@filmfann, this seems apropos to your question.
My Facebook page has become a mish-mash of “ages and stages” friends, acquaintances and a few people met only through Facebook. I’m approaching FB from an old school background on both public relations and relationships.
1. Just because someone sends you a message or invitation, you don’t have to accept it. You can retain the relationship through messaging only. This gives both parties 30 day’s access to the other person’s site, but doesn’t give them full access. This is like bumping into someone and saying, “let’s do lunch!” and then not following up.
2. If you do add people, you don’t have to let them see all of your page. You can limit what people can see, by individual. One of my daughters does not give me access to her Wall, the other lets me crawl all over the thing (I don’t).
3. Be cognizant that your Facebook page can be accessible to work, and that your page content should never contain anything that presents you in any sort of compromising situation. The adage, “Live your life so you wouldn’t be embarrassed to have your grandmother read about it on the front page newspaper” extends to Facebook.
4. Don’t be afraid to remove people from your friend’s list after you’ve added them. This happens all the time. They don’t receive any notification.
Don’t stress out about it. Facebook is a communication tool. In the age of cell phones, it’s replaced the phone book as a finding device, and serves as a means for mass communication. Don’t feel you have to accept invitations to snowball fights or Mafia Wars, or quizzes. The other person won’t know if you ignore the request.