Web 2.0 and using the social web for business

This morning I set aside some time to go to a seminar about Web 2.0 and using the social web for business. It was interesting to understand how some of these networks are built and friends of friends become your contacts and so on. I'm a social animal and have friends all over the world but my biggest worry is that with two young children, a business to run and a puppy, I barely have time to keep in touch with the friends that I already have, let alone whole new communities. I received a Christmas card from a friend last week who's announced that it's the last year she's sending out cards - in future she'll be making a charity donation instead. In her case, I see her regularly anyway, so it's not a great problem to me, but I know that if I didn't send Christmas cards to many of my friends, years would go past without them hearing so much as a squeak from me - not because I don't want to be in touch, just that I have no time ... I live in hope that as the children become older and more self-sufficient and I learn to delegate more at work, I might actually get to pay some attention to more of my friends again. I'd hate them to think that I don't value their friendships, because I do, very much.