Social Media Snores

A young cousin recently asked me what “on-line” meant.

Some still aren’t in the know.

If you’re not on Facebook does that mean you are faceless?

How’s anyone to know? 
Where you are, how you’re feeling, what you’re doing or what you’re working on.

The potential was unleashed six years ago for me. The new wave of technological infrastructure.

Yup, I jumped into it. Sunk my teeth into it.

You’re either in, or you’re not.

Nowadays the world grapples to status update or tweet or pin or plus or post or gram.

But like texting, it is so impersonal.

Frankly, I’ve grown bored of it.

This century has defined it.

Life at our fingertips. 
Out of person.
Out of face.

Not in person.

What does the world need now?

Connecting through the Internet. Some magic wireless connection that we can’t even see?

Sure I crave to be a trend spotter. Hook into what thought leaders are saying. To be in the know. I monitor the airwaves.

But I’d much rather define that for real.

Talk back. Listen. Share.

Feel the moment.

Understand the words with the emotions.

We’re spending our lives in front of a computer screen.

Is it really helping us to live richer, fuller lives?

Or is it hindering us?

Nov. 23, 2012
Came across this SocialNOMICS Infographics Video.
Powerful statistics which illustrates the force that drives the future for branding, marketing and all advertising...
Social Media = "The World of Mouth."

Like Minded Vancouver

Was super curious to hook up with this morning coffee group. 

They really call themselves Like Minded Vancouver.

A creative source. A connected bunch.

Not about selling anything. All about a handshake and a yack. What you do, what they do.

Only been on the mainland two weeks. Know lots of folks for sure in Vancouver. Not so much around what I’m studying.

Stumbled on their link through Twitter. One thing led to another. Just so happened they wrangled a meeting Friday morning at the funky Gastown Milano coffee bar.

Since I’m commuting from Bowen Island and school starts at 9 a.m. I only had half an hour. Holy interesting 30 minutes!

I met a portrait photographer, a software designer, a real estate agent and a budding high tech entrepreneur.

Little skeptical of late when someone introduces himself or herself as an entrepreneur. Does that mean sales?

This guy was dialed.

Dick was his name.

“I’m a Dick,” he even said.

Which sent me into howls of laughter.

I ask him what he’s all about. He gives the nearby’s the lowdown.

A new technology start-up. Flashing bubbles of information on any one person instantaneously. Instead of going there or here to gain the info it all pops up as you scroll over.
Then he gets out his iPhone. Scans the crowd.

Soon to be, face recognition software that tells all.

Wow. Bubbler.com

Have to say, I’m eager to attend more of these, Like Minded meet-ups.

Swayed By Voices

So much information. On the Internet. With Twitter, Facebook and now Google+.

I can’t walk by a newspaper without reading a headline. Even if it does have paint on it.

Words mix with voices. 

We hear it on the television. At the movies. In the streets. With music.

Humour me now. Are there voices in our head's too?
Little by little, we absorb. Transfer words to thoughts.

Then through actions. 

Often swayed by voices.

Getting Hired

Haven’t had a full-time, long term job since 2009. Been doing what I can here and there. Snippets of contracts and manual labour.
Uganda Wishes.

Been loving the evenings though when I can sit down and do what I really enjoy. 
Writing this blog. 
Whatever comes to mind. Something I heard, saw or did that inspired me to tangle words together. In turn, with the purpose to inspire you in some way.

Can’t imagine a better way to live then by doing what you love.

Like to know how I can make a living at it.

The question has come up often enough. I’ve even asked MISS604.

Turns out most blogs direct traffic to a web site. The source of the income. Whether it be services or books.

Dreaming out loud. Maybe I can publish a book like Seth Godin in an inspirational way that will garner me more readers. Bite the bullet and do the Google AdSense and see what comes…

Maybe set up an e-commerce side to my web site (the domain name is there) and put my poetry and photographs together and sell them.

I often receive favourable feedback from readers. Mostly through Facebook and Twitter.

Today I updated my LinkedIn profile. The scattered past. Full of this and that.

Thought of a song my dad used to sing out loud.

“What’s it all about, Alfie?”

Getting hired.

What is it all about?

Change Makers

Trend spotters.

Mashable.

Milkshake.

People for Good.

Robots.

Technology.

Notes for TV movies.

Facebook.

Twitter.

Google+?
Computers.

Smart Phones.

Visionaries.

Leaders.

Engagement.

Critical thinking.

Integrated digital marketing.

Outside the box thinking.

Bold.

Innovative.

Inspirational.

Remarkable.

A Fresh Thinker.

Inspired Logic

Get it while you can!

Whether it’s from Twitter, the newspaper or a conversation you had last night. Run with it, I say. Run with it!

Like the taste of a soft ice cream cone. What are you thinking? How good it is? How much is melting on your tongue into your mouth. The taste. The richness of the cream. You’re in the moment. Savour it!

When inspiration knocks at the door. Hold onto it. Take it for a walk and see where it goes. Maybe to a novel creative realm you haven’t visited yet? Some twisted altered state. Who knows! Don’t be afraid. Explore it! Most importantly, make time for it.

I’m a journalist. Always been one for writing things down. Words that trigger a connection. Things that inspire me. Language that moves me.

I take it and let it shake me into another galaxy. Why not?

No barriers. Unknown boundaries. I make it up. It’s mine to grow. And you never know where you’ll end up.

Get out there and say or do what you want for the world. No inhibitions. Reach deep. Say yes. Move with it. Take it. No rambling.

Really, it’s what I call inspired logic.

The Habit of Time

Once I heard my son say sleeping was over-rated. I beg to differ.  I was trying to tell him he needed to catch up on his sleep.

“That’s impossible,” he replied. "You can never catch up on sleep."

The dog sleeps with his tongue out. Snoring. I profess to giving him a swift foot nudge when he starts to twitch at the end of my bed. It’s nice someone is asleep.

As far as scheduling out time though, here’s the thing. Should we be scheduling sleep?

Recently an associate asked me what time I went to sleep, what time I got up and what I did when I woke up first thing.

It got me thinking. Living takes time. Think about it. There's all this other time stuff like for example:

• Time to eat.
• Time to wash dishes.
• Time to vacuum.
• Time to buy groceries.
• Time to walk the dog.
• Time to shower.
• Time to check emails, Facebook and Twitter.
• Time to work out.
• Time to talk to friends.
• Time to meditate.
• Time to be with family.

And so on. Not including the biggest time suck of all - work.

I’ve been to known to answer in a stern voice when asked, "exactly what time will I get there?" (at my mother’s house for the family dinner for example) with, “I’ll be there when I get there!”

What about the time to just be? To space out. To vacate. To drift off. To go off into la la land.

Do you make any time for that -  in your habit of time?

2010 Transformed

The Universe talks. I look back and smile. We humans continue to evolve. With age brings wisdom. In time change. Tomorrow will always be different to today. Once what was, may never be - ever again.

I started 2010 off right. I gained the opportunity to help with Right To Play during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. I saw, I learn - I was inspired.

Not long after I lit up. A guest post for MISS604 with Mission Emp-ossible. She’s a ladder of knowledge amidst the fray of the Social Media revolution. What a gift.

Never much to travel the same path twice, I take up an ambitious challenge to my psyche. The Challenge Course for BC Bike Race 2010. Truthfully more then a physical dare. A consumption of my senses. Can I maintain the three-hour training rides before work (varnishing old wooden boats) by getting up at 4:15 a.m.?

My son travels to Quebec and wins another Canada Cup downhill mountain bike race. Later relieving himself of the race pace. I acknowledge the bliss by observing him master rugby. Not quite as extreme.

At some point I confront the notion of time. It moves quickly. Never enough of it. Priorities set in. The kayak is sold.

I’m going to Uganda. It’d decided in May. Six weeks in the plan. Fear sets in. Multiple shots soon required.

Volunteerism runs amuck. With the NS Freeride Bike Park FUNdraiser. A James Bond event. Glowing with gambling amid food and delight – at an airport hanger venue no less.

At some point I create my first vision board. “If you could do anything what would you do?” runs the headline.

Number one son graduates. Same school as I. Twenty-eight years later.

Again I ponder the future.  A blog begins. Raincoaster hosts the first of many Skype broadcasts. I absorb. Like a sponge I squeeze it out into words.

Sometime during I develop a new addiction. Riding in a pack. I become a cardio junky. I savour sweet moments with my new found training partner C.C. AKA missy iron legs.

More inspiration sets in. My soul sister and I attend a workshop at Hollyhock on Cortes Island with best selling author, SARK.

Here I declare worthiness. Open-ness to receiving.   

Uganda Wishes erupts.

Soon after I visit the Museum of Flight in Seattle with dear Uncle Len. Historical planes. Preserved in their time.

Then I depart for more change. It’s Uganda. Africa. A chance to look outside myself. Away from the norm.

The weeks pass. Calamity provides. Love ensues. Emotions are tangled. There’s a gap between time. What is. What was.

Back to red lights, buzz of today, text messaging in tribes and recycled garbage.

I divulge 2010 was Facebooked, Tweeted and such. The learning’s were real, the takeaways were more.

Like Kelly said after returning home from Africa, “It’s not about what we can do for them, it’s what they can do for us.”

Humbly I confess, things look differently now.

Goals may change but life hangs on.

People and Purpose is talked.

I admit in the year 2010 I was rushed, addicted, squeezed, stretched, strayed, inspired and later loved but most importantly - I was transformed.

Here’s hoping for peace, love, stability with good health and meaning for all.

Happy 2011 everyone.

Sincerely,

Jane Victoria King

Is Reality Real?

Depends which way you look at it. The question was repeated during the rest stop on the Sunday bike ride. I overheard Mark speaking about it. He'd heard a scientist discuss it on BBC.

Assume your reality is real. Is it the same as your neighbours? What makes reality? The world around you or the way you think? Suppose it’s different for everyone. Depending how we were raised. Where we were raised.

I search reality and read comments on Twitter and Facebook that say "Back to reality." Assume that is the end of a holiday and back to reality means back to work and paying the bills.

Be nice if reality didn’t have anything to do with money. 

Guess it wouldn’t be real then would it?