Sunday, April 27, 2008
bald eagle
My daughter gave me a bald eagle sticker to wear. I responded, "hey, I'm a full head of hair eagle". I don't think they make a sticker for that. At least she didn't find one.
Maybe I'm getting a little too sensitive since I turn 30 in September?
Maybe I'm getting a little too sensitive since I turn 30 in September?
Friday, April 18, 2008
My best friends are strangers
Maybe I'm too young to know any better, but it seems like the dynamics of friendship are changing. It used to be that you lived in one place and all your friends lived nearby. Maybe a day's walk, maybe a horse ride, maybe a hour drive, but they lived near you and your friendship was based on seeing them. And you knew the same group of people pretty much for life, which meant you got to know them at a deep level.
Now I have friends who I used to live near, but that live literally on the other side of the state, country, or globe. I have co-workers I've never met in the flesh. I live in a large city and my friends are always moving to other cities, other parts of the same city, or just becoming involved in different circles without moving. Just changing jobs or churches can be enough to lose contact with somebody.
Friendships become based on less interaction and less history. They are more disposable.
Which brings me to social networks. Linkedin, myspace, facebook. Through these I've reconnected with friends I had lost to time and distance. Good friends, best friends. But I haven't reconnected in the same way we were connected when we lived close together and saw eachother regularly.
A few years ago I wrote a blog entry about a friend of mine I had gotten back in touch with after 10 years. At the time I thought the situation so strange. One of my best friends was a stranger. Now it is the norm. Almost all my best friends are strangers.
So I'd say social networks have managed to reconnect friends quite successfully. Now they need to focus on how to make it so those friends aren't strangers anymore.
Now I have friends who I used to live near, but that live literally on the other side of the state, country, or globe. I have co-workers I've never met in the flesh. I live in a large city and my friends are always moving to other cities, other parts of the same city, or just becoming involved in different circles without moving. Just changing jobs or churches can be enough to lose contact with somebody.
Friendships become based on less interaction and less history. They are more disposable.
Which brings me to social networks. Linkedin, myspace, facebook. Through these I've reconnected with friends I had lost to time and distance. Good friends, best friends. But I haven't reconnected in the same way we were connected when we lived close together and saw eachother regularly.
A few years ago I wrote a blog entry about a friend of mine I had gotten back in touch with after 10 years. At the time I thought the situation so strange. One of my best friends was a stranger. Now it is the norm. Almost all my best friends are strangers.
So I'd say social networks have managed to reconnect friends quite successfully. Now they need to focus on how to make it so those friends aren't strangers anymore.
