Getting To Know ME

I know, the illustrious title of the blog suggests that I might be about to write yet another one of the totally boring, completely predictable blogs found everywhere online these days. You know the ones, they are designed to explore inner angst and share every minute detail of a person's life with any total stranger that stumbles across their humble little area of cyberspace. While it's true that somewhere along the line throughout anything I might chose to write on this site, a reader might glean a smidgen of a peek into what makes me tick or into my day to day life, I see no reason to "introduce" myself in great detail here. Where's the fun in that?

In this fast paced, hurry up and wait world we live in, there is no sense of mystery or anticipation anymore. It's an all out, instant gratification, short attention spanned existence developing around us. I, for one..don't buy into it. I know I'm no spring chicken anymore, but I'm not a dinosaur either. There have to be other so-called "adults" that feel the same way.
I do see glimmers here and there that indicate there are still non-sheep amongst us. Granted, given an article I saw the other day that quoted statistics about the number of Facebook and MySpace users vs. those that see no need to have said pages is dramatically tilted in favor of those that have joined the growing throngs of those that participate, I do admit I'm now in the official minority. I just don't feel the need to have 4000 of my closest friends be people I've never met in real life..or to have the people I DO know in person, become a blip on a computer screen or an instant message rather than spend actual face time with them. So much is lost in translation.

It's not that I'm not a geek or even remotely un-hip. I was a computer science major in the dark ages before it was cool to like computers (even BEFORE PC's were a glimmer in Bill Gates eye). I have always been able to program my own VCR (yes, I know they are obsolete now, but I COULD program one if I had to!). I have a smart phone that I can operate with ease. I know my way inside and out of programming and creating websites, I even used to be a web mistress and site designer. I fully appreciate the role that computers and the Internet allow us. I have 3 children in their teens and twenties that I have to keep up with. I teach school and am constantly exposed to the current trends, good and ridiculous. I am a flight attendant and run across people from every walk of life and get to interact with them. Did I mention that as a Southern female, I'm also a teensy bit outgoing and will talk your ear off given the chance?

By the same token, I see bits of society slipping away...parts I view as vitally important to our humanity. I'm all for change (well, truthfully not as much as I used to be..I seem to be slowly turning into my parents). Let's compromise and say I'm totally in favor of progress..as long as it is indeed progress and not instead hiding behind a wall of technology and isolation rather than living life. It's exciting to meet people from distances that you would never have the opportunity otherwise to ever cross paths with via the Internet. It opens up a whole new world of possibilities and knowledge about those around us.

What we must not do is allow that to evolve into our new version of reality. Regardless of the fact if you know a person's bathroom schedule or their deepest darkest secrets..if you haven't met them face to face and looked in their eyes..had a chance to reach out and touch them or smile at them in person and not via webcam..you DO NOT really know a person. It's too easy to hide behind our masks online. It's very easy to only share what we want shared and hide the rest of what makes one an individual. It's too tempting to only share what makes us look good or to play a part and invent ourselves rather than do the heavy lifting of explanations for behaviors that best online "friend" might not approve of.

I know this was a long-winded way to get back around to the main title of this blog.."Getting To Know ME". I've been on a journey of discovery the past few months due to the twists and turns of everyday life that one simply cannot anticipate. Every time I think I'm done changing or growing or have finally settled into what will be the final copy of myself, I seem to find out I'm only still a rough draft. Truthfully, I'll share a secret with you (and this is just between us, so shhhhhhhhhh!!)...I wouldn't have it any other way. I think if we ever stop changing and evolving, we might as well hang it up. It's when old age sets in...it's when you become stagnant.

I may be a tiny bit opinionated. My views on some things shift as the world changes, while other deep rooted beliefs stay the same. I have so many thoughts rolling around in my head that need to be shared without censor, pure and unfettered from expectations of others.

So, I'M the one getting to know ME...again.