At RWI’s incredible retreat last weekend, Jean Brashear came up from Texas to entertain and educate us. We “knew” each other online, but this was the first time we’d met in person, and she was just the doll I’d expected her to be.
One segment of her all-day workshop (I know we ate too much and too often and took too many bathroom breaks, but I’m still calling it all-day) was on hyperconnectivity. Even if you haven’t heard the word, I’m sure you’ve already guessed what it is. Yep, being too connected via electronic devices.
My son is hyperconnected. We’ll be having dinner, and he’s texting DIL or friends, checking news, looking up stuff. A Christmas or two ago, after a wonderful dinner, the kiddo, DIL, Niece #1, her husband and Niece #2 were sprawled on the sofa and love seat, each of them with their own laptop, each doing their own thing. Me, I hardly answer my cell phone, when I even remember to turn the ringer on. I don’t care so much about email, unless it’s wonderful news or from people I adore. I don’t Twitter, I rarely Facebook, and I’m fairly unsociable about social media.
I’m thinking of starting a name for people like me. “Hyperdisconnectivity” doesn’t quite have the ring I’d like. People Without Phones in Hand? Or People Who Don’t Care What You Do Every Second of the Day? Maybe something simpler: Old-Fashioned.
Yep, that’s me.
Jean Brashear -- visit her at http://www.jeanbrashear.com and buy The Goddess of Fried Okra now. She's a lovely person, and it's a lovely book you need to read.
I’m so sorry I missed the retreat.
After this weekend in Athens(TX), I believe I want to be a bit more a discon, or a NON COM. I expressed my displeasure to one of my students who had cell phone in had during a brief surface interval. That kind of distraction will get you hurt or killed.
Thanks for such a great blog topic!
It amazes me that people can’t go ten minutes without checking email, texts, etc. I watch people in restaurants, too busy communicating with others to actually speak to the person they’re eating with. Everyone is driving while talking, standing in check-out lines and talking, waiting on customers and talking . . .
I heard about a woman being paid to speak to a group and she stopped to tweet several times during her presentation. And another person at a writers’ conference, stood up, asked the guest speaker a question, then held up his hand silence her while he took a phone call.
Astounding.
Maybe this could be an obverse new-age social-media diagnosis . . .
Hypoconnectivity — To be Hypoconnected.
*SNORK*
LOL.
It’s too late to save the kiddo and dil, but maybe we can still save the grandkiddo.
Marilyn, you are too sweet! And talk about who’s the doll here–I absolutely LOVED getting to spend time with you!
It was wonderful retreat. Thanks for fitting in so well with our group.
BTW, I finished GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA a few days ago and loved it. Everyone’s story, the parallels between Glory and Pea’s experiences, the way Val returned . . . Add me to the bunch clamoring for more.
Oh, Marilyn…what that means to me…
I am so thrilled! Thank you!
You’re very welcome. Thank you for sticking with Pea and seeing her published!