Picture it

There are beautiful pictures of landscapes and scenery, people and animals, buildings and landmarks online, that we view every day but what's better than stepping outside and experiences all these things yourself? How many of you have strolled down the road and looked around you? Look at the faces, the buildings, the sky, the land around you. There's a story there somewhere. Maybe you are the story! Why not just make a new memory for you and whoever you share the experience with? How many times have you heard 'Remember the time .... Or remember when' It's time to create another 'remember the time' You are your own memory stick or hard drive. Have you ever smelled something and it reminds you of something or someone? Someone says something and it triggers a memory? People don't appreciate what they have? I don't mean what's in their pocket, bank account, possessions or personal items. Look out your window there's a big old world out there, just waiting for you. Outside is where all the action is, not in front of tv screen or computer screen. Grab your family, friends, dog or just yourself and fill your lungs with some fresh air and your head with some memories. Take your own beautiful pictures and then stick them online, and let other people look at them.

Message sent

Has the used of common words and language died ? Have we lost the gift of script? I know some words are quite difficult to spell, but when I read some texts or messages I'm lost. I remember when I was younger learning what abbreviations of major organisations meant.( S.P.C.A.- F.B.I. - W.W.F. and so on) Now you got WTF - LMAO - GR8 - OMG. Have we just got so lazy when we want to write to people? It's like looking at a coded message that needs deciphering. Imagine reading  Shakespeare's classics ' O Romeo, Romeo! Where4 art u, Romeo' or ' 2B 0r not 2B, dat is d ? '  The Bard would turn over in his grave!
I am not a lover of texting people, I find it so impersonal . I think talking to someone expresses your true feelings, it's easier to read a persons tone of voice than a jumble of letters and numbers. how many times have you said to someone 'What's wrong? I can hear it in your voice.'  It doesn't come across as good in a text message. Anyway, by the time I've written a text on my mobile and sent it, waited for an answer, replied
a few times with short answers, I have just lost 5 minutes. Where a call would have lasted 30 seconds! What's better, 15 minutes of tapping on a keypad or 5 minutes of conversation with a loved one? I know what I would pick!

Silence is golden

How many times have you heard this? "please turn off your mobile before we begin" your sitting there enjoying the show, film,performance or speech, when suddenly from behind that annoying tuneless ringtone or stupid song cuts through the hushed audience like a mosquito on crack. Heads whip round and hundreds of eyes seek out the culprit. There's a panicked fumble through pockets or handbag and the person avoids eye contact as they try to subdue the device. Someone sniggers,a few shushes resound in the building, the mobile is silenced. Embarassment is written all over the persons face. The stares from behind are bouncing off the back of the offender's head. Then with a shrug of their shoulders , like nothing's happened they stare straight ahead. Up in front the show must go on. The silent mode is there for a reason.Use it.

Now and Then

What happened to the days when we only had a few channels on the gogglebox, we had to chat. Whether it be about your day, little Jimmy's tantrums or any mundain topic. Remember your mothers gossiping over the garden fence to the neighbours while hanging up the washing. Dads doing the gardening and chatting with other dads about cars , money ,work, football and her indoors. You knew most of your neighbours by name or by how they treated you.
Now we have hundreds of channels to choose from 24/7 and the only chatting is online. Walk down the street, look around, do you know your neighbours ? The garden fences have got higher,Mom wants her privacy. Dad races off to work and rushes home , laptop on, all he can handle online about cars, money , work , football and her online. Little Jimmy's off with his friends and their blackberrys.
How many times have you been with people and there's one , two maybe even three of them tip-tapping on their mobile?Maybe that's you. Status update?So what if you are in Rico's having coffee with whoever! Tweeting? Who ever you are following, they don't care who you are! Texting? Commenting? Come on put the bloody thing away. Lets talk, laugh, snigger, lets put the world to rights. Look at the faces around you, they are why you are here, not the fool  2000 miles away you've never met.
Technology keeps changing but the spoken word never does, You don't need a degree or instructions to talk. We've been doing it for a while now, so let's keep it alive. It doesn't need charging or updating but it only needs you and me to create a coversation. Say hi to a neighbour, smile at a child, wink at a girl or boy, you never know you may make a new friend ( not a requested one) .

Faceless

Here I sit with  my family, sounds all cosy and the perfect picture postcard scenario, but as I type, my wife types, my son types and my other son types. We spend our time together, looking down and conversing with all our friends. Some friends we have never met and may never meet. Who are these people we chat to? What are their likes and dislikes? I don't know, but I like their posts, their pictures, their comments. Does that mean I know them? Do they know me? Can you have a decent conversation online? Or an argument? Can you laugh together? Cry together? Be together? I can share my pictures, my stories, my points, but can I really share me on a screen? Words on a screen to exprees myself seems so false, but the spoken words are my feelings and views there and now.
LOL is used a lot, but to laugh out loud with you beside me, means you really know how I feel. A flash of your pearly whites leaves me with a memory, where a smiley face leaves me confused and trying to work out what it represents. If I'm sad, comfort me, hold me, reassure me, tell me what you think. Don't type AWWW!!! If I'm happy, be happy with me, for me, hug me, high five me. Don't type it, show me. Shout at me. Be against me. Argue with me. Laugh with me. Look me in the face and be with me! We are all social animals not social network animals. Everyone needs someone, but someone can't be with you if they are not with you