The blog is gayab again and all that.
Imagine if this happened with a book you actually read (and liked).
Each time you reach out to your bookshelf, you fumble around exasperated "Uff, not again"
and the book has scuttled away, like an overexcited toddler high on sugar granules.
a pirouette, the swishing of its pages and vanishing from view.
a literary horror story.
It's rare to watch something that consistently tugs at your heart strings. and this show, this show is playing the violin with mine.
I've discovered The Office rather late, decades late perhaps, but Wow. John Krasinski's version of Jim Halpert is just beyond.
Maybe its good I didn't watch this sooner, because I'm at that point when Jim makes a list and it's literally
Pam
Cece
New Baby
and in the second column "everything else".
It's just all heart.
and its probably really good I didn't watch this in my teens because it would set the bar at an impossibly high peak.
Just Beyond. Beyond. Beyond.
So much love. So much mush. Mushy cheesy perfection.
I’m beginning to feel like one of the deeper problems with social media is its immersive nature. It lulls you in, swallowing up precious hours, days and insidiously entering the mind to build associations that you.just.dont.need.
And I’m not even referring to that strange system of designating acquaintances into the category of followers *cough*fans*cough*
I mean, when did friendship stop being a mutual relationship?
In the quest for higher numbers and also numbers that don’t overlap, some people seem to have lost the original plot- now its more important to be seen than to see? And even if, there is a mutual sharing of the daily - what is being consumed is banal yet addictive.
The whole thing is rather puzzling and I find myself giving up on it.
I actually did join the most consumption-driven site for a while, and then again, and it was lovely to stay in touch with those who matter... seeing what they were up to, staying more updated about their daily lives, stuff we wouldn't necessarily text about... applauding their artistic experiments (yay!) and generally feeling happy cheerleading their achievements :)
It was also great getting back in touch with others, sending virtual hugs as love-filled memories warmed the heart. It was great to reach out, comment and actually connect without reservation.
But the other darker aspect is ultimately too oppressive for me, compelling me to step away after a few weeks. There's just too much projection happening. Too much... pandering. and it doesn't ever lead to a good feeling when you're consuming that much of a false narrative. and IG, in particular, has just a huge volume of images just hitting you visually, each one carefully curated to provoke a particular reaction.
I guess Twitter doesn't seem that obvious, although probably the same intent propels each tweet. The desire to appear a certain way, to project wit, intellect or sarcastic intelligence. I guess every expression/interaction, virtual or otherwise, can then be interpreted as attempts at projection.. Hmm, that's probably true. But in reality, sigh so many months ago, when we do meet people, it's normally at a much smaller scale. The projection of an image is thus limited to those we are physically interacting with. Social media makes it possible for us to expand our influence and shove that same attempt at projection into every screen that subscribes to our virtual persona.
Which brings me back to the joy of simpler times, actually interacting with people we like and share the same-ish wavelength with. Whether its celebrating each others sense of humor, giggling over past idiocies or musing on changing philosophies, its really good to connect with those whom you're actually a fan of. :) Friendships are unique and precious, but as we grow older (33 this year!! whoa!) you realize that friendships are also sustained by admiration of each others strengths... of not just liking the person, but of looking at this human you've shared so much with, and you admire different aspects of them. they're probably not going to be identical to you, but there are aspects of them you aspire to and vice versa... you share love and a genuine concern for each other... you wish that they receive the best, and experiences with them, of laughter and love, become treasured memories.
To the good moments
To the good memories
To the good ones
BIG Thank you! To receive a chance to experience goodness is wonderful, to remember to acknowledge the goodness is priceless.
