Post secret

This is the Facebook fan group for an initiative that began on Blogger and has since established a presence on twitter, myspace, youtube and of course Facebook. The initial challenge was to send in a postcard that displays a personal secret as a work of art, and various spinoffs seem to have gained a life of their own. The thead 'Text Confessions' invites you to post your details in order to send and receive secrets via the myspace page. 'I need to get this out' contains posts of confessions and also, touchingly, support. As one poster states, what 'postsecret' is truly about, is helping those who need it. In the gallery, postcards from the original blog are displayed.

Interestingly, the group's discussion board also contains some criticism of postsecret founder Frank Warren, for the fact that archive material is only available through his books. There is even an urban legend regarding the books, that some fans of the initiative have taken to slipping postcards with their own secrets into the books in bookshops, meaning that each buyer gets a unique surprise secret included. True or false? Hard to tell, but it is very intriguing.

What's great about the group: It shows humanity in all its heartbreakingly flawed beauty.

A word of caution: Give it a miss if your first instinct is to judge.

Click here to go directly to 'Post Secret'.

Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster

Generally, the media assaults us with gravity. Deaths. Politics. Power struggles. Sometimes, we need to let our hair down, and stop taking ourselves so seriously. If you've had enough of all the isms and dogmas that haunt our lives, this group opens the window on a little irreverence. There are over 900 discussions, ranging from 'Pastafarianism as an Official Religion' and 'The Holy Noodle' to 'Feel my "wrath", but enjoy my perfect meat ball...' A thread entitled ' The Eight "I'd Really Rather You Didn'ts' preaches a message of tolerance and as membership numbers touches on six digits, one thread speculates as to 'who will be the 100,000th member of this group', a riddle that remains unsolved thus far.

What's good about this group: A great place to visit, if you are in the mood for some irreverent fun.

A word of caution: You might get offended at some of the quasi-religious statements posted by members.

Click here to go directly to 'Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster'.

I'm from a small town you've never heard of

It's a question that comes up sooner or later when you get to know people. Where are you from? Great, obviously, if you can proudly mention a well known city with the world famous landmarks that appear on post cards and in glossy picture books. It becomes a little more complicated if you have to spell the name of your hometown three times, then explain where it is, and reluctantly have to admit that its main claim to fame is a talking cow. If you can relate, you might laugh at the 30 statements on the main page and you can share your experiences in threads such as 'So what is your small-town famous for???' or 'You might be from a REALLY small town if ...'

What's good about the group: No town is too small to get a mention in this Facebook group.

Click here to go directly to 'I'm from a small town you've never heard of'.

Knitting

In recent years, knitting has seen a huge revival of interest, with new innovations emerging and public knitting events being organized in various cities. This group, with over 4000 members, is an excellent forum to share your passion for stitchcraft with kindred spirits, ask for advice or find out who does what in your area. Threads on the discussion board include 'Best Brand of circular needles', 'Knitting Magazines?', 'Current Projects' - with well over a hundred posts to date - and 'Knitting Newbie - Need Help'. You can also check out the gallery to admire photographs of completed knitting by members or post your own achievements.

What's good about the group: It offers knitters worldwide a great opportunity to network.

A word of caution: Give it a miss, if you are not into handcraft.

Click here to go directly to 'Knitting'.

Furry Fandom

The furry subculture, for those unfamiliar with it, is basically a playing ground for those individuals who identify so deeply with the animal kingdom that they employ costumes and other forms of artistic expression to indulge in role-play that usually involves the creation of a specific animal persona. If you would like to know more, or get involved, then this group is a great starting resource and it features various links on the main page to more detailed forums. On the discussion board, you will find threads such as 'female furries?', 'What is your Fursona?' and 'Who is your favorite Disney Furcharacter?' Also worth exploring, are threads related to events and requests to hook up with furries in specific areas.

What's good about the group: If you are a furry, you will feel right at home.

A word of caution: If the furry lifestyle is a major turnoff, then give this group a miss.

Click here to go directly to 'Furry Fandom'.

Addicted to World of Warcraft

World of Warcraft is probably the most popular role playing game since computers first revolutionized the RPG scene. There are millions of players worldwide and each new expansion to the game causes great excitement. If you are addicted to World of Warcraft, then this is an excellent forum for sharing your experiences in threads like 'Your funniest moment while playing' and 'you know that you are addicted to WoW when...' For more serious debate, you can share your thoughts on 'Which side is better Horde or Alliance?' or 'The Future of WoW - Theories, Rumors, etc'. A thread entitled 'how many girls out there play. Post and give us your stats' has drawn 600 posts to date.

What's good about the group: If you're new to World of Warcraft or exploring new territory, so to speak, this is a great place to solicit advice from more experienced players.

Click here to go directly to 'Addicted to World of Warcraft'.

iTS A TWiLiGHT THiNG YOU WOULDNT UNDERSTAND

So far, I have managed to avoid the feeding frenzy for vampires that the popularity of the Twilight books and subsequent movies have generated. But if you've caught a serious bout of Edward and Bella fever, then you will be able to identify very strongly with the sentiments expressed in this group. The front page contains a detailed cast list, release dates and also various links to websites, videos and fan pages related to the Twilight universe. Apart from threads, such as 'The Twilight Fictional Character Awards' and 'What would the person above be? Vampire, Werewolf or Mortal?', the discussion board also showcases a wealth of Twilight fanfiction stories in progress.

What's good about the group: It's a great place to share your thoughts, if you are a fan.

A word of caution: Avoid, if you can't relate to this latest vampire craze.

Click here to go directly to 'iTS A TWiLiGHT THiNG YOU WOULDNT UNDERSTAND'.