Everyone influences someone whether they know it or not

I actually already do this but if I didn't, I would because it's good advice.  I've always valued clarity.  Perhaps not for the same reasons.  I admire Ina Fried.  I very much enjoy reading what she has to say.  I find her interactions interesting.  In the social world, she would be one of my top influencers.  It's her presence and how she impacts others that makes her stand out above the rest.  Personally I delete items that I find confusing, would potentially be misunderstood, or that I believe are too personal.  However, I find it's far better to think carefully before I post, tweet, blog, or upload.  It saves me the extra effort of deleting it later.  I'm not a machine.  I hold conversations.  I post or tweet passing thoughts.  The fact that so many people react to my random comments is reason enough to re-evaluate what I leave public and what just needs to be removed.  Everyone influences someone whether they know it or not.  

Scratchable bone cast

I found this article. I definitely see the appeal.  However, I believe it's another way that medical technology robs us of an important part of childhood.  That is if you break a bone, I recall how cool it was to sign someone's cast for them.  It's part of our culture.  Everyone signed a friend's cast as a show of good faith and friendship.  I still have friends who have old casts from when they were children because of all the good will graffiti.  Why else would you keep such a memento.  As medical technology makes some things simpler and better for us, it also takes away pieces of what make us culturally unique.  Anthropologists of the future will be able to tell what era they've reached based on the level of technological advancement just like the anthropologists of today.  I often wonder what their assessment of us will sound like. 
Scratchable Bone Cast

Candy Crush Saga

Often I receive e-Mail or even text messages regarding the life or death situation of Candy Crush Saga.  Personally, I don't understand.  I don't actually play the game.  I installed it to be helpful to my daughters.  My youngest daughter explained how this game works some time ago, when I first installed it.  If I recall correctly, I'm sending much needed tickets that unlock levels.  Without these tickets, players can't proceed and become stuck at whatever point in the game they have advanced.  Players can always move backwards but require assistance to proceed forward in the game.  They may ask me for this ticket once every twenty four hours.

My children play on a recreational basis.  However, I've received some extremely desperate requests from friends.  One friend actually posted that she had to quit playing permanently for the good of her household.  She posted a lengthy status on Facebook.  However, I've heard this exact and remarkably similar stories from other friends.  I've always believed they were being a little melodramatic.  Perhaps I was wrong. 

What makes a game this addictive?  There are many games that are quick and entertaining.  I could be wrong but I see little advantage to interfering with this particular game.  On the surface, it appears useless to hack or steal an account because there's nothing to gain.  However, this isn't true of all games, platform or otherwise.  When has a game transcended the point of being useful for relaxation, releasing stress, and recreation and become something that is damaging or even dangerous.  

Irrational Fear

I found this spider by our cabin.  It's not that large.  My daughter's significant other has this irrational fear of spiders.  I'm afraid we take advantage of this situation.  My niece's significant other has an irrational fear of snakes.  I can make a tiny snake smaller than my pen look huge.  I like both boys.  I wouldn't tease them if I didn't like them.  Everyone has reasonable fears.  Generally some kind of traumatic event escalates a reasonable fear into an irrational one.  It may not even be something the individual can recall.  Sending photographs of their fear, watching movies highlighting their fear, or directing an unsuspecting individual into an area where their fear is safely behind glass or is a fake rubber or plastic replica is one thing.  However, there is a line that shouldn't be crossed.  People have fear, irrational or not, for a reason.  It isn't anyone but that individuals place to determine when, where, and how to even attempt to face this fear.  Whatever anyone else's intentions may be the end result could potentially harm the person they are attempting to help.  A joke is one thing.  A crusade to save someone is another.  Put yourself in that person's shoes and walk around in them before you attempt to replace them.

An Interesting Difference between People and Animals

I'm visiting my children before the first semester of the school year begins again.  My daughter has a pet rabbit.  He loves attention.  He's very intelligent.  So far, he follows me, breaks into my room whether we have the gate up or not and whether the door is open or closed.  He's a sweet little rabbit.  It took a week to teach him boundaries.  Essentially, we placed gates in front of closed doors.  In that way, he couldn't go over nor under to enter the room.  He receives plenty of attention.  He just needed to learn what is and what isn't acceptable or appropriate behavior.  Obviously pets don't speak so we find alternate methods of telling them what we want in this case it was just when was my time and when was our time.  Animals might fuss for a little while but are remarkably good at taking cues.

People posses the power of communication.  I find it unusual that you can tell someone "I need space" for example and it has the direct opposite effect.  People are contradictory.  They might agree to conditions that are for the best but take actions that are in direct opposition with what they say.  Animals understand and are happy for your companionship.  People are more complex in their relationships.  It's these complexities that often lead to their unusual behavior.  

Many people don't ask for what they want

Many people ask for opinions when what they seek is agreement or simply acknowledgement.  I notice many posts, polls, and questions that ask for the reader's thoughts on the topic.  However, the individual posting isn't really concerned with the reader's viewpoint.  He or she wants people to agree with his or her views.  He or she wants confirmation that he or she is doing the right thing.  He or she is simply seeking to be acknowledged.  It seems odd to me to pose a question when you really don't want an answer.  It's different than asking a rhetorical question.  By posing a question, it's more socially acceptable for the individual to become emotional or even angry if the respondents don't react in the expected manner.  It's as if some people intentionally look for conflict.  I find this counter-productive in a social setting to facilitate communication.  Wouldn't clarity be the simpler path? 

There's a lot of emphasis placed on labels

I found this very interesting because I've experienced many instances in a short period of time.  I find people are more comfortable if they can categorize things, people, and events.  By placing labels on something it gives individuals, groups, or corporations something tangible to examine, refer to, or grasp.  I often ask for paper bags or boxes at grocery stores if I don't use my own grocery bag.  I'm labeled as "being green".  I use my own grocery bag when we're walking and purchasing items that are heavy.  My bag is re-useable and won't break.  Therefore we don't risk losing groceries.  I ask for boxes because I have two college students.  It's convenient to have many different sized boxes when they move around each semester.  The paper bags have multiple uses for crafting, covering floors when painting, to hold recyclables, and as stand alone trash cans.  When our groceries are bagged in plastic, we recycle the plastic bags as small trash can liners. 

I'm always asked what it's like to "be green" or how difficult it is to "go green".  To be honest, there was no conscious decision to "go green" or to "be green". We've always had a garden. We've always recycled. My children and niece craft.  My siblings and I craft.  Now that our household is smaller, we usually don't adjust the amount of food we cook. Some of the left over food gets frozen for later. Some of the left over food gets re-purposed into other recipes. Some of it obviously gets eaten as left overs. 

Our home is very large. Fans, space heaters, and our fireplace have always been more practical than our central air and central heating. For tax purposes everything down to our hot water heater is the most energy efficient, "green" one they install. In my honest opinion, there's a lot of emphasis placed on labels. I hike because I've always enjoyed it not because it's a "green" activity

To Like or Not to Like

I enjoy social networking.  It's like a window into the lives of my family, friends, and colleagues.  While it's not a substitute for actual contact, it's a great way to show support and stay in touch.  Admittedly, I try to approach one thing about this whole social networking process with a bit of caution due to it's ambiguous nature.  I'm cautious of the "like" in Facebook or the +1 in GooglePlus because my intentions can be easily misinterpreted.  If I "like" something does it mean I like it, enjoy it, agree with it or simply that I'm showing support for whomever posted it.  Those are all very different intentions.  If it is a political, religious, or somehow otherwise emotionally charged post, "liking" it can cause unintentional conflict.

I "liked" a photograph.  Four hours later my friend associated this photograph with a religious post.  It appeared as if I "liked" the post.  I honestly don't know how that happened.  I do know I was forced to defend my religious views that aren't on my profile for a reason.  Unfortunately, I can't hide that part of who I am from childhood friends.  I was attacked over a "like" on Facebook.  It was a misunderstanding.  Everyone removed their own posts, mail, e-Mail, and voice-mail. 

In my case, it was an honest mistake.  What about careless "likes" or cases where people genuinely intended on "liking" the post.  Should the intent of the "like" be taken into consideration.  I "liked" it to support my friend.  I "liked" it to support the victims in the post.  I "liked" it because I hope they find the little girl.  I "liked" it to support cancer research.  I "liked" it because I hope Jane gets well soon.  Personally, I "like" the positive posts.  If I intend upon showing support or giving my condolences, I'll comment.  I find clarity is best.        

   

About Favorites

Every time I'm asked what my favorite [fill in the blank] is, I feel as if it's a trick question.  I have preferences.  However, preferences and favorites are not the same thing.  For example, I prefer iced tea or iced coffee over carbonated beverages.  If I must order a carbonated beverage, I prefer Ginger Ale or Sierra Mist.  However, I wouldn't call anything my favorite.  Nothing is an absolute.  I enjoy trying new things.  It seems somewhat contradictory to the spirit of exploration to always be conclusively predictable.  

Yesterday...

I completely intended on writing yesterday.  It started out well.  I fell.  I don't mean tripped.  I mean fell.  It's been a long time since I've fallen and not broken bones.  The last time I fell, I broke three ribs.  I didn't want to worry anyone so I tried not to make a big deal out of it.  I'm a bit bruised up and I have a busted blood vessel on my foot.  My face looks alright.  Ice cold beverages will do wonders. 

I found an interesting and useful article. Although I admit I read it because of the clever bubble wrap reference. I wanted to share it with you.