Question: What do you do when someone friends you whom you do not know?

In people's eternal quest for more Facebook Frendz (TM), people who either met me once or have never even met me at all have recently asked to friend me.

What's the protocol on this?

I don't want to be rude, but just because we know the same people doesn't mean we have to be connected, too. Or does it?

Some day, we'll all be friends on Facebook, and the sun will shine and the stars will align and ...um, I don't think so.

You don't have to be friends with everybody.

And I'm not just talking about Facebook anymore.

Moving three times in three years has taught me something very valuable:

(a) You don't have to be friends with everyone who wants to be friends with you.

and its corollary

(b) Not everyone you want to be friends with wants to be friends with you.

These are hard-learned lessons, people. So take heed: you don't have to be friends with everyone who asks you out, so to speak; but of course you DO need to be nice to them. No need to be an asshole.

It's easy to waste a lot of energy on a match that isn't even made in purgatory; sometimes you click with people, and sometimes you don't. And note bene, you usually know pretty damn fast if you click with someone.

As for (b), there are going to be those friend crushes that just go nowhere. I had me one of those recently. And it hurt like a minor break-up. When I see her, I still feel kind of lame. But hey, if she doesn't get me, then she doesn't get me. If her friend inventory is full, it's full. She has her rights; see (a).

So you move on. And you go on friend dates and you wait to see what gels and what doesn't. And sometimes, things suck a bit. Or a lot. But other times, they click.

And that's magic.

So what is the protocol on Facebook? If you know there's no click there, or you don't even KNOW the person, are you supposed to take a chance on them or just get on with your life?

Seriously, I'm asking.