Reluctantly, I Return

I've been a communication hiatus for awhile. I keep waiting for life to slow down, but it hasn't so I think I have to just accept it and come out of my cave. Something about the computer and phone has been particularly offensive, likely because they seem to give the outside world an expectation of access into my life. Funny words from someone who writes a blog, no matter how sporadically. But there's a difference between that which I chose to share and what people expect. My primary annoyance with Facebook* is the apparent assumption that we will share everything. People have been shocked, even offended, that I haven't put wedding pictures on Facebook. I have no intention to do so, though I know my sister and mother will likely do so once they get them. I simply dislike displaying my life. That's true in person as well, as I keep aspects of my life very private (such as religion). I'm not embarrassed by those parts, I just don't think they're anyone else's business.

Once upon a time (the mythical Good Ole Days), this sort of reticence to be available for public viewing was the mark of good breeding. The old adage of one's name appearing in the papers three times in one's life - when they're born, when they marry, and when they die - is laughably quaint in our all-access world. I actually found an issue of LIFE magazine (November 14, 1955) that has an article titled "Society's Switch to Publicity", discussing the rise of the celebrity socialite, so this isn't new, just relatively new for the general masses, where anyone can be someone online. The egalitarian (and American) in me likes that and rejoices at the rise of the marginalized who "make it" due to YouTube or a blog. The part of me that finds scrutiny and uninvited commentary distasteful cringes every time.

While being called "old-fashioned" wouldn't be unfamiliar for me or even unwelcome, this reluctance can come across as anti-social. I must learn how to mitigate the feeling that by dipping a toe into the internet social waters, I am not committing to dive in and certainly not a splash fight. Then again, moderation has always been my struggle.

All that said, the best way to talk to me regularly remains a letter, either handwritten or typed, since I will always answer. I am happily accepting penpals for any who are interested.

*If you want to follow me on social media, Facebook is useless except for the most basic changes, like marital status and location. Google + is your best bet.