If You're Captivating

Help! I’m stuck on You Tube and I can’t get off. Yeah, it happened. I tried to send an S.O.S. text to the kids to come get me, but I couldn’t take my eyes off the screen long enough to type it. Who doesn’t get trapped on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, and the many other captivating social media sites?  

I got online to look for a music video, migrated to (Name a Country’s) Got Talent, and ended with my favorite—flash mobs! It was that kind of evening. Here’s one of the time-stealing videos I watched: 

                                         https://youtu.be/qDqTBlKU4CE

Hilarious! The judges’ expressions seemed to say, “You’re singing what?” How does a huge voice like that come from such a small mouth? The little singer seemed matter-of-fact, but she had an extraordinary gift to share.

There was no English translation on the initial video I saw. This one packed more power because it explained how she found her song. I want to know how she found that voice. Her video collected over fourteen million hits. That’s huge! If you could make a video guaranteed to attract millions of viewers, what would you share with the world?  

 

P.S. I typed the last word in this post, glanced up, and saw this face flash across the TV screen: https://youtu.be/SwhtbtSmcDs  What a gift!          

 

Lifting the Shade on You

Celebrities often complain about living their lives in a fish bowl, with photographers tracking their every move. For average people, social media allows us to live the fish bowl life. We broadcast what we had for breakfast, where we ate it, and post pictures for proof. I’m always surprised about the type of things people share.

For instance, driving through neighborhoods, you’ll see a number of people who don’t mind giving drivers access to what’s going on inside. Fortunately for them, you can’t stop and stare. It’s illegal.  Given some of the sights you see, you’d think people want you to drop by for a visit. Maybe you’ll stop and watch this, if you can wait at least sixteen seconds:

                                         http://youtu.be/3O97eJcSsUE

Did you catch the expression on that face? There’s something intriguing in that room. lf you enjoy attention, here’s how to get it. Draw the curtains and close the shades, then focus on developing the positive attributes in you. Be a role model. Regardless of whether you enjoy the spotlight or prefer being behind the scenes, somebody’s watching you. What traits, habits, and behaviors do you want them to see?             

Calling All Messengers

Isn’t it great that social media sites like Twitter, Facebook, and  Instagram  allow us to voice our opinions, promote interests, and share pictures with the world?  Some folks prefer to skip the technology and take their personal expression to the streets. Maybe you’ve seen 3-D message blasts? I’m referring to those physical spots in the community where the most curious comments show up.

For instance, a vehicle carrying wood painted with angry, puzzling complaints used to park around town like a traveling billboard. In another spot, sits a building splashed with phrases that might be part of a local political feud. I’d like to decipher these unusual messages, but so far, they’re still mysteries.  See if these 3-D messages are easier to interpret:      

 

                                              http://youtu.be/02-Eeh8qflU

 If you could post a 3-D message in your community, what would it say?        

 

Not A Good Thing

You probably know people who dislike certain foods. Maybe they avoid eating sweets or meats. We have a young person in our family who shies away from vegetables. When a certain someone lingered at the dinner table long after everyone else had gone, l wasn’t too surprised to hear, “Is it wrong to put corn in my pocket?” I think we can all agree that it’s not a good thing. We’ve all tried to avoid something by hiding it. The reality is that hiding doesn’t make the situation go away. Consider this question:    

             http://youtu.be/WEhNME4zwBE

Every day we allow various activities to keep us busy—work, hobbies, eating, exercising, social media, meeting with friends, listening to music, watching TV, surfing the web. Any one of those activities can be good or bad, but how many of them are helping us to hide from issues in life? Pause for a moment. Settle yourself with a deep breath. Is there an issue that you’ve been hiding or avoiding that needs your attention? It’s not a good thing to keep pushing it aside. So, what is a better way to deal with it?      

The Tea and Coffee Debates

Regardless of which side you choose, I feel both parties deserve equal representation. Why does one side receive major media attention while the other is a blip on the scene.  Businesses play a major role in advancing this brand of favoritism because of where they spend their money. This isn’t about politics, it’s about beverages and society’s obvious preference for coffee over tea.

Companies actually redesign their product lines and buildings to offer a latte this and latte that rather than focusing on the green, white, chamomile, black, fruity, mint and the other delicious herbal teas. How often do you see commercials advertising tea? Not very often. Although I drink both, I tend to believe that tea is healthier than coffee since many teas contain antioxidants and assist the body in fighting everything from high blood pressure to cancer. So, given that we’re such a health conscious society, why does tea seem to play second fiddle to coffee?

Let’s consider a theory that points back to us. Don’t we reach for coffee to rev us up and put pep in our step? Coffee reflects our fast-paced lifestyle and our need for immediate gratification. We smell coffee long before we see it, its flavor is bold and robust and it gives us the quick energy jolt we seek. On the other hand, we associate tea with illness and it’s the drink of choice when we’re feeling reflective and slowing-down to savor a moment. Listen to how these people feel about tea and coffee:

Aha, see there? I imagine they went a little deeper than you expected. I think the coffee vs. tea debate is a comment on our lifestyles. We live in a don’t-make-me-wait-‘cause- I-gotta-go-out-and-get culture. Settle down, enjoy a cup of tea. They say good things come to those who wait, I say anticipation is part of the journey. Tell us, who or what are you waiting for?                               

Houston, We Have a Problem

Seriously, we have a problem.  Track with me for a moment.  Do you think we’re out of control with our cell phone usage?  I think that once we combine walking, with texting and falling into fountains, we’ve gone over the edge—literally.

Now, I’m not the most tech savvy person.  I don’t own a smartphone and, I admit that frugality plays a role here but, those data plans just add more expense than I’m prepared to shell out.  I’m not trapped in the dark ages—l  can text and take and make phone calls.  I rarely use the camera, alarm or calendar.  I like paper and pencil so my event planner is a wall calendar.  (Did you just snicker?)  In short, my phone is devoid of the ultra-sophisticated Internet and Apps, and I am probably the last of the pencil-and-paper breed.

 It’s sad to see people use every waking opportunity to entertain themselves with a cell phone.  An occasional call is fine, but when over half of the time is spent on the phone while a child ambles silently alongside— it’s time to hang up.  I’m guilty of it, too!

Technology can be great when used in moderation.  That’s the key.  Let’s  make a resolution to do better and the first step is to admit there is an issue.  Thinking about your daily cell phone usage,  respond to the sidebar survey question.  By the way, if you need a definition for “out of control,” just go ahead and check “Definitely! Send help!”  

Remember our drive-the-speed limit challenge?  (See Feb. 21, 2011 Post: Is Change A Comin’? )Well,  here comes another one. Ready?  Can you refrain from non-emergency/non-essential phone usage for one week? That means no games, surfing the Net or here’s-what-I’m-doing-now tweets.  Calls to friends are fine, as long as you’re not in a store or with another person.  

 Embrace the silence, think or chat face-to-face (not  Facebook!) with the person next to you. Initially, it may feel awkward but I promise that you won’t go crazy, unless…nevermind.   You can do it! Let us know how it goes.