You'd better learn quickly how to set it so only friends see your stuff, so your friends aren't in view to outsiders, share photos only with friends, etc. (You have kids, right? They can show you.) There's a page called "Facebook Purity" that Facebook won't let anyone mention by name because it's full of tips to turn off Facebook ads and awful features. Look up "Fluffbusting Purity" instead and add it to your browser, then open it up and select the things you don't want to see. There's a lot to work with, it'll take several tries. I, for example, want to see posts in the order the arrive, not in the order Facebook wants to promote them. I detest all of their games and you'll give away your privacy if you take any of those awful quizzes.

Now aren't you glad you joined? I joined so long ago that only people on universities could join. And I was a member so long ago that when they started letting people use their own names I got mine for my account. Now people have to add funny spellings or numbers to come close to their own names. #EarlyAdopter. You'll find me at www dot facebook dot com /maggie.dwyer

Last week I talked my younger sister through how to use some of the video calls. Facebook's Messenger is a handy tool; I have the app installed on my phone (but I'm not letting it take over my SMS service!) and use it for video chats with my kids. No phone bills when my daughter spent a year in Japan, just Messenger chats. Now MOM, she gets a little adventurous about who she chats with, especially the ones she heard about through friends at the Legion Hovel. I've had to turn off the WiFi in the house a few times to get them to knock off the loud conversations in the middle of the night.