And I know these things because of Facebook.
The best post of the day was a picture of Bibs ready for her first day of pre-school at the local Montessori School.
She is so lovely in the hand smocked dress — embroidered with nearly a 1000 bullions — that Megan sewed especially for the first day. I lifted Megan's photo from Facebook, so it seems to be a bit fuzzy.
Then there was a link to a newsletter produced by Andy Tuohy, who is Megan's husband's aunt's partner (personal and business) and a hugely talented graphic artist producing updated versions of the wonderful travel posters England was noted for during the mid-20th century.
Then my son-in-law posted a link from an article in The Economist, no less, which opens with a reference to Swipely, the start-up company he is working for. The writer begins his piece voicing the same appalled reaction that everyone I have ever explained the concept to has had. Nevertheless, keep in mind what Bob said when we signed up to Swipely in a show a family support, "Ten years ago who would have thought that most of the things we buy, we buy on line."
And I can add to that, five years ago I would have never thought I would join Facebook. And now it is often the first site I check in the morning. In addition to people who are part of my life today, I have re-connected with people who were very important parts of my life in years past. I am even in touch with high school friends who disappeared from my life 44 years ago. Another of today's messages was about a group of high school classmates meeting for lunch yesterday in the Hudson Valley where they all now live. For someone like me whose life was lived in a straight line trajectory, rarely looking back, it is comforting to start thinking about life as a circle with connections backwards and forwards.
Our children have created that sort of world of connectedness for themselves through social networking. When I see comments on Megan's Facebook posts I recognise names from her primary school in New Jersey, her summer camp in Maine, her high school in Boston, her college in Ohio, blended in with the comments of her adult friends today. The connections are always there, on hand, ready to make sense of life as it moves forward. I know that my generation of Baby Boomers created the internet, but we didn't have the nous to make it the life changer that our kids have embraced.
This is how the Internet has changed my life in the 12 years I have lived in London:
First was e-mailing: which I use nearly exclusively to communicate with people
Second was shopping: first for books, then for items from the States not available here, then for clothes, then for household items and for food and wine and beer
Third was news: all points of view available from crazy right to crazy left, with the assurance of calming comment somewhere on the center left
Fourth for Facebook: to keep up with what's happening in real time
Fifth for the BBC i-player: which lets me watch what I missed, like the start of Mad Men Season 4 last night, without feeling bereft at missing things I want to watch
So who's to say that I won't be happily swiping with Swipely in the future, so that my Swipely friends can chide me — from around the world — for buying yet more unneeded fabric or yarn to add to the stash.
Then there was a link to a newsletter produced by Andy Tuohy, who is Megan's husband's aunt's partner (personal and business) and a hugely talented graphic artist producing updated versions of the wonderful travel posters England was noted for during the mid-20th century.
Then my son-in-law posted a link from an article in The Economist, no less, which opens with a reference to Swipely, the start-up company he is working for. The writer begins his piece voicing the same appalled reaction that everyone I have ever explained the concept to has had. Nevertheless, keep in mind what Bob said when we signed up to Swipely in a show a family support, "Ten years ago who would have thought that most of the things we buy, we buy on line."
And I can add to that, five years ago I would have never thought I would join Facebook. And now it is often the first site I check in the morning. In addition to people who are part of my life today, I have re-connected with people who were very important parts of my life in years past. I am even in touch with high school friends who disappeared from my life 44 years ago. Another of today's messages was about a group of high school classmates meeting for lunch yesterday in the Hudson Valley where they all now live. For someone like me whose life was lived in a straight line trajectory, rarely looking back, it is comforting to start thinking about life as a circle with connections backwards and forwards.
Our children have created that sort of world of connectedness for themselves through social networking. When I see comments on Megan's Facebook posts I recognise names from her primary school in New Jersey, her summer camp in Maine, her high school in Boston, her college in Ohio, blended in with the comments of her adult friends today. The connections are always there, on hand, ready to make sense of life as it moves forward. I know that my generation of Baby Boomers created the internet, but we didn't have the nous to make it the life changer that our kids have embraced.
This is how the Internet has changed my life in the 12 years I have lived in London:
First was e-mailing: which I use nearly exclusively to communicate with people
Second was shopping: first for books, then for items from the States not available here, then for clothes, then for household items and for food and wine and beer
Third was news: all points of view available from crazy right to crazy left, with the assurance of calming comment somewhere on the center left
Fourth for Facebook: to keep up with what's happening in real time
Fifth for the BBC i-player: which lets me watch what I missed, like the start of Mad Men Season 4 last night, without feeling bereft at missing things I want to watch
So who's to say that I won't be happily swiping with Swipely in the future, so that my Swipely friends can chide me — from around the world — for buying yet more unneeded fabric or yarn to add to the stash.
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