It’s been awhile since I’ve done one of these, so bear with me while I get my bearings. (This Content Free™ stuff is harder than it looks.)
- What a difference a month makes. A few weeks ago, West Texas was in the midst of a drought of epic proportions, with widespread burn bans and chronic wildfire threats. Today, we’re ahead of average on rainfall totals, and the countryside looks as green as a County Kerry hillside. (Work with me here, OK?) And, it’s raining again this morning.
- But focusing solely on the positives violates a basic tenet of journalism, and we’re all about journalistic integrity here at the Gazette, so let me remind you that all of this rainfall will inevitably lead to a proliferation of mosquitoes, followed closely by devastating outbreaks of black mold and swine flu, which in turn will initiate a societal death spiral ultimately resulting in human cannibalism and a morbid fascination with Scientology. But, don’t the raindrops make a pleasing sound pattering against the window glass?
- I spent a couple of hours in a dentist’s office yesterday afternoon, and it occurred to me that someone needs to write a book on waiting room etiquette. At the very least, all medical waiting rooms with an area of less than, say, 2,000 square feet should have prominently posted signs prohibiting the crunching of huge mouthfuls of ice, thereby generating noises closely resembling the calving of icebergs from an Alaskan glacier. When said crunching is combined with frequent heavy sighs and groans, co-inhabitors of the waiting room will be entirely forgiven when they succumb to the urge to administer frequent and vigorous slaps upside the sighing, crunching party.
- Nonetheless, I thought I showed great forbearance in not giving into such primal urges. Instead, I just twittered about the guy. Making fun of someone in their presence via web-based social media is the New Revenge.
- Speaking of Twitter, I’m growing quite tired of those who try it and either don’t like it or don’t understand it (although it appears that the latter gives rise to the former, with few exceptions), quit it, and then issue statements of contempt for the service in general, and those who do find it useful. Frankly, most of their arguments seem to be equivalent to condemning the use of hammers because they’re useless for mowing lawns. If you don’t know how to use a tool, it doesn’t make much sense to denigrate either the tool or those who are skilled in its use.
- Another thing I’m getting tired of is publishing posts before they’re finished. This one is a good example of
Eric, glad you’re getting some rain, even with all the problems it MIGHT bring. We had 1 and 1/2 inches last night with lots of thunder and lightening. Farmers love rain in July.
I don’t do Twitter. I am now on Facebook since Amy and Kathy thought I should be. I’m not sure what I’m doing there either but I can see all the pictures of the grandkids they post so I do like it. I even post a comment or two. We do have a lot of kinfolks on Facebook, too, so we keep up with each other that way.
Alice, of course I’m being tongue-in-cheek with my negative comments about the rain. I can’t think of a real downside to getting rain out here, and I’m glad you folks are seeing it in North Texas as well. Now, if only the poor Hill Country could get some.
I recognize that not everyone sees value in Twitter (and studies show that a majority of Americans still don’t even know what it is). That’s fine. I have a Facebook account and I tried my best to be enthusiastic about it, but I just don’t see the big deal. But you’ll never hear me bad-mouthing Facebook users, or claiming that it’s the world’s most stupid use of time. If it helps you keep in touch with people you’d otherwise lose track of, then I’d say it’s a terrific tool for your purposes. As my Facebook profile states, I’m just overwhelmed by all the social media options, and how time-consuming they become if you try to stay on top of all of them.
It’s not that I don’t see the value of Twitter, after all, businesses are using it too, it’s just that I think I’d be tempted to spend too much time on it and I’m on the computer more than Charles likes now!
I understand completely. When I refer to “value,” that includes an assessment of whether it’s worth the time it takes to mess with it, as well as how much grief a spouse gives you for using it! 😉