Communicating More, Saying Less?

Last night, between the hours of 4:30 and about 9:00 I sent 20+ emails and four texts. I left two voicemails and chatted for about 2 minutes to my sister, long distance, on our cell phones. I touched the lives of over 25 people in some way, shape or form, but I'm not sure I really said much.
And that was a slow evening.
In the past few years our cell phones, personal computers, Blackberries, text messaging, IM-ing, email capabilities and Internet usage in general has managed to connect well over 25 percent of the human race in a "speed of light" global village.
And, it seems that the more connected we are in this electronic landscape, the lonlier we find ourselves. A study conducted by the Kaiser Family Fund showed that American children now spent an average of 6.5 hours per day watching television, surfing the Internet, text messaging and playing with electronic media in 2006.
The evolved terseness of e-mail and chat rooms produced the need for the emoticon, and we now rely on a variation of a smiley face to convey any depth of feeling in print. The typical text message consists of 3-7 words, most of which are abbreviated, to confirm plans, check timetables, send along the quick laugh or holiday greeting en masse to your entire address book. I couldn't tell you the last time I called someone simply to ask how they were doing. Or [insert shocked gasp here] sat down to write a letter to a long-distance friend that didn't involve belated birthday greetings or a thank you for a baby gift. It seems that as the means for communication increases, our ability to do so travels the slippery slope. In fact, according to a national survey conducted by the US Department of Education, English literacy among college graduates has declined dramatically in the past 10 years. Only 31 percent of college graduates today are proficient in English literacy, compared with 40 percent just a decade ago.
If there's a cure out there, I'm not sure what it might be, short of unplugging yourself from daily life. Suggestions, anyone?

The Look

So I realized for the first time today that the slight eyebrow raise paired with the small smile that is actually somehow the corners of my mouth turning down slightly (my "hi-I-know-you-but-don't-want-to-stop-and-chat-look for hallway passes and chance bathroom encounters) makes me look like a total dumbass.

And, while this may be preferable to the I'm-a-closet-epileptic chin nod that most men I know use in said instances, the difference is marginal at best.

Now what am I going to do?

now you see me...

See me over there? on the far left? I'm there, I promise - i'm the thumb and partial arm that's supporting that six month old monster in sheep's clothing.

I've come to the realization that, since having kids, my identity has slowly but surely been usurped by my children. I've slipped into "Isabelle's Mom", "Baz's Mommy", etc. You'd think that after 88 hours of (collective) labor these little petry dishes of joy would let me be. Instead I've been rewarded with loss of sleep, renewed anxiety, obsession for order if not exact cleanliness, compulsion to discuss pint size bowel movements with great zeal to fellow parents, well...ew...you get the picture.

I know that this phenomena is nothing new and that it will, in point of fact, only get worse as time passes. But occassionally I need some reassurance that I'm still here...somewhere... just dormant for a bit

Testing...Testing....1...2...3...

Resolutions for 2007 included running a marathon, writing something decent, learning a new language, exercising more, eating less, smiling more, self-caffeinating less, reading more, crying less (or at least more productively), smiling more (or at least more honestly), and so on.

Resolutions for 2008 include waking up and breathing...

New Year’s Resolution: Less = More

Monday, January 07, 2008

New Year’s Resolution: Less = More
Category: Life


Let's preface this blog by saying that i am awful at sticking to New Year's Resolutions.
I usually fall of the bandwagon well before the unspoken pre-req. 2-3 months of attempting to stick to the diet/habit/campaign that I've resolved to complete.
So this year, rather than resolving to do MORE (read more, write more, sleep more, etc.) I'm resolving to do LESS.
I'm going to slow down this year. Not physically, because lord knows that with two toddlers and an infant that's just plain impossible, but mentally.

I'm going to breathe.

I'm going to take time to appreciate that my kids still want to play board games with me.
They still want to climb into my lap and hear stories.
They still would rather I sit in the rocking chair at bedtime and make up fairy tales involving Princess Isabelle, Prince Baz and Princess Sophia, than pop an audio book in the cd at bedtime.
They still race to be the first to get hugs and fight to sit next to me on the couch.
They still run to put their shoes and coats away to be the first to catch the praise dropped from my lips.
They still run pell-mell into my legs to tell me they've used the potty, eaten all their dinner, gotten dressed by themselves...

And, while, at times the constant bickering and running and dodging and talking and whining and touching my clean shirt with sticky fingers and spitting up full bottles of milk and doses of imoxiycillin on my white shirt...can be enough to drive me to drink...I resolve to:

Take a deep breath, count to ten, count to ten again, pace a few times, count to ten once more for good measure, and appreciate the fact that they still want me.
I resolve to take advantage of the short simple time that I have to enjoy my children while they're under my roof, because I'm afraid that I'll blink one day and they'll be in college.

And while I can always read more, write more, exercise more, diet more, resolve more...I'll never get this time back.

I don't want to waste it.
Currently listening:
1234
By Feist

The Last Lecture of Randy Pausch

The Last Lecture of Randy Pausch
Current mood: hopeful
Category: Life
wednesday, december 19, 2007

In case you haven't seen this... watch it right now. It's excellent.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2271329759182712042



Sometimes I need a reminder that hope in the face of the inevitable
is a precious, and conscious, thing



*caveat* it's just the first 10 minutes of what is, in actuality a one hour, 44 minute, 7 second lecture. If you're up to it - it's out there and downloadable if you have the hutzpa to look for it!

Classic Artist Series: Turkeys

Classic Artist Series: Turkeys
Current mood:Turkey-fied
Category: Art and Photography
monday, november 19, 2007



Occasionally extreme boredom produces astonishing things amongst my co-workers and I.

To date: it has produced Bob Turkey...a turkey-fied version of artist Bob Ross...and some awe-inspiring works modeled after some of our favorite artists.

Seriously? They're beautiful...check them out.

[The Joy of Turkey](http://www.indy.com/people/BobTurkey)

(then log on to Indy.com and "fan" Bob Turkey so we can make it to the Favorites List...even if just for a day)

Shameless promotion? sure...but it's awesome-ness cannot be denied...


Currently watching:
A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving