At one time if you wanted to contact anyone you either wrote them a letter or picked up the phone. That was all very simple. Snail mail took a couple of days, phone calls were instant if the other person picked up. Then there were answer machines if they were out, leave a message and they would get back to you, eventually.
I notice now that everyone I know has their own preferred method of communicating with others. It's up to me to keep pace with all the changes and try and remember who I have to email, text, ring on the landline or mobile, facebook message, or tweet. And that's only a few ways of communicating, there are more.
I can email one friend and she will reply when she has a minute to spare. I can phone and she will pick up if she is there or ring me back later. Another friend I can text because he only has a mobile and no landline or internet. One family member goes out a lot, usually has a routine so I have to try and remember what that is, and pick certain times of the day or night to contact her. Some people I find very difficult to contact, they are away from the house, don't have a mobile or haven't taken it with them, or it's in a bag and they can't hear it, sounds like me, ha ha. One person I know will do facebook messages during the day, but not at night, I can also ring her during the day on the landline, she may or may not answer, but doesn't like phone calls after 6pm. Some people have given up on landlines altogether.
Forums and blogs you can message someone and you are not sure whether they have read it, or if they will get back to you. It's like firing your words into space in a rocket, in the hope that they are picked up somewhere. Waiting for a reply which may or may not come, wasting time going back to have a look. All a bit barmy actually.
It's all a bit hit and miss really, trying to remember who prefers what. I'm not sure if this is progress or if our brains are becoming more computerized to keep up with it all. My actual preferred method of communication is to step outside the door and speak to someone. Lots of lurv. ilona
Hands up all those who can sing along with this all the way through. me me me :o)
Ceramic Christmas trees
5 hours ago
I love talking to people too. Sometimes, we just have to use the other methods to. BTW I can sing this all the way through too.
ReplyDeleteMe too - one of my favourite hits!
ReplyDeleteOne of the first records I bought and yes I also know the words.
ReplyDeleteThe problem with all these instant methods of communication is that everyone expects an instant response, regardless of the fact that not everyone is addicted to checking their emails and (yes, I am guilty of this too Ilona!) not everyone keeps their phone turned on all the time or can even get a signal when it is. Face to face is definitely my favourite method, which no doubt reveals me as 'a woman of a certain age'!
ReplyDeleteI think the art of face to face conversation is dying. Shame, but those, usually young people who are a whizz when texting, don't seem to be able to string two words together.
ReplyDeleteI rarely get phone calls but I do call people. I leave messages for them to call me back. Sometimes they don't. I text people especially my sister and sometimes my brothers. Still send cards for birthdays and Christmas. Talking in person the best....indeed!
ReplyDeletethank you ilona for the lovely tremeloes singing silence is golden one of my favourites too. in this day and age it is a nice change to have silence - love to you mayze and heidi from liz amy and sweet benny.xxx
ReplyDeleteI, myself, like to talk to folks, either in person or on the phone. An email is okay, but ..
ReplyDelete---Anyway, I am not on Facebook/twitter/MSN/etc.... Never have been. Don't want to be. To talk to me, you can email me/phone me/knock on my door.----Everyone I am related to/know, KNOWS this. or at least they should. I certainly have never communicated with any on Facebook / twitter (for ex)..---So, I mention all this, to point out/say, that it seems to me that many folks who use Facebook routinely/exclusively are either addicted to Facebook and numb to other avenues of communication/don't wish to talk to me (always possible, grin), stupid/self absorbed (possible too)..or....Over the past number of yrs, I cannot even count the number of times something has gone on/knowledge passed on, and it has been done exclusively on Facebook. Then when I eventually run into the person I am queried why I did not attend / know about same. I reply "I did not know about …..x y z."...--- I will then be "TOLD" "Oh, I posted it on Facebook"...When I remind them I am not on Facebook (gee did they not notice I am not on their contact list?)..They go "oh"...=====There have been a couple of wedding "showers", and baby "showers", to which I most CERTAINLY would have taken a gift, or mailed one if unable to attend. Apparently though, the "invite"/"announcement" was done in a general sort of way to the "Facebook Universe" of the "event". I got the impression they felt they would get the most "exposure" and the least work and the most gifts this way. Ah well, they did not get my gift. After the first time, I decided firmly that if someone could not bother to tell me snail mail/phone call/text/email about the event before hand, hearing about it afterwards at some chance meeting (so and so gave such and such, with a pregnant pause and a meaningful look at me.), in no way meant I should then fork over a gift. I have stuck to this. God only knows what is said about me, but ….---------------------------------------I have also been in conversation with a couple, who whould comment on lovely photo they had of such and such, and I would say, oh gee that sounds lovely, send (snail) or email me a look. OH NO...I just post on Facebook...Join Facebook and you can see thm. Uh..not happening...--------What do you all think...?
facebook or fakebook or farcebook as I call it...I discovered last year that my uncle had died...through facebook, personally I thought it was an awful way to find out...Jo
DeleteJo....farcebook...yuppers, good name ...Sorry to hear you had found out about uncle like that. I myself wonder if that type of thing will happen to me.
DeleteHi Suzy, thanks, yes, I was disgusted to be honest, it was a younger member of the family and her mother sent me a private message to apologise for the way I found out....
DeleteJo, at least you were apologised to. I am not at all on facebook, etc, so I would not even find out "from" facebook, my comment about how that might be I would find out was "tongue in cheek".
Deletewhen I found out in person from various relatives about various events, (and I said, oh, I did not know, no one told me), I did not even get an apology, or anything but a shoulder shrug and "that is how we tell people" sort of reply. Now this has happened at least six times, from widely different relatives and friends. I don't really think they are trying to be rude to me/get rid of me, but sheesh. Clueless or what. At any rate, after the first one, I took a firm personal stance of "if you cannot notify me by phone/letter/email/text, then I will NOT be sending a gift. At all. I did not say this to anyone (but hubby), but I have stuck to this. And, I have to say, I send/take darn nice gifts. I am a quiet guest, do not drink too much coffee or eat all the sweets, talk nicely to the old grandmas (who seem to love me, grin)..so. I save some money I guess.
Am sorry it happened to you, re the death of family, and I hope they think it over, how awful it is.
My hands are up Ilona.🎶 🎵🎹 we are 49ers after all one of my favourite songs. I'm lucky most of my friends like a phone call. I can just about watsap and e-mail so everything is hunky dory. 😊
ReplyDeleteI prefer to speak to someone either face to face or over the phone. Emails or facebook messages are ok but a good old fashioned letter is even better. I only use texts when I have to and personally find them annoying. What irritates me even more is when people feel it’s ok to send a text imparting bad news. I was informed that a friend had died by text and someone else thought it was perfectly fine to leave a message on our answering machine about the same person. It really upset me and still does when I think about it.
ReplyDeleteI prefer 'snail mail' and talking to people whether that is by landline or face to face. I have a mobile, but only send texts to close family and one friend, only use the telephone part of it for emergencies. These days you have to have e-mail, but I only use it when I absolutely have to. Am I living in the past? Maybe! But I think everything was a lot better then, not so confusing or complicated and you could usually speak to people and not automated machines.
ReplyDeleteShort texts for me, quick answers to quick questions. I hate it when someone starts a conversation by text, all those fiddly buttons to press.
DeleteI still have this record, purchased when I was 12. I've always loved it. Loved Chip Hawkes too. I like to communicate by phone or letter,
ReplyDeleteemails and texts are fine but I've never been on TwitFace and don't intend to start.
It’s all gone a bit mad hasn’t it. I find it hard to remember the pre internet world now, where you just rang people or sent them a letter and waited. The pressure to be available all the time can be exhausting. I do find it very annoying if I am out with someone and they are checking their phone constantly.
ReplyDeleteYes, I get a bit uppity when a friend expects me to instantly text her back. I don't carry my phone about at home, just check it when I think about it.
DeleteHi Ilona,
ReplyDeleteWhat a great post today. Do you remember when we were kids and all you had to do is walk outside and find so many friends to have fun with. Now kids today have their parents make play dates for them. And I've noticed many kids now are bored during summer break since they don't live in the world we did. Nancy from Northern California
Yes I much prefer face to face or the good old landline. Very interesting post Ilona.
ReplyDeleteI prefer to phone/meet up with people I like, but have to admit that the impersonality of emails/texts is wonderful when I have to communicate with people I don't like!!
ReplyDeleteI like texts; short, precise and to the point. I also like replying in my own time, that suits me better. I don't do Facebook at all, not interested.
ReplyDeleteI do phone calls or texts or letters. I used to do e mails but got stressed with it all.I don't do Facebook or twitter etc. x
ReplyDeleteThings posted on Facebook are often inappropriate e.g. photos of a relative umconscious on a hospital trolley. Also find it rude that I don't get a phone call if granddaughter is ill or in hospital but see it on Facebook. But hey can't rock the boat so say nothing.
ReplyDelete