I consider myself a reluctant fan of Facebook. I appreciate the way it allows me to keeps friends and fam- ily close at heart. Without it, I wouldn’t be able to view my teenage niece’s photo shoots, admire my baby brother’s lat- est ironwork creations, keep tabs on high school classmates or, most importantly, receive regular updates on the antics of my angelic infant granddaughter.

Without Facebook, it’s highly possible I might still be under the impression that “Duck Dynasty” is some kind of kiddie cartoon, and that would be truly tragic.

That said, I’m the first to admit Facebook is a monster in need of constant taming. If left unchecked, it will greed- ily snatch hours from your day and suck you into its vortex of unending political and social drama.

Thankfully, a few setting tweaks is all that’s necessary to banish those persistent requests for “Farmville” or whatever the latest craze of the day is. (I don’t see them, so I don’t know.)

I tried playing “Words with Friends” once, and actually enjoyed it. Still, I felt tied to my computer, unable to “rudely” abandon my opponent in the middle of a match. Then there was the ever-present temptation to cheat. I mean, who’s going to know if I take just a quick peek at Scrabblefinder.com for an idea or two? The stress was too much for me. It had to go.

“Friends” are another potential hazard. Upon leaving a work position where I’d felt obligated to accept friend requests from everyone who felt like they knew me (fear of “rudeness” once again pre- vailing over common sense), I finally allowed myself to delete hundreds of “friends”, leaving only people I actually know. Go figure!

Let me offer a word to the wise when it comes to “friends”. Be selective in who you add to begin with. Anyone over the age of 18 knows that the number of Facebook friends you have has absolutely no bearing on your worth as a human being. Not only that, but your many “friends” will clog your newsfeed, preventing you from seeing updates from those you actually care about and the deletion process is cumbersome and time consuming.

Drama and gossip are another set of Facebook pitfalls. I avoid both, but admit that the occasional political rant can set me off.

If, like me, you have po- liteness issues, but have a friend whose updates regu- larly set your teeth on edge, don’t despair. There is a set- ting that allows you to elimi- nate their posts from your feed, without taking the drastic step of unfriending them, altogether. In such situations, ignorance truly is bliss.

One of my favorite posi- tive uses of Facebook is the local trade, barter and sell pages. These are similar to Craigslist, but much more personal. I have three favor- ites I try and check regularly: Walla Walla Valley Barter & Trade, Another Man’s Trea- sure (Waitsburg/Dayton), and Things for Sale or Free in the Walla Walla Valley.

These pages are an excel- lent resource for all types of buying, selling, borrowing and trading. I’ve used them to give away old windows, a too-small crock pot and a dresser in need of minor repair. It’s fun to give things to someone who will appreciate them and easier than hauling items to the dump or thrift store.

When I wanted to make homemade applesauce, but didn’t want to shell out $50 for a food strainer, I asked on Another Man’s Treasure, if anyone had one they’d be willing to loan. I had sev- eral offers within a matter of hours, and ended up borrow- ing one from next door.

I’ve sold party dresses, ski jackets and dress suits. Since the sale is local, it’s easy to meet up and make the trade. I’ve also found some excel- lent deals, the most recent being a Trek 7000 bicycle, in good condition for $45.

If you’re in need of some- thing specific, have an item you’d like to sell or rid your- self of, or have a skill you’re willing to barter, I highly suggest checking these pages out.

Facebook is a great tool. Just remember, you’re the boss.