A Cocktail Party Online

We haven't had a Cocktail Party.  That is something that my parents did.  I like the idea of them though, they are like a Salon; a party where people come together to share ideas about current events, art, and literature. Some of my artist friends and I gather together and do just that.  We have been doing it for several years now. We have even named ourselves the Salon of Seven and since one person dropped out a few years ago, we are now the Salon of Six.  For those reading this locally, we will be doing an exhibit at LeMoyne in September.

However, I digress from the purpose of this blog.  I think Facebook is our daily Salon, at least it is from my point of view.    If you read my earlier post you will know that I have had some problems with either some of my posts and or my comments on other posts.  I think it is because people have not fully realized that Facebook is like a cocktail party or a Salon. The other thing that I like about the comparison to a cocktail party is that often you don't know everyone, so you tend to tread a bit lightly and with respect.   Most of us would never stand in the middle of a room and shout at someone that they shouldn't discuss something, that they are ignorant, or call them names.  However, in speaking with others, this happens on Facebook.  Maybe we are all learning what Facebook is and how to navigate it.

I know many people who say that they never publish anything on their sites that is controversial in nature.  They don't want to offend anyone.  They choose instead to post family things, recipes, and benign comments about the weather, etc.  I do that.  However, I also post things that may be controversial, political, and current.  Why?  Because that is who I am.  I have always been willing to speak my mind.  I try and be respectful most of the time but I believe if I speak my mind that I might know what is on yours!  I might learn something.  I mean, if you saw something on the news that you felt passionate about, wouldn't you want to talk about it at the next cocktail party?

I think it is a boring cocktail party that is filled only with sports, family, recipes, and fluff.  I do like to talk about that, but I think we can also express ideas with each other too.  Have we forgotten how to do that? Maybe we all need a primer on the art of conversation!  Me too!

Facebook Resolutions

Facebook had been full of memories, politics, reconnection to old friends, and simple statements that make you smile, laugh, cry, and think.  This year I have had three or four experiences on Facebook that have given me pause, and made me question whether the damage to friendship, feelings, and respect are worth my continuation of it.  However, in looking at the big picture, I have received so much more love and support than I ever expected. 

Seeing John’s spirit kept alive by all of his friends alone is enough to ease any thoughts I might have of shutting the pages down.  I love that several of his friends have allowed me to continue to be their Facebook friends and I can peek into their lives and see their thoughts as they grow and become wonderful adults.  It gives me a great perspective and world view instead of just a “boomer” perspective.  Some of them are wonderfully articulate. 

I am so happy that through Facebook, Dan and I have reconnected with old High School friends.  Although we are spread across the globe, we as military brats, have a common thread that is still strong. 

I am also able to stay connected to family that also is far flung.  It is the little experiences that really keep us close.  I love hearing about someone’s day.  I am admittedly not a very good phone person.  I always feel like I am interrupting and I forget what I want to say.  When asked “What we have been doing?”  I can’t think of a thing.  But through Facebook, I see a bit of what they have been doing and they see the same with me and it gives us both a good jumping off point. 

I have enjoyed, for the most part, the political issue driven conversations.  However, there have been altercations; words do matter, how you say things matters.  2012 has been a volatile year filled with politics and tragedy.  Through that I am making some rules for myself.  I don’t know if I have broken all of them in the past but they are good rules none the less.

            Don’t tell someone what they can or can not post on their own Facebook page.

            If you don’t agree with someone’s post don’t attack them personally.

            If you don’t agree with someone’s statement respect their opinion as you would wish yours to be respected.

            If you can’t do any one of the above, don’t respond at all or certainly not publicly.  This might be a place where mother’s old rule….”If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all” applies. 

            Don’t hijack someone else’s post with your own agenda or change the subject substantially.  If you need to make a statement, then make your own, on your own wall. 

            This is not really an issue for me, but don’t post compromising pictures of other people or tag them…their mom may see it!

            This is an open forum, you don’t know all my friends or how I know them.  Don’t assume that I share all the beliefs of all my friends. That would be boring.  I will speak to you as I would in a dinner party or public situation.

Please respect my friends and I will respect yours.

Reread the rant before you post it!

Get a thicker skin.

Finally, it may be that you will unfriend me due to difficulties.  It also may be that I will block or unfriend you, sometimes that is done to protect a friendship rather than end one. 

Pinterest

I am not sure I really get Pinterest.  I mean I understand it is sort of like a bulletin board where you collect things you like.  As an artist, I guess I could collect images that inspire me.  As a person who loves to cook, I could collect recipes.
I did sign up. However, amid the thousands of passwords I am supposed to remember, make them all unique, and change them all the time, I don't remember my password.  Nor do I really know where to go to find all these inspiring things. Actually the best place is Pinterest.  So that is funny to me, I could go look at all the things other people have put on their bulletin boards and then repin them to mine.  I don't know, it just seems easier to look at everyone else's boards.
Some people are doing a magnificent job of collecting terrific images.  A couple of my images have even been collected.  I think that is flattering.  But here is one of the problems, I am on the computer too much anyway!  In order to find cool things to pin, I would have to be trolling the internet to find them.
I guess I am drawing a line in the sand here and saying , for me, enough is enough and I am just going to be a voyeur and look at what you have been wasting time collecting...sorry.

Not just glass....a bucket list

Disclaimer: this blog is no longer just about glass. Why is that you ask? Well, my art is personal, it is about me, it reflects what I think, see, and feel, therefore my blog will reflect that. When I thought I would write about just glass I realized I WASN'T WRITING ANYTHING! However, I was thinking about a lot of things that I didn't then have a place to write them...hence the disclaimer.

The Bucket List
 Now that that is off my chest I will write about what I was thinking about. A friend posted a comment about her bucket list. She added living in Paris to her bucket list and knowing her it would not surprise me to see her do that. So I questioned myself about my bucket list and I realized that I do not have one. Not only do I not have a bucket list of things to do or places to see before I die, I have no real desire to have one. I think I am the feather of "Forest Gump", floating to what will be will be. I just don't want the stress of making a huge goal and not accomplishing it. I am not a stress lover, nor a perfectionist. I do not want to create any obstacle for myself. I am just happy to get up in the morning and like the floating feather decide what, where, and how to amuse myself for that day.  I know that sounds indulgent and it is.  It doesn't mean that I wouldn't like to go to Italy or do something exotic or that I won't do those things, it just means that I don't want to deal with the disappointment if I don't.
I know that some would look at this as cowardly, or that I am not taking charge of my life but I don't think so.  I have known great happiness and great and painful sorrow and disappointment.  I realized that it is the small moments in life that mean the most to me, the everyday, the little touches, smiles, laughs, and moments that sometimes pass unnoticed.  I am trying to notice them.  That is what my work is about as well.

So there, I brought it all back to the glass after all!