“Smoke Signals and Drumbeats” [Facebook post from 01-15-2014]

You’ve undoubtedly noticed that I’ve been posting these long diatribes regularly—well, the last few days, at least—and may have asked yourself, “What’s up with that?”  Good question.  I think I’m still trying to answer it for myself, however, and there are several possible explanations, a few that have even come up in responses to my comments.

I guess the most obvious is that I do fancy myself a writer, and writers write.  Inherent in that is publication.  I used to tell my students that even people who keep a “private” diary do so with the subconscious understanding that someone is probably going to read it one day.  That’s basic publication.  That’s why writers write, to share with others.  Whether or not what has been written needs to be shared, or is worth the effort for the reader, is ultimately up to the reader.  Some of you have already stopped reading this, and that’s fine with me.  I am a bit different from some writers in that I very much like feedback.  In fact, I used to share my writing with my students and not tell them I was the author until after they’d given their critiques.  I really like this with poetry, but it’s always good to know how an audience is reacting or what questions they have.  How has what you’ve read affected you?  Why?  So…write back J

Another explanation for my writing here is that I am, as a former student pointed out, still teaching.  (Calm down.  There won’t be a test.)  That’s why these facebook epistles have mostly been rather philosophical prompts for you to consider.  Most writing does that, too—presents an explanation, an observation, a question, or an experience for the reader to consider and maybe help him/her make (some) sense of the world.

Social media have changed a great deal in the last few years.  It’s been around since the first humanoid tried to communicate with his or her fellows.  Picture the Internet as a public smoke signal or big hollow log you can pound on to send a message to someone else…anyone within earshot!  I used to talk on the phone and write letters by the dozen (yep, real put-a-stamp-on-it snail mail).  I once wrote to a friend in Georgia I hadn’t seen in five years and told her I was coming to visit.  I was knocking on her door before her letter telling me not to come hit my mailbox.  We had a nice visit anyway…for about twenty minutes.  IM is much cheaper!

I used to write a blog.  Something tells me they’re not that popular any more, and I haven’t written anything and posted there in over a year…for numerous reasons.  Good ol’ facebook is much more popular and immediate, for good or ill.

I read the snippets posted here about what is going on in your lives, your celebrations and frustrations and simple observations about life and things in general, and I don’t read what doesn’t appeal to me (e.g., cats and games, politics and religion, on-going arguments that read like graffiti).  You do the same, I’m sure.  Feel free to come and go with these, too.

What I am trying to do, I suppose, is provide something more for you and for me.  Please feel free to comment, even just a “Like” is appreciated.  I know; I wish there was a “Dislike” button, too.  When the spirit moves you, I hope you respond with something more.  Ask questions, relate your own experiences and opinions, offer alternatives.  Some of you may have guessed this—it’s a teaching strategy.  Write On.

DrDan

01/15/14