I want to give a little bit of background (actually 2 pieces). First, over the last few months I’ve slowed down on the amount of posts I’m able to create. A few of you (I’ll protect the names of the guilty) have even prodded me to get back to posting. Some of the lack of writing has to do with the general busyness of the late Spring. In other words, it’s not that I don’t want to write or blog, but I just haven’t been able to carve out the regular time. Some of the lack of posting has to do with now being a part of Facebook and realizing you can only give so much time to technology and communication.
The second piece of background is that I had a conversation with someone a week or so ago and he made the following statement, “I’m never going to be a part of any of those social network sites. They are dumb. I don’t even like to e-mail. So, I’m sure not going to sit around and do that.” Now, I’m not going to make an evaluation of his comment (although it did strike me that probably had he been around in the early 20th century he may have felt the same way about the telephone), but it did lead me to think about this question:
How do you communicate? How do you stay in touch?
The way I see it there are several avenues you could use. Some may even use multiple avenues. I’d love to know what ones are most popular with you.
The avenues:
- Face to face — You are someone who goes out of your way to meet with people and talk. You go through the drive through bank rather than the ATM because you value talking to people eye to eye.
- Letters and Cards — Maybe you are great in utilizing the traditional birthday card. Perhaps on occasion you’ll drop someone the “Thinking of You” type of card. Or, maybe, you annually put together the full blown (complete with pictures) Christmas letter.
- Telephone — Although as a rule this avenue has been monopolized by teenage girls some people do prefer to talk on the phone. Ironically they are usually also the ones who are driving in front of me! :-) BTW: Have you heard about the new “malady” that is afflicting some people who talk a lot on their cell phone? I’m not making this up and it has nothing to do with the brain being altered by the electronic waves, but they are describing it as “cell elbow.” Apparently if you talk too much on your phone it can effect a nerve in your elbow and make your hand (temporarily) go numb! Teenage girls beware!!!
- E-mail — This method caught on about 10 or 15 years ago, but it’s still going strong.
- Text Messaging — This is a cross between e-mail and telephone. It’s done on the phone, but it similar in form to e-mail. Most people keep the messages short and they use a lot of abbreviations to communicate (JK! Lol! TTYL! L8r!).
- Social Networks — This is the newest form. Sites like Facebook, LinkedIn, My Space, and Twitter are all linking people together and keeping communication constant. For those who aren’t familiar I don’t want to take the time to explain it here. So, either ask one of your k ids, a coworker, a neighbor, a spouse, a grandparent, or simply the person standing in line waiting to get into an event chances are they are in the process of posting some random comment about what they are currently doing or have just completed.
For me, in an ideal day, I’m a nominal user of the Social Network but I utilize e-mail and text messaging a lot. I don’t like to talk on the phone but I love to meet with people face to face.
So, what do you use? How do you communicate?
June 5, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Glad to see you posting again J.P. I don’t usually comment, but I am always checking for updates. I guess I must be one of those people who kind of span the different choices as new technology comes around. I love chatting with people face to face, even those behind me in the grocery store line or bank. I certainly have nothing against talking on the phone (though people who talk continually about absolutely nothing on their cell phones really, really irk me). I do enjoy sending out cards for special occasions. However, I also love the speed and convenience of e-mail and am on Facebook. I don’t really text, though I can and do send/receive e-mails on my iTouch. I figure any form of communication, whether formal or informal, that keeps me in contact with the people in my life that I care about is good thing.
June 8, 2009 at 9:12 am
My preference is email – I communicate best in writing. I have to be careful, though, as it can be very easy to rely solely on email & avoid the phone. I’m not a chatty person, so I rarely use my cell phone & do not use texting at all. I think I’m one of the few! I do the Facebook thing, which has been a cool way to find old friends, and keep in touch with those I don’t see often enough. Meeting with people is always the best – just need to devote the time!
BTW – great message on Sunday, it really made me think about that “other” side of injustice. I never would’ve made the application, so thank you for being transparent – I know I’m guilty of the same, and am praying that I think more carefully before acting/talking the next time frustrations creep up.
June 15, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Social networks are useful, but to me, only as a catalyst for real, meaningful telephone or face-to-face conversations. Otherwise, it is too easy to let people know what you’re doing and confuse that with being a relationship.
I am a writer as well and find e-mail is a great way to communicate, but again, purely email or written letters are used to just fill in the gaps between phone or face-to-face conversation.