You may disagree, but Facebook is fantastic. Over the past 10 years, I’ve reunited with classmates, planned trips with folks I attended elementary school with (true story!), learned to be a better photographer, and kept up with family. I’m easily aware of reunions, birthdays, weddings, divorces, births, and deaths because of Facebook.

Also, because of Facebook, I’ve met more than one family member. My dad’s last name is Togans, and it’s uncommon. So when I bump into a Togans on Facebook, I’m almost certain I’m looking at a cousin I’ve never met, although most of my dad’s family is in Pennsylvania or West Virginia. First there was Chad Togans, who is the son of my dad’s cousin, and he lived right here in the DMV! He’s a manager at Ruth’s Chris steakhouse on Connecticut Avenue in NW DC. I bumped into him randomly at The Park at Fourteenth after becoming FB friends and he was so much fun. We’ve even gone out partying a few times and now that’s my homie.

Chad and I after a Jay Z concert, Verizon Center, January 2014

Then there was Jonathan Togans, another son of one of my dad’s cousins, a young guy who was in the Navy and had lived in Japan for a time while in the service. Now he lived alllll the way on the west coast in Las Vegas. But guess what? I took a trip out to Vegas in October to celebrate my birthday and finally met Jon.

Jonathan and I on the Las Vegas Strip, October 2017. We met up at Sprinkles Cupcakes!

Jon’s a Fleet Manager at a Helicopter Facility. Doesn’t that sound cool? But his real passion is working on import cars, and I can tell by his FB posts. For a long time, I actually thought that’s what he did for a living.

In fact, he’s so good at it, that this month he and one of his cars were featured in Performance Auto & Sound Magazine (PASMAG). He has this sweet 1994 Mazda RX-7 that he modded over time. Check out the article here: http://www.pasmag.com/features/5091-culture-shock-jonathan-togans-1994-mazda-rx7.

Jonathan’s 1994 Mazda RX-7

Isn’t this COOL?  I was so excited to see this article. It’s always great to see your family doing awesome things, so I had to share.

Not only have I met new family members, but I’m proud of them! I now call Facebook the Great Facilitator. Meeting my cousins wouldn’t have been possible without it.

Insana 🙂