a little bit of somethin' somethin'

July 08, 2010

Sometimes I feel like when I blog, it's a little like times when I journal. There's a lot going on upstairs, but I'm not really sure how to put it down, or what to put down. So I start somewhere and about ten pages later... there's a whole lot of randomness that doesn't make much sense, but I sure feel better. Ok, so maybe that's a slight exaggeration, but you get the idea.

So here we go...

I was listening to a random talk show a few weeks back on my way home from work and they were discussing social networking, and how it is affecting our society. I know you have all heard the rants about the pro's and cons of it all, in fact my fabulous sister is willing and able to give you a piece of her mind on this matter. Just ask her :) (http://lifeissofullofanumberofthings.blogspot.com/2009/02/facebook-friends.html) But something they said that has kind of stuck with me is that with all of this networking, whether its blogging or Facebooking, or Twittering, or whatever it is that has you connected with the few hundreds of acquaintances you may have, we all have this mentality that there is a built in audience out there just waiting to read what we are feeling or doing or thinking. (that was a really long sentence, sorry.) I venture to say that those of us who have been at this for quite a while spend parts of the day thinking up creative statuses or "tweets." Maybe we even start thinking in statuses or updates. "Elizabeth Johnson is..." How self centered is that? Is it OK because that's what is expected with social networking? Hmmm... How should it change? Should it change? Are we willing to give it up or cut back? Do we need to? Don't get me wrong, I'm not slamming this whole social networking thing. I love it. I love the immediate connection with friends. If I want to say something to my friend over in Ireland, I just log on and BAM. Connection. Communication. I guess what I'm really getting at is that that whole talk show thing has kind of put a check on what I say and when and how often. Do people really care? Is it going to bother me if nobody likes or comments on my status? Will it hurt my emotional stability? Does it matter...? So I'm probably not going to delete my profile and disappear in protest of it all because I do have that connection with people from past and present, near and far, but I guess it's just food for thought. Which should probably turn into action at some point. But you know me, I'll get around to it when I feel like having an opinion. Which isn't very often.

picture: because blogging should include pictures. pretty much always.

this is my friend Jesse. today i wish i was as old as and as silly as him.