Does your household ever look like this? I might note that they are sitting in front of the TV. And look at the old pro Annie – also texting!
Where’s the little guy? I hope he was running around outside somewhere…..
Does our social media make us more connected or disconnected?
I have to admit – I like it!
I have an old cell phone, so it can take 3 clicks to type a letter. Therefore, I don’t text much. But since I work from home, I can email texts to the kids and other family members.
I started social networking because of my business. But in the process, I’ve reconnected with old friends I never would be talking to due to the time and/or distance that separates us. But blogging, Facebook and even Twitter has connected me to others. Facebook is particularly fun because old school friends have found me and it’s fun to catch up.
I have a Facebook business page, too, and I love getting to know my customers. In fact, I had a lovely meeting with one of them last night (at Cheesecake factory!) How fun it was to chat and get to know the person behind the lovely comments she leaves. Not to mention the wonderful stories she shared about the “life” of her T shirts and jackets that I will make into a memory quilt.
I have connected with what started as mere strangers on Twitter. But those connections have evolved into friendships. I find inspiration, advice, mentoring, sharing and just plain old-fashioned chattiness there!
I wonder if social media has caused me to lose my old friends, though? The ease of connecting on this level has caused a reluctance to pick up a telephone – something I never liked doing when the kids were young. By the time I would have any “time” to talk on the phone, I was too tired. Social media, for the most part, lets me connect on my time. However, some of my old friends won’t go near it. So it takes more of an effort to stay in touch.
So are we more connected – or less? My kids up there – connecting to friends, family, business contacts, etc….but are they connecting with each other?
Sure, they are playing each other in “Words With Friends”…..!!!!
LOL – This is how my 13-year old son is also. Laptop in lap, TV on and sometimes playing his 3DS. Fortunately he’s not into cell phones,texting and social media yet. Great post and very true. I enjoy the “connecting” via social media, but still try to make time for face-to-face connections as often as possible.
I really find this post interesting, because I’ve questioned it myself. Oh how I wish I had social networking when my kids were younger. It would be so easy to set meetings, chat with friends, plan get togethers. I could have done it late at night without fear of waking babies.
Now, I can get in touch with old friends. I just made friends with someone I went to school with 40 years ago. Sometimes when my daughter takes the baby in her bedroom, we can still talk without waking the baby, from room to room.
And then there are the new friends I’ve made, like you. How else would I know that this talented person who lives 20 minutes away from me now, grew up 4-5 miles away from me and knew some of the same people I knew?
I have mixed feelings about social media. While it’s fun to see what old friends and long lost relatives are up to, I spend an awful lot of time on Facebook when I could be doing more interesting and/or satisfying things. It is so addictive.