This afternoon, as I sit at my desk, looking for jobs on the internet (which sucks, when you don't really know what you want to do but can only narrow it down to a geographic area of 4 distinctly different states), I thought I'd blog. I've crusied through my favs, the 4-5 blogs I check on everyday, 3 from people I know and love and 2 from people that they know.
It's wierd, the internet. Full of information. Full of people. Full of oddities. What's real? What is imaginary? There is so much communicated that can't really be clarified without actual tone of voice, raise of an eyebrow, shrug of a shoulder. Imoticons don't cut it really. What I say can be taken any number of ways and will often be taken in a wrong way at least once a day.
Who are these people that I converse with, comment upon and let look at my family photos? I know people into the internet dating and whilst I've tried it, I just couldn't let go of the wierdness of it all, I guess. Who knows if they are lying? I mean, people lie all the time and they do so in person as well. Lying takes place for a variety of reasons, some for legitimate protection (I do a bit of this at my job). It's easier to tell in person, I think, though if a person is lying.
Hmmm, this is random. I guess I could find some menial task to do here for 10 minutes and then think of something else to occupy my time. It would be better than eating the cookies in my desk drawer. I'm not hungry and they aren't that good.
I really wanna scrapbook, read, take a bubble bath, get a massage and have a nice looooong winter's nap. Nope, not gonna happen. I'm instead choosing to go to the Christmas party for my grad school cohort. We've been done 1.5 years and I love that we all still get together! THen there are the 2 parties I'm doing tomorrow. I need to get a grip on my reality and say no. OK, what I really need to do is not take my book to bed with me. I read three fluff books in the last 1.5 weeks and started Wrapped in Rain by Charles Martin a few days ago. Really enjoying it but should be sleeping instead of reading. But it's good! I love to read! What a gift it is to read a good book. To learn something new, to see something old in a new light. LOVE IT!
Saturday, December 09, 2006
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6 comments:
I think you have valid concerns.
I also think there is a sense in the argument that says that one can also have a more authentic relationship with a person online than one can have face to face as well. (Because one can be more open, honest, and vulnerable in writing that they might be if they saw you everyday.)Dealing with people in churches everyday, I know that their real lives look a lot different than what they present to the outside world.
Nevertheless, that is part of the reason I have chosen to meet blog commenters and readers whenever I get the opportunities, to bring the online world and the face to face world together.
For me, part of blogging has become about networking with people. It wasnt what I intended, but it is what has happened unintentionally. In the process I have recieved free books, opportunities to write for publication, and to meet and converse with ministry leaders around the country.
But if blogging is all you have and have no face to face relationships, that can be sad.
As you know, my intent in starting blogging was to hone writing skills.
Maybe you should do a post about your blogging journey. Why you started. What it has become.
I see what you are saying about the lack of tone and body language, but the medium of writing has its own benefits that speaking lacks as well.
So I tend to think that one's writing style reveals a lot about the person. You mention loving to read a good book, and because reading one's writing offers its own richness that listening to someone telling a story lacks. And there are very good reasons why film adaptations of great books often fail.
The internet is not real. People can be whatever they want, which is always a worry. I will never go past the personal contact I get from getting outside and meeting 'real' people!
Online dating I think will forever be odd and scary to me.
As far as people I have met through the blog world...I think it's fun to read other people's thoughts and about their adventures. It gives us something new to consider and perhaps a fresh outlook on a particular subject. Whether or not I'll ever actually meet any of them, who knows? Who cares? To me, it's almost like having a pen pal.
Oh..and I too would love to take a loooong nap!
You should really focus on meeting my dog one of these days - The BEST Dog in the World.
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