Why is Facebook suddenly so popular among we geezers?

Up until a week or two ago, I never used Facebook. My brother made me sign up and join so that I could be his "friend," and that's where I left it. Facebook still held a "college frat boy" stigma for me.

Over the past week, however, I've had a gazillion (well, 10-15) invitations to be a "friend" on Facebook. (I really hate that nomenclature, btw. These people are my friends, but they don't become my friend by linking to me on Facebook. It just feels weird.) What gives? Is it National Facebook Week and I just didn't know it?

And what am I supposed to do with these "Facebook friends?" I used LinkedIn to look for job candidates for my company, but the most action I've seen on Facebook came today when Lonn Johnston "Zombie'd" me...whatever that means. I've never actively solicited the opportunity to be bitten by another man:

Did Facebook do something this week that made it the invitation-network du jour (or, rather, de la semaine)? I can't figure it out, but I'm still waiting for someone to invite me to the kegger at the frat house. So long as they serve Fresca or milk, I'm there.

[Shankland]

I just joined, and the herd followed

No, just kidding. It's some critical-mass phenomenon. I'd been ignoring occasional invitations, but it crossed some threshold a few weeks ago and I figured I'd better see what the fuss was about. I'm more interested in sites with an open API, and Facebook meets that criterion now--perhaps that kicked interest into a higher gear among the Silicon Valley crowd.

By the way, you want "us geezers" in your headline.

[Shankland]

I just joined, and the herd followed

No, just kidding. It's some critical-mass phenomenon. I'd been ignoring occasional invitations, but it crossed some threshold a few weeks ago and I figured I'd better see what the fuss was about. I'm more interested in sites with an open API, and Facebook meets that criterion now--perhaps that kicked interest into a higher gear among the Silicon Valley crowd.

By the way, you want "us geezers" in your headline.

[urbangirlatl]

I'm in my late 30's, and most of my FB friends are high school or college classmates, so no "keggers" in our future!

I've noticed several of my 40 and 50-something family members getting on FB recently. I think to a large degree they do so to keep in touch with (and tabs on) their teenagers. I've also noticed my old classmates using their "status" as a way of passive self-promotion for their businesses (several of us are in real estate). Many of my past clients are on FB, so it is a nice way to keep in touch with them, too.

Otherwise, I enjoy catching up with what people have done with their lives and enjoy photos from those I don't see often enough.

[prodigaleye]

I'm 51 and relatively new to Facebook. It has a good combination of features for hooking up with friends, finding new friends and displaying favorite links to sites, music and whatever.

My friends are family and real friends mostly with a sprinkling of new people that I've met online. However, most of the new people I've met know someone I know.