Last week end I signed up for Facebook and Twitter. I initially signed up for Facebook because my sons use it. I used to keep in contact with them through Instant Messaging (IM). Lately they were rarely on IM and found out that they now use Facebook and Twitter.
To my suprise I find that a few of the Burgers and my fellow bloggers are already there.
It made me realise that over the last 3 years or so while I have been dealing with my medical problems the technology world has passed me by. Sure I have been reading and participating on a few select Technology Blogs, newsletters and websites but I have not really taken much notice of the new innovations and trends. A few years ago I would have looked at the technology, analyzed it, played with it, looked at ways it can be used personally and as a business tool and perhaps even been involved in the development of some of it.
Another thing that I realised is that I have more online friends than real life friends. At the height of my medical problems I noticed that friends and acquaintances faded away. The main reason for this is that because I was either in hospital or restricted to home I could not participate in their social activities so eventually they gave up asking. A bit like your single friends after you get married.
You, my loyal readers, may have noticed that I have not attended any local blogger and burger gatherings such as the recent Chaz Day or Nat's (Girl Clumsy) theatre productions. But rest assured that once I am fit enough I shall be attending.
Since I started blogging it has been you guys and gals who have invited me into your little piece of the world to share some of your life. In return you have given me encouragement and helped me through the difficult times and for that I thank you.
I have also learned things. It has been interesting to see the blood and sweat that goes into getting a book published, via Birmo's Blog. The hard work needed to put together a theatre production, Girl Clumsy, Squire Bedak. The experiences of others in writing and life in general. And not just Australians but New Zealanders, Americans, English. I have learned something from all of you.
We are a diverse group of experiences, knowledge and nationalities and it has been an interesting and enjoyable journey.
Now for a bit of pimping. My Facebook and Twitter is here: Facebook Twitter
As I have not been with Facebook or Twitter for long and I am still learning I cannot give you the good and bad of them. First impressions is that they seem simple and straight forward.
Stay good an
d be kind to each other.
To my suprise I find that a few of the Burgers and my fellow bloggers are already there.
It made me realise that over the last 3 years or so while I have been dealing with my medical problems the technology world has passed me by. Sure I have been reading and participating on a few select Technology Blogs, newsletters and websites but I have not really taken much notice of the new innovations and trends. A few years ago I would have looked at the technology, analyzed it, played with it, looked at ways it can be used personally and as a business tool and perhaps even been involved in the development of some of it.
Another thing that I realised is that I have more online friends than real life friends. At the height of my medical problems I noticed that friends and acquaintances faded away. The main reason for this is that because I was either in hospital or restricted to home I could not participate in their social activities so eventually they gave up asking. A bit like your single friends after you get married.
You, my loyal readers, may have noticed that I have not attended any local blogger and burger gatherings such as the recent Chaz Day or Nat's (Girl Clumsy) theatre productions. But rest assured that once I am fit enough I shall be attending.
Since I started blogging it has been you guys and gals who have invited me into your little piece of the world to share some of your life. In return you have given me encouragement and helped me through the difficult times and for that I thank you.
I have also learned things. It has been interesting to see the blood and sweat that goes into getting a book published, via Birmo's Blog. The hard work needed to put together a theatre production, Girl Clumsy, Squire Bedak. The experiences of others in writing and life in general. And not just Australians but New Zealanders, Americans, English. I have learned something from all of you.
We are a diverse group of experiences, knowledge and nationalities and it has been an interesting and enjoyable journey.
Now for a bit of pimping. My Facebook and Twitter is here: Facebook Twitter
As I have not been with Facebook or Twitter for long and I am still learning I cannot give you the good and bad of them. First impressions is that they seem simple and straight forward.
Stay good an
d be kind to each other.
16 comments:
Have always loved reading your blogs Al, hope you keep going with them.
Gonna get a beer down your gullet down one day old man. ;o)
You will learn to hate Facebook.
Yeah, the missus has always been crook and the net opened her to the world and gave her mind a freedom her body couldn't do.
I'm not sure if there is anything that would convince me to join Facebook, but that's for me, for others I can see it' uses.
Agreeing with DD-hang with the blog as well. Also seconding Bangar. For me, a blog is enough instant communications.
Well, I've been a bad man and drifted off due to teaching but I know you struggle with the health front. Here is to hopes that you improve and a shout out that I have not forgotten your visits to my spot in cyberspace last summer.
Your absent minded friend,
Murph
Yeah, we like to keep tabs on ya, good post BTW, bloody spot on really. And I'm with MOKO, one day i will get my arse to QLD again, been too long.
And..yep..HATE FACE BOOK..no reason really, never used and WILL NEVER.I Got enough shit happening already without another log in and password combo...sheeez.
b e good Al.
I'm friend requesting you on Facebook!
Beautiful post.
Al I'll get you listed on my friends at FB shortly, rarely get on it as work have banned the site..(bastards).
It never ceases to amaze me how close a group we actuially are esp considering the distances between us. But that is as they say life.
Keep up the good work mate.
I've never bothered with facebook but might do a Twitter thing, although I find that this blog stuff is generally enough.
As far as real v on-line friends go, to me its probably easier to do virtual stuff. although I have met various useful types in real life as a consequence of strolling through the net.
Nicely put sir.
Whilst not a technophobe I tend not to be an early uptaker.
I'm loving being in contact with many of my far flung crew via Email.
I blog and enjoy that and the community of lunatics (& a certain sizzling russian minx)I've found here.
I subscribed to the dreaded stalkerbook, but after being poked, given efish & egarden and invited to pray a bazillion times, I only check it about once a month - usually just in time to find out about something I've missed. If someone was to judge me on my Stalkerbook data I'd be a classified a malcontent loner.(Hmm, is there any money in that?)
So I doubt I'll be tweeeting anytime soon.
But again lovely words Al.
I apparently have a twitter account ( so my daughter tells me) but am so busy feeding my Farm Town /Facebook addiction and tending my bleating blog that I never update my twitter. Shame on me..LOL This is my facebook name so add me at will Maggie Justasiam
Big Al! Too true, buddy. Social networking is not all about pretty young things and "picking your Top 5 Movies from 1983"... No matter how much bull-twang is thrown at it, the audience never fails to highlight the SOCIAL aspect of it. As you have so eloquently put it here, my man. Great post.
(I've added you on twitter)...
Good to have you around BBA.
I tend to be a bit slow on the new tech uptake. I only joined jspace so I could comment and will probably join twitter for the same reason.
I joined FB so family could see the Sophasaurus photos when she was in hospital.
I will have to add you on FB!
Arsebook is ninety percent twee irrelevance and ten percent good stuff. I was anti-it for the longest time but finally got on and to be honest pretty much live there. Reason being that my real friends ARE my virtual friends, in that almost all my old mates from Australia are on there and it's a really easy way to stay in touch and have almost-normal conversations (emails are a bit tricky as you actually feel like you need something to tell them - work's good, family's good etc doesn't cut it sometimes) As Naut points out the photo sharing capabilities of FB are very useful - Twitter's a bit one dimensional in what it does in that respect. All the FB poking and quizzing and bollocksing-about I tend to sidestep. You can easily tune that rubbish out of what you see on screen.
What I like about blogging is the ability to get a coherent thought process out and tell a story, which Twitter's 140 chars ain't doing for anyone (and I'm Gawdawful at brevity as anyone who's ever tried to read a WoB post in less than 5 mins would agree.) I see the point of Twitter but I'm happy enough with annoying my peeps with FB status updates. Who tend to be relatively slow on social networking uptake - most of them only FB'd up in the past six months.
I lasted 5 days on facebook. 2 friend requests from people who wouldn't have pissed on me back in the day convinced me it wasn't for me. My friends know how to find me
DD: Just for you.
Moko: One day Mate. Sooner than later.
Bangar: we'll keep an eye on you from here.
Murph: As with a lot of blogs, I read your words of wisdom but don't necessarily comment.
YD: Ain't going anywhere. I'll be here until the Cubs win the World Series.
Havock: It is a good time waster...
Jenniki: Thank You. See you on FB.
Chaz: Distance is a tyranny. There is always Chaz Days.
Therbs: Twitt away dude.
DD: Look up in the sky. Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No. It's the Malcontent Loner.
Maggs: thanks for dropping in. See you on Facebook.
NB: Can I poke you. Sounds like fun.
Blue Box: Thanks and I like reading your take on the music world.
Naut: Comment away dude..
Doc: Jeeze. I wish you would give more detail in your comments. :-)
U: You can't hide forever.
Thank you everybody.
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Arrgh!Speak up or hang from the yard arm. Arrgh!