Social network reunions

The awkwardness of Social Networking systems has been discussed at length. The ease of making “friends” leads to nearly-random requests that are awkward to turn down, and to personal introductions that are less personal and less effective.
There’s one situation where the friction-free medium of Social Network systems reduces awkwardness. When you see someone with whom you’ve been out of touch, it is easy, and less awkward, to send them a note. In recent months, I’ve received notes from friends and former colleagues that I haven’t seen in years. The listing in a YASNS, plus the context of a blog, makes it less socially awkward to restart a conversation.