Interconnections

Have you heard about what's going on in Egypt? The riots and demonstrations, and demands for democracy from a people who have spent the last 29 years living in a dictatorship? I imagine you have, given you'd pretty much have to live in a box to not hear anything about the Egyptian riots.

I have to say, I think this is pretty cool to watch. Admittedly, I have no stakes in the events--no family, no friends; nobody I know is in any sort of danger--but I am pretty excited to see Egyptians pressing for democracy. I hope they get it, and I hope it brings them prosperity and freedom, and better lives all around. I hope that they soon see free, fair elections, and that those men and women who are elected take more care of the needs of their fellow countrymen than Mubarak has.

While perusing blogs to read more about what's going on in Egypt, I came across an account of the evacuation of LDS people on Hissatopia, and there, amongst the list, "People I Love" is the Island of Phelps (which I also link to, and who I would also categorize as "People I love"). It is a small, small world, and technology makes it even smaller. (In another random connection I had no inkling of until today, the Belts link to a San Diego family in my ward. Such a small world)

Blogs or facebook?

One of my old college roommates had her second child, a daughter, on the 2nd (and is she ever cute!). I've been checking her blog pretty frequently for the past couple of weeks, waiting for an announcement. Turns out, she announced on facebook, not on her blog.

Another former roommate (whose son is about a month younger than Sylvia) also has a blog that I check frequently, but again, she apparently updates her facebook page and lets her blog pretty much languish. Turns out, a lot of my old college friends are on facebook and either don't have or rarely update blogs.

I, on the other hand, update my blog about every three days and really only look at facebook when someone adds me as a friend or sends me something.

Thinking about my online behavior compared to that of my friends, is the divergence evidence that I prefer the format that allows me to write longer, less twitter-like updates on my life? Does that mean I'm more contemplative, or simply less busy? I see the advantage of writing quick, pithy updates pretty much constantly--the time commitment is low and you probably present a more organic, perhaps truer picture of the flow of your life. Am I less interested in interaction (though I do love comments!), preferring the format that allows me to navel gaze without so much commentary? Blogs do seem to require much more effort, especially if (like me) comment verification is turned on. Or, is this a timing/generational difference? Did I just get into blogging before facebook (being at one of the second generation schools rather than a first generation school like so many of my old college friends), so now that's just what I do, and just what they do? Perhaps this is just evidence that I'm slow to take up the newest, coolest technology, preferring instead to stay with the familiar, comfortable technology. I am, after all, a bit of a fuddy duddy in my old age.