This, That and the Other Thing

Here I am in Barcelona a few years ago

Not sure why I chose that photo for today's blog.  But there you go.

I have been thinking lately about my strange relationship with cyberspace via Facebook and this blog mostly.  For instance, just very recently I had an entire process of decision making occur that included 4 other human beings that took place via Facebook and email and nary one word was spoken in actual in person speaking fashion.  The whole thing happened over a period of several days as well.  Ideas were shared, other people consulted, etc. Very interesting to me.  It's dangerous territory for someone such as myself, who is basically an introvert.  For instance, my last blog about my childhood friends, the Pearson's, I am not too sure I would share that story verbally, face to face with just anyone.  I actually have told only a very few people that story face to face. It was also somewhat of a departure from my usual blog fare, kind of going from "hey, what's going on in The World to what's going on in my world or my head or heart.  One risks oversharing, if you get my drift.  Especially if one is an introvert.  Hey, let's just let the whole world know a little somethin' about me they didn't know,bam!(Well, not the whole world. In view of the comments I get back it may really be like about 10 people who ever really see this thing, but hey, that's 10 people who didn't know my Pearson's story) I seem to be using the word, "hey" quite a bit today.  But I digress.  Back to my point: I feel that I am creating another persona on this blog.  Not my original intention.  I mean, not totally another persona, but sort of. Is that entirely a good thing? Is doing that feeding some insatiable force in the universe pulling us all away from actual human contact and interaction? This is my question to you, dear reader, if you are out there and inclined to reply. No pressure, you understand, but still... and "hey"!

On another topic entirely, I just finished reading the book "All the Things We Cannot See", by Anthony Doerr.  Not to brag or anything, but he lives right here in Boise.  Anyway, it is the best damn book I have read in a very long time.  I highly and unreservedly recommend it.  What a lovely and compelling story.  The title so captures the very essence of the story. And, ironically, given the above paragraph, the story involves a relationship that develops with very little face to face contact and how the most obscure things connect us.  

And also, this whole thing with Brian Williams...how much we seem to want to hang out in the corridors just waiting for the popular guy to trip and fall on his face.  Who amongst us hasn't totally exaggerated or actually lied or done some damn thing that we hope nobody hears about? (See Anne Lamott's post on Facebook today)  And as Bill Moyers points out so well, who cares whether Brian Williams lied about something he did or didn't do in Iraq.  How about calling out the liars who started the entire war on a giant pack of lies, the result of which is a much destabilized Middle East.  No, let's rattle on like a bunch of junior high nerds on CNN and other "news" channels about how Brian Williams lied.  Are we really that dumb as a nation? 

And then again, there is all the bruhaha about President Obama pointing out the obvious about Christianity.  Maybe he should be impeached for speaking the truth about something.  Jeeeeezzz...