Make Your Statement.

Okay, I'll admit flat out: I USE ABUSIVELY USE AWAY MESSAGES. but just sometimes! So there are those moments when I'm dying to share that cute music video link and will make that my away message for a while. Or I'll post a super funny quote that I heard so that people can comment on it. Or maybe I'll even put an away message with some song lyrics that ambiguously express my mood. Though I'd say that happens probably 1/6 times (just a guesstimate), I think that for the most part, I do use away message as what they are intended for. I actually checked my last 3 away messages and they are as follows:

1.TIME TO DORM WORK IT UPPPP!

2. GYMTIMES=FUNTIMESSSSS :)

3. Busy for a whileeees

No joke, all quoted from myself. Yes I do type in caps for a while, and yes we analyzed it in class, but I think that the caps are just to show excitement. Who doesn't like a little dormwork and gymtimes? Exactly.

I digress! I think that the main "problem" I have with away messages is that I forget to turn it off. So literally, I'll be gymmerizing it at 2 in the morning. Whoops. Forgot to take that down when I got back! I can see how that would be deceptive and downright frustrating for those who want to talk and think that I'm perpetually at the gym. I'd like to also add that it sometimes creates this false face. I do gym for 2 hours, but not for 4-5, which is what it sometimes comes off as. So I think that's how I actively abuse away messages in terms of that function.

And now, FACEBOOK. The best time distracter ever! Why, I'm even on it now! From those e-mail notifications (which I turn off) to the cute on site notifications, it all just seems to encourage our fascination to update ourselves on other's lives. With the new layout, you can't possibly help but feel like a creeper sometimes. The new "Newsfeed" is chalk full of status updates, pictures, and worst of all, comments posted between your friends. So not only can you stalk a specific friend at ease, you can stalk other people's relationships too! Now that's a little creepy, I must say, but hey... it's the new layout I swear!

Facebook has also evolved the easy access to information. Recently met a cute guy or girl and don't know if he or she is taken? Find them on facebook and check the relationship status, and you can either decide to move on, or let the bearings change. Don't know enough about someone to see if you're really compatible? Just scroll through their music, TV shows, quotes, etc. to see if anything matches. You might find this a little too intrusive, but isn't that why the information is posted to begin with? So we can make a statement about ourselves... to other people who in turn read it and ultimately learn more about you.

So I've come to the conclusion in this blog that we're just fascinated with each our lives and others as well. We make away messages and update facebook to make a statement or to make things a little more fun. Hopefully someone will respond to my away, or maybe someone will know more about me and our friendship will be stronger. It's all about the statement.

Multitasking

Okay, so it doesn't at all surprise me that we are a nation that relies heavily on multitasking, to the point where there are studies and surveys done on it. As a "fast paced" nation, we all are probably guilty of doing something multitask-ical, but my question is... is that so bad?

So I realize that multitasking in a social situation may be bad, I mean, I wouldn't want someone to be having a "deep" AIM conversation with me while webchatting with their mom and making a sandwich. But on the same note, because AIM creates a digital barrier, will I really ever know? I would want to be someone to be full fledged engaged in a conversation, but if it's just a normal conversation, does the speaker really have to be completely engaged to the point where they are doing nothing else other than listening to you ramble? I mean it would be nice, but sometimes it's also nice for someone to rant to you on AIM and you read the whole story 5 minutes after they've finished exploding than sitting in front of the computer and watch them recount their story line by line. Or when people just talk normally, it seems like all the sentences are broken up. For example:

LOL

you were looking

for

what was it again

cupcakes?!

lol

See how it's not really a sentence, but instead 6 lines? So the conversation was taken completely out of context, but nevertheless, illustrates the short choppy language that we use nowadays. A technique used to engage the reader and make it feel more like "real time" because every half a second contains another line, in the end, the chatting time could be made more efficient with multitasking.

Sometimes I wonder, what is multitasking anyway? Does me listening to music while typing this blog count? Or how about when I have multiple conversations on AIM? I wouldn't really consider that intense multitasking, but technically, it does count.

What fascinated me too was the idea of gender differences in terms of language and general AIM talk. Doesn't surprise me. In the past, my English teacher told us that guys use way less words than an average female uses. It's still interesting to look at old AIM logs and notice the difference between conversations I have with males vs. females.

But on a different note, I think that AIM might actually help a lot of boys express their emotions. With the digital barrier and in the comfort of his own home, I feel like if I do have a deep conversation with a male, it would be easier to conduct on AIM instead of in person. Maybe it's because I don't see the awkward body language that I'm missing, but I'd like to defend guys by saying that I've actually had some deep, emotional conversations with them on AIM. So maybe our conversations are generally shorter on AIM, but that doesn't mean that guys are incapable of producing a well thought out conversation that could lead to self revelations.

Either way, I always prefer the face to face conversation. You can read expressions, know that the person is fully engaged and the ability for one to "hide behind the screen" is impossible. I find it ]annoying when you're having a nice conversation and the person just leaves without notice because the question is too difficult. Or if the person sits on the other side trying to find the PERFECT wording. Not to mention the ability to read tone in person, and the ability to misconstrue tone over AIM. Face to face is still the way to go! :)

Questions:

1. Are there times when it's easier to multitasking than not?

2. Does having multiple conversations on AIM count as multitasking?

3. Do you think that AIM degrades one's ability to converse?

4. Do you notice a difference in terms of your AIM conversations when you talk to a guy vs a girl?

Languages

In my opinion, the computer has replaced the basic forms of communication, overall in an enhancive way. From the pony express to the impressive snail mail USPS system to e-mails, humans have truly revolutionized the way we communicate. Though there are trade offs, from the impersonal e-mail in lieu of the personal hand written message, digital communication has efficiently transmitted messages with ease.

The Chinese have slowly transitioned from the slow hand written, yet highly cultural calligraphy to a more efficient computer processing system, reminds me of the fact that AP Chinese is the only AP test that requires a computer. Not even AP Computer Science requires one, as all the programming is hand written. Though the AP test does not come with a computer equipped with detecting the right words, it is used primarily because the traditional way of hand writing caused problems with legibility. This demonstrates the shift into the dependency of computers because it is the move into a new technological era.

When using AIM, many people, of whom I notice are often polite, forget basic “mannerisms” when conversing on AIM. They forget to start a conversation with the greeting “Hi” or “Hello,” but instead start with the question or reason why they’re talking to you. People forget the basic mannerisms that influence the culture of society. Nevertheless, AIM does provide an efficient system for communication because people can talk in real time without running up the phone bill or having everyone in the room be able to pick up half the conversation. AIM jumpstarted the idea of video chatting such as Skype and OOVOO, which has become even more popular because people can see each other. Though the technology is advancing, I believe that web chatting is more personal than AIM because the conversers can actually see each other face to face.

Personally, I love getting snail mail, even though e-mails are nice. I think that it’s knowing that snail mail does take a couple more minutes (hand writing v. typing, envelops, stamps, dropping it off) that makes it more special. I keep all the hand written notes that I receive and I think that this may be largely due to the fact that we do have internet and faster forms of communication, but that the person decided to spend the extra time and touch of love to write something physically tangible and lovable.