Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Where Does the Time Go?
I mean seriously. Where does the time go? It's August already and I have some major items on my big-deal to do list that remain untouched. Like keeping in touch with some dear friends and some important family members. I wanted to post and let the world know that I am sort of back in play. I seem to need to drop out every so many months for several weeks to cocoon myself into my life here in the small town. I am walking everday and have signed up with AssociatedContent.com as a content producer, so I hope this will be another source of inspiration. Check there for my work. It's a great way to get published and get some cash, so if you can write and have a little time, it's worth it. I hope to be able to travel this fall. We'll see. I send you my love and my best intentions. I'll try not to stay gone so long next time...
Friday, May 18, 2007
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
Back to reality
It's been almost four years since Bruce died and now Uncle Harry has lung cancer. I'm going back in. Back home. But this time, it's to greet the living. To spend time with the living. I will be posting a mobile blog of mostly pics and any short text. I am a little scared and a little excited and I know that this means something, this time with my uncle. With my other-half family. See you on the other side.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Extemporaneous existence
Just as quickly as it awoke, the Extemporaneous Elder Council has gone back to sleep for a while. Just like Christa Lilly in Colorado Springs, who wakes up from her coma periodically to join us for some brief time. Something precious exists while such things are awake. It's up to us to notice.
That was the point of this elder council, to notice some of this new technology--computers and the Internet, PDAs and cell phones. We were to take a moment and begin to really notice this stuff--how it works and its place in the world. What can you do with it? What are people saying about it? We barely see the virtual tip of the iceberg.
With constant attention in the press we immediately realize it's all here to stay, affecting our lives and futures in unforeseen ways. We had to balance the abuses and unknowns with positive uses and proven benefits, all the good things we could notice. It's vital to participate, in many ways just to keep up with the world and especially to shape the direction of all this technology.
What if one day this technology of ours wakes up and asks us, "How long have I been asleep?" And what will we say, when it asks, "Well why didn't you wake me up?"
And with that strange thought, the Council says, "Goodnight, for now."
That was the point of this elder council, to notice some of this new technology--computers and the Internet, PDAs and cell phones. We were to take a moment and begin to really notice this stuff--how it works and its place in the world. What can you do with it? What are people saying about it? We barely see the virtual tip of the iceberg.
With constant attention in the press we immediately realize it's all here to stay, affecting our lives and futures in unforeseen ways. We had to balance the abuses and unknowns with positive uses and proven benefits, all the good things we could notice. It's vital to participate, in many ways just to keep up with the world and especially to shape the direction of all this technology.
What if one day this technology of ours wakes up and asks us, "How long have I been asleep?" And what will we say, when it asks, "Well why didn't you wake me up?"
And with that strange thought, the Council says, "Goodnight, for now."
Monday, March 05, 2007
The Replacements
The Council's last session began by discussing the potential for things to be replaced by computers or "robots" (do we still call them robots? droids? androids?) and the Internet. First we thought for sure, that woman's womb could not be replaced. But then one of us said "cloning" and poof, the womb and the woman in some ways, had been replaced.
Okay, what else? We pressed on. Original ideas, could they be replaced? Someone said "artificial intelligence" and poof, our creativity had somehow lost its own originality. What else? Faith! Surely faith can't be replaced! We tried to imagine virtual faith...which ironically takes a lot of faith.
In all of our meetings we're brought back to the discussion of the good and the bad of this new technology. We agree that we're being given so much and don't yet understand what's being taken away from us in return. We wonder what detrimental things are being given to us...someone mentioned e-mail addiction which has become a very serious problem for some folks. One of us wondered if you can become allergic to the Internet. Another council member thought of our children using the technology as a new way bully others and spread negativity. And then comes to mind sixteen-year-old Emily Keyes, held hostage inside the Platte Canyon classroom and her text message to her family outside, "I love you guys."
We agree that one thing has not been replaced--sitting with someone in real time, in the same room, and conversing face-to-face. (Yes, we discussed web cams and conference calls and IMs and have determined that it's not the same form of direct human contact.) We agree that the human need for social contact has not been replaced, but has been both degraded and supplemented. We find ourselves in the realm of negative capability, the place where things are true and false at the same time.
We don't have a definitive answer, believing perhaps there isn't one. We're torn; we know this to be true. We cheer on this new world and wonder at its chances. One thing that's for sure is that we won't have to wait any time at all now for news of how we're doing. As soon as anything happens, news of it can be globalcast in seconds. Let's hope the thing is plugged in.
The last mobile blog post was much much faster to post. Take a look!
http://www.funwed349.blogspot.com/
N.B. As of May 3, 2007 all of the mobile blog posts have now been incorporated into this one.
Okay, what else? We pressed on. Original ideas, could they be replaced? Someone said "artificial intelligence" and poof, our creativity had somehow lost its own originality. What else? Faith! Surely faith can't be replaced! We tried to imagine virtual faith...which ironically takes a lot of faith.
In all of our meetings we're brought back to the discussion of the good and the bad of this new technology. We agree that we're being given so much and don't yet understand what's being taken away from us in return. We wonder what detrimental things are being given to us...someone mentioned e-mail addiction which has become a very serious problem for some folks. One of us wondered if you can become allergic to the Internet. Another council member thought of our children using the technology as a new way bully others and spread negativity. And then comes to mind sixteen-year-old Emily Keyes, held hostage inside the Platte Canyon classroom and her text message to her family outside, "I love you guys."
We agree that one thing has not been replaced--sitting with someone in real time, in the same room, and conversing face-to-face. (Yes, we discussed web cams and conference calls and IMs and have determined that it's not the same form of direct human contact.) We agree that the human need for social contact has not been replaced, but has been both degraded and supplemented. We find ourselves in the realm of negative capability, the place where things are true and false at the same time.
We don't have a definitive answer, believing perhaps there isn't one. We're torn; we know this to be true. We cheer on this new world and wonder at its chances. One thing that's for sure is that we won't have to wait any time at all now for news of how we're doing. As soon as anything happens, news of it can be globalcast in seconds. Let's hope the thing is plugged in.
The last mobile blog post was much much faster to post. Take a look!
http://www.funwed349.blogspot.com/
N.B. As of May 3, 2007 all of the mobile blog posts have now been incorporated into this one.
Thursday, March 01, 2007
Saturday, February 24, 2007
the good and the bad of it
After a little discussion and some contemplative questioning, we (the Extemporaneous Elder Council) have concluded that the Internet and computer technology are world-changing inventions that produce both good and bad effects. We have realized that this tool is something humans will use to help and to hurt ourselves...Is this simply part of the territory of world-changing inventions? We wondered.
We tried to think of some good and bad things about this new world. For it certainly is a new world, complete with new laws and uncharted universes, danger and adventure, stories of triumph and of unmentionable defeat...and this is only the beginning. It is comforting to be amongst elders when exploring big new things like this, for they provide hope and examples of how we can perservere through war and global change. Elders affirm the power of the individual and help to figure out where we can go, based in part on where we've been.
In some ways we become dehumanized by our growing digital dependence.While we're brought together (as never before) by the world wide web, we're also disembodied and isloated as we begin to gather and socialize in virtual space. For some of us, desktop computing and the web have changed our work practices and provided us with immeasurable resources. The council is curious about how this technology effects our creativity...With the new custom of posting so much of our private lives online, we question ourselves as a culture, "What does the gradual extinction of privacy mean for us and future generations?"
We are barely scratching the surface in our search for information on the Internet and new technology. The world is at your fingertips. Which button do you push?
BTW, here is the link to the mobile blog I sent (It took a day or so to return a token response...JSYK) : http://www.funwed349.blogspot.com/
(a fun clue as to where we gather for council)
N.B. As of May 3, 2007 all of the mobile blog posts have now been incorporated into this one.
We tried to think of some good and bad things about this new world. For it certainly is a new world, complete with new laws and uncharted universes, danger and adventure, stories of triumph and of unmentionable defeat...and this is only the beginning. It is comforting to be amongst elders when exploring big new things like this, for they provide hope and examples of how we can perservere through war and global change. Elders affirm the power of the individual and help to figure out where we can go, based in part on where we've been.
In some ways we become dehumanized by our growing digital dependence.While we're brought together (as never before) by the world wide web, we're also disembodied and isloated as we begin to gather and socialize in virtual space. For some of us, desktop computing and the web have changed our work practices and provided us with immeasurable resources. The council is curious about how this technology effects our creativity...With the new custom of posting so much of our private lives online, we question ourselves as a culture, "What does the gradual extinction of privacy mean for us and future generations?"
We are barely scratching the surface in our search for information on the Internet and new technology. The world is at your fingertips. Which button do you push?
BTW, here is the link to the mobile blog I sent (It took a day or so to return a token response...JSYK) : http://www.funwed349.blogspot.com/
(a fun clue as to where we gather for council)
N.B. As of May 3, 2007 all of the mobile blog posts have now been incorporated into this one.
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