticed the fresh air, but there were only a couple people enjoying it, and the party was still in the restroom. So what do you do?

Hahahahaha! I've attended that party in the bus station's restroom.

When I used to play games it didn't auto-request, as far as I know...I had to bug people on purpose. But it keeps changing.

Great analogy, glatt! A small handful of my friends defected to Google+, and as a FB user I feel like I'm standing at the door saying "Guys... quit being antisocial and get back inside where everyone else is."

good analogy and good question. let me ask you a question, are you mohammed or the mountain?

I have a presence in both systems, and I prefer Google+ by a wide measure. I am not very active in either one, but any *new* connections I make, I make them at G+. I figure if the people on fb want to know about *me*, they can come over to me to find out. (which, interestingly, is what they're all doing).

What about G+ means reduced urine smell?

In my experience, no ads or ridiculous game invites.

also vastly different reputations for respect for my privacy.