Twenty-TEN and a Hiatus from the Blog

Well we are three weeks into 2010 and I have yet to wish you all a HAPPY NEW YEAR. So without any further delay, "Happy New Year" readers! I've taken a brief break from blog-writing, and internet-ing in general for that matter. I'm trying to connect with my loved ones without being connected. Does that sounds right? Can one connect without connection? I'm trying to find out.


In today’s world of facebook, blackberrys, i-phones, email, texting and blogging, the various modes of communication seem endless. But I'm starting to question the benefit of all these tools. In fact, I'd even say they're hindering our lives and relationships.

Far too often, I find myself "knowing" things about my "friends" lives without having talked to them in months, or even years in some instances. Facebook status updates tell me where my "friends" are at any given time and even lets me know when they've gone from "single" to "in a relationship" to "engaged" and sometimes back to "single." If facebook never existed, I would have no clue about most of this information. Which first begs the question, are these people really my friends? And second, am I gaining a deeper relationship with them or just being given the illusion that we are close and in touch?

Worse, I realize that I often rely on facebook to learn things about people I do talk to on a regular basis. A friend got a new car - a hybrid Camry. And another has a stress fracture in her foot and is now on crutches. Am I better off for learning these things sooner on FB, rather than learning them the next time I see/talk to these friends? But I'm at fault myself - my mother found out we got a dog when I posted a picture on FB before calling her to tell her! Her response "Well am I going to find out when you're pregnant on facebook too!!!" [DISCLAIMER: DO NOT READ THE PREVIOUS SENTENCE AS ANY ANNOUNCEMENT. THANK YOU] I myself am guilty of sharing news with my friends on facebook and this very blog.

So I've decided to make a change. After an unfortunate mis-information dissemination on facebook causing major confusion amongst family and friends, I've realized how harmful the internet can be. And do I really want all my "friends" to know about my life or just the people I actually spend time with and see in person.

One of my New Years resolutions is to disconnect to reconnect. I want to really connect with those friends and family that are truly in my life and are more than just “facebook friends.” Rather than sending an email, I'm going to make the effort to call. Rather than being attached to my blackberry at all times I'm only going to check it every now and again (which is obligatory considering I'm a lawyer and it's a firm-sponsored blackberry…). I'm rarely going to update my status on facebook and I'm only going to log-on to facebook on occasion. So if you need to reach me, give me a call. Or lets meet for lunch or a walk in the park. Let’s reconnect in person.

But I will continue to update my blog - I'm not crazy.