I definitely am a communications maven, the drawback being, I wasn’t savvy about social media management tools. Last night, or night before, I read a whole page describing social media, but it would not enter my brain. I think the Blog is my favorite (Psst, don’t tell the others). I’ve also added many blogs to follow, conquered LinkedIn, decided against shrinking my URL now, and am considering the blogs mentioned in MNINB, April 21. I think I’m up to date, theory only. I have to assimilate.
This morning I awakened thinking about Tweeting, Twittering, you catch my drift.
Before I started my blog, I communicated with a couple of hundred people around the world. It helps to move a lot. Al, my recent graduated from marketing at Yale, with his MBA, said, “You have to have a blog.” I did. I was grateful to my 2-3 followers; bless their stalwart qualities.
I blogged, FB’d, emailed everyone about everything. I’ve written 2 books and can promote them well. I teach writing, so there you go, more computer time. I like FB. I didn’t think Twitter could be used for ordinary computers. I thought it was for cell phones, the kind of cellies my young friends carry, i.e., sleek black, red, buttons, icons, push here, push there. I felt Twitter was the scoop-up-words type of thing, words from the top of my head. I like to go deeper. Too brief, too shallow, too Valley Girl almost.
LinkedIn repelled me. I grew up in a family that regarded their status proudly. Boston was glutted with those families who know their social divides. I didn’t retain these traditions.
So I thought, Linked-in-schminked-in.
Now, I’m a Twitterer, a FBer, definitely a blogger, an email, and a Yenta of sorts locally for people who look for work, relationships, just anything. A new friend, in from India, said I’m like a local Google, except with a small g.
I write because I must. I write to weave humor, pain, suffering, and I write about anything, from sow bugs and sorry gnats to concepts of racial justice, oneness, and I glut Goodreads with my I’ve read or to read type of thing. I subscribe to Powell’s on line, Book browse, locally, and on.
I am like an untrained Dalmatian. I bound into life. But, a concern I have, throwing aside professional need, is Twitter.
I wonder what sociologists will make of our current culture. We have invisible lace webs over our heads that cartoon out – “didja eat,” “how bout them Dodgers,” and every other light through, phrase or sentence that settles tentatively on our brains.
What does this say indicate about attention span in the future?
I’m light, I’m funny, and I love whimsy and playing with words. We do a lot of that on CHPercolatorcoffeehouseforwriters, and I guffaw on the floor over our hilarious exchanges. But, I wonder, if we just go to a restaurant, casual, Marie Calender’s, Denny’s, Cocos, and see kids to adults to seniors. A lot of heads are bent over their cell phones tweeting.
What about social skills?
We live in a society that is tremendously immediate. Instant news. “You heard it first at Blah Blah News.” I can multitask without a blink of an eyelash. But, can I sit down and study things, reflect at great length. At this point in our world, is the speed of light winning, and reflection of the light losing?
I want quality. I’m naturally speedy and can type rapidly. But I want depth too. It seems in the world today we inhale. We inhale words, sounds, pressures, work, you name it.
A Hopi prophecy said, “When the world speeds up, slow down.”
That said. I throw myself into my day and am enormously busy, but my relationships are fun and solid, and we form friendships in our writing circles, in my Baha’i life.
Sure, I’d like to be recognized; what writer wouldn’t. But life is more than that. I tell my students, we are reaching a time on the planet where arts should be everywhere, an Arts Rising type of thing. The world is so busy, so full, why can’t we soar locally, forget the star system, a Kingdom of Names type of thing. It’s all about bringing life and love and creativity to one another. We don’t always need a stage.
I’d love and welcome other comments. These are mine at the end of a busy Sunday.
Excellent post today. Thanks for sharing. I really enjoyed it very much.
Enjoy writing? We would love for you to join us!
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send me some good stuff about joining you; i’ll consider it; pros and cons-thanks much.
Esther, you have so beautifully expressed all of my reservations in this speed and sound bite society! I am so confused and overwhelmed with FB that I haven’t been on it in months. Is this isolation or self-preservation or a little of both??? I’m am waiting to wake up one morning, with a revelation as to the relevance of Twitter! Anyway, in the meantime, I do love your blog!
I think we live in the tension of the opposites, a phrase I love. It’s perhaps all about intent, i.e., is my motive pure? Am I seeking fame and fortune (chuckle), Do I wanted to be noticed for my writing voice? yes. But there is an overlay in society, from my point of view, is running. We run to work. We run at work, we want to keep up, to belong. Are we looking for something deeper, a sustained, abiding sense of connection within, to our Higher Power, to ourselves, to the world. I suggest that we are all hungry for deep authentic meaning and relationships to everything in our world. My understanding fromt he Baha’i Writings is that Baha’u’llah teaches God has created everything, the atoms on up, for our education. I don’t want to twit by that. That said, the April Challenge is hard. My Name is Not Bob is gracious and giving, and it’s a tremendous opportunity to learn. hugs and love, your eternal pal, e
Esther, I was just doing some of that same type of soul searching–what do I really want out of all this writing? And name three adjectives that describe what you really want–(this is a tip from Martha Beck O’s life coach) It’s pretty enlightening! Often you find the adjectives you want, you’ve had all along (kinda like Dorothy…) 🙂
Wonderful; i thought by the way SARa i was following you; but refollowed tonight. I think it’s a question of rhythms and sestablishing them. I know I want to write; I do write. I’ve written 2 books. I teach writing. have done a lot of this for no money; it must be love. I guess i want true authenticity and if people resonate such a California word) with my writing, I connect. I love connection. Thanks for your response. BTW Martha Beck has written 2 outstanding memoirs; why she left Mormonism and Raising Adam
Hello. I concur on the LinkedIn thingie. Don’t understand the necessity, and I’ve only found one person who interests me there. Perhaps it’s not about finding interesting people. I like what Twitter offers: news updates, rail delays, next spot of rainfall expected in my area, recipes, ignoring Martha Stewart, following my favourite bakers and pastry chefs, and exchanging ideas. I think I’m outgrowing Facebook; been there for years so I’m suffering from been there and done that. Writing still keeps floats my boat though, thankfully. Google+ is just gobbling up too much time. Come 1 May, I’ll take the hedge trimmers to some of these social networks, and cut my losses.
Nice blog you have here.
But, today or last night, I found writers’ links and wonderful authors on Linked; so I find sometimes when I’m critical, something else pops up to show the good side of it. It’s all fun, and a lot of work. Best to you
Hi Esther – I’m feeling a little overwhelmed with Robert’s April Challenge with building an online platform, and I have some drastic catching up to do. Yet, I love a challenge and am writing my first novel, so I have to know more about the online networking ‘stuff’. I don’t have much interaction with others because I am tucked away in the middle of Australia on a writing sabbatical. And I love the idea of communicating with others around the world. How did you publish your books? Traditionally? Print-on-demand? Digitally? Or? I look forward to your reply. Thanks.
I had a response, lost it attending to soemthing else; by all means lean on me if you wish; we’ll muddle through together; it’s enormous; i am terrifically outgoing and do FB and a blog and stuff; but i’m exhausted and i’m stretching technically. I self published; first edition of Without A Net: A Sojourn in Russia with small printing co in LA; i did the work; they rpinted; second edition; went to nonprofit in western New York and added pictures, changed cover, and they buffed it and had it professionally printed; then third issue photocopied, and printed by printing company in New Jersesy. You carry the heavy stuff; title, second book; shows lot of writing styles; put it on Lulu, a Kafkaesque nightmare if there ever was one; ordered a bunch and sell or give them away.
I teach writing. I rely on the concept of open doors. When something is right or read a door opens, but still have to do the work.
I recommend Goodreads – was told by a media teacher this is how to meet other writers and get know; we connect and support each other. Also am on CHPercolatorCoffeehouse for writers; prompts given every day; both are free; then i read a lot; go to book clubs; comment on books, and i’m 73 but become mildly known in town; my face was on the cover of Pasadena Weekly because I teach homeless woemn writring. Little by little, day by day is my motto. Stay in touch with me; get on FB, sendme request; esther bradley-detally, join goodreads, and now what’s your novel about; hooray for you; hugs and love.
i just answered you; hugs
I’ll check out Goodreads & PercolatorCoffeeHouse. Thanks for those. I will look you up on facebook.
It’s all good – but finding the time is the difficulty.
Time, that mad fragment who has danced away to the moon in the middle of the night!
I like Twitter, it has helped me connect with lots of people. Blogging is my longest standing form of social media, though I haven’t many followers. The migration to WordPress from MSN Spaces did not bring all my old friends along. I resisted Facebook a long time, and am not overly fond of it still, though I have been there quite some time now. Twitter doesn’t require a great deal of effort and so fits into my life easily. I don’t like LinkedIn. It has no personality… maybe I just have not made an effort to understand it.
I am part of the MNINB Platform Challenge and would love it if you visited my blog at http://www.hopefuljo.wordpress.com
You seem to be very accomplished and I will follow your blog. I am a night owl, so when I visit it will probably be late.
I enjoyed reading your post. Keep writing…
You have a very sweet post; the handwriting; is that your penmanship? Exquisite; nice to meet you; glad you liked my post!
Esther, you’re a terrific writer–funny, incisive, smart. (I wish I could write “funny”; I’m not sure I have it in me.) I’m still struggling with the whole social media thing. Until the challenge, Facebook was my main outlet (well, and LinkedIn, but that’s so different). Now there are all these others, which may be fun, but If I’m going to get back to serious work on my book, something has to give. I know one thing: I love this blog, and I’ll be back here, for sure!
thank you Gerry – the humor increases over the years, i think it was a genetic handdown, my son has it, my granddaughter, and i’m grateful. This whole blog stuff is exhausting on one level, but probably because it’s so new and a stretch; what are you writing about? I’d love to hear; hugs and thanks.