Back in the '60s (1962 to be precise) I made the journey from Liverpool to London's West End Adelphi Theatre see a Lionel Bart musical called Blitz. It was my first London musical. I may still have the LP I bought at the time (I don't think it went with the hundreds that went to Oxfam recently). Mind you I bought the CD years ago and I still play it. It was a very uplifting musical as well as being nostalgic. It included the song 'Be What You Wanna Be'.
I was thinking about something recently and the song came back to me. The 'something' I was thinking about was Blogland and social media and the use of cellphones and the like to keep in touch. I think it was triggered by a newspaper article which suggested that we should wean ourselves away from our general enslavement to the god of social media and our cellphones.
Of course the term cellphone or mobile phone is a misnomer now because they are generally used less for telephone conversations than anything else. In fact several years ago a quarter of mobile phone users never made a phone call. Bucking the trend I have now got rid of my 'free' weekday and overseas calls with BT (the landline provider) saving myself about £20 a month and spending £3 of that on 'free' overseas calls on my cellphone bearing in mind all my other calls are included in my monthly fee (which is considerably less than £20) anyway.
I digressed.
What I wanna be is back in Blogland. It is, generally speaking, a far more comfortable environment than the Real World. Why? Because you can choose the environment in which you want to live. I've been so busy in the Real World (including travelling between Lewis and Glasgow - where I am at the moment) that I keep losing touch and catching up gets harder. So I'm reading as much as I can on Feedly (I can do that on my cellphone when I'm in the airport or in a hospital waiting room) but it's difficult commenting. So I'm still with you all and I'll comment as soon as I'm able.
Of course the term cellphone or mobile phone is a misnomer now because they are generally used less for telephone conversations than anything else. In fact several years ago a quarter of mobile phone users never made a phone call. Bucking the trend I have now got rid of my 'free' weekday and overseas calls with BT (the landline provider) saving myself about £20 a month and spending £3 of that on 'free' overseas calls on my cellphone bearing in mind all my other calls are included in my monthly fee (which is considerably less than £20) anyway.
I digressed.
What I wanna be is back in Blogland. It is, generally speaking, a far more comfortable environment than the Real World. Why? Because you can choose the environment in which you want to live. I've been so busy in the Real World (including travelling between Lewis and Glasgow - where I am at the moment) that I keep losing touch and catching up gets harder. So I'm reading as much as I can on Feedly (I can do that on my cellphone when I'm in the airport or in a hospital waiting room) but it's difficult commenting. So I'm still with you all and I'll comment as soon as I'm able.
Good luck with the Glasgow business. Comment when you can or wish to comments aren't either necessary or obligatory.
ReplyDeleteThanks Adrian. So far so good.
DeleteI thoroughly agree with the notion that people should wean themselves off those wretched machines. Humanity has changed from walking talking greeting, to heads down and full steam ahead (regardless).
ReplyDeleteI'm sure, Cro, that just about every bit of technology has been met with a similar response by some. However, even as an avid devotee of my iPhone, it would be impossible not to agree with you that there are many for whom the 'phone' seems to have taken over their very being.
DeleteGraham, thank you for communicating young sir!
ReplyDeleteSo just take your time and get well okay and best of everything to you.
Heron I appreciate the compliment. "Young sir" is not something I hear very often these days.
DeleteAs you hadn't blogged in seventeen days I was becoming concerned. I hope your trial in Glasgow reaches a satisfactory conclusion. Have you thought of trying to bribe the judge?
ReplyDeleteThanks Neil. Today and tomorrow are days of tests and scans to determine the base for the drug trial. Hopefully on the 8 November the trial will start. I went to a concert with the judge. Unfortunately she was judging a different trial. C'est la vie.
DeleteIt is always good to read your posts and I'm glad to see this one. I hope that whatever you are doing will have a good outcome.
ReplyDeleteThank you Jenny. You're very kind.
DeleteI agree with you, Graham, about the delights of Blogland, but recently I discovered that on my iphone
ReplyDeleteI am unable to leave comments on the blogposts of others. I must log on to my desktop computer to do that.
When it's working as advertised, technology can be wonderful. When it isn't, it makes me want to scream.
Bob, I hear your screams and echo them!
DeleteI get antsy when you don't post and become concerned (like YP!) ... looking forward to your blog as I do, it is disconcerting to find it stalled and my imagination goes galloping off willy-nilly! So please know we are thinking about you and wishing all the best outcome for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much Jill. Life seems to gallop off in uncontrollable directions but it's really comforting to know that my Blogland friends are still thinking of me.
DeleteI am happy to see a post from you whenever you are able to post one.
ReplyDeleteAs for this one, thanks for mentioning Lionel Bart! I have just spent some time reading about him, he wrote the songs from "Oliver" and also, the big hit for Cliff Richard, "Living Doll"! He even wrote "From Russia With Love" from the James Bond movie. You must know, songwriters fascinate me. Thanks!
Take care and keep a song in your heart, always!
Thank you Kay. Yes I thought you might be one to appreciate a musical mention. I have to be honest and say that I had no idea that Lionel Bart had written the songs you mentioned.
DeleteWhat you really "wanna be " is busy. It doesn't matter if it's blogs or something else although I certainly appreciate your blog.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that you appreciate my blog Red. Of course you are right: busy is so important.
DeleteA quarter of people dont make calls on their mobiles? That surprises me but it shouldn't, my kids will text endlessly about complex matters when it would be so much easier to phone.
ReplyDeleteThere is no pressure to visit my blog or to comment, just do what you need to do
I don't recal "Blitz"....now I'm going to have to knock on Mr. Google's door and go in search.
ReplyDeleteI don't use a mobile...I have one. A little very cheap one I purchased earlier this year when my landline went down for a number of days due to Cyclone Debbie's trek through this area...the aftermath of Cyclone Debbie. I bought it as a "just in case back-up...and have not used it since. I have no reason to use a mobile phone.
I have no intentions of walking along the supermarket aisles talking on a phone. I'm not that fond of talking on phones anywhere, at any time, to be honest.
It's always good to "see" you, Graham...at your leisure...I have no intentions deserting your blog, and I'm sure your other readers feel similarly. Take care. :)
Lee, I more and more use my cellphone for my phone calls which is handy as I'm spending so much time away from home at the moment (and is much cheaper at home). However, my real use of my 'phone' is as a mini computer for so many other things. I really appreciate your last comment. Thank you.
DeleteGlad to see you're still around and have no intention of leaving Blogland for good, Graham - I would miss you!
ReplyDeleteAs is obvious from my blog (and my comments on other blogs), I do not spend as much time online as I used to. On weekdays, I work a lot (work has picked up pace considerably since the summer, which is very good but also has its drawbacks). And on weekends, I am either at O.K.'s or he is here - both ways meaning I am not going to sit down at my computer unless we want to look something up; he has my full attention when we are together. Also, my eye sight is not so good and getting worse (probably surgery next year) so that I tend to avoid going online much outside work (where I can not avoid it).
Meike I'm so happy for the way your life is going although I was rather distressed to be reminded that your eye sight is deteriorating. I hope upon hope that the deterioration slows down or stops.
DeleteGood to see you posting whenever it is
ReplyDeleteBeing away from the Internet, and using a phone to connect soemtimes, opens a new aspect of gadget life. I've been able to get more done since I don't spend hours on the computer.
Maywyn my computer, and my other similar devices, have always taken second place in terms of the amount of my time that they occupy but they do mean that I don't sit and watch very much television nor, sadly, read as many books as I used to and they are a gateway to my friends and family throughout the world. Ironically they have also led to me to writing more snail mail missives that I had for some years.
DeleteI don't know that musical or song but I think I basically managed to follow the meandering of your thoughts anyway :) I got my first mobile phone in 2006; as public phones were getting increasingly rare. Nowadays I have a smartphone, but as I rarely travel, it's on cash card and I mostly use it with the internet at home. When I go out, the internet is usually off - and if I use it at all outdoors, it's most likely as camera! At home I've kept my landline phone so far but the monthly fee is getting ridiculously high considering the rather few calls I make - and mostly telemarketing calls coming in! In November I'm changing to internetphone at home. Remains to be seen how that works out!
ReplyDeleteAh, Monica, how often do you follow my meandering thoughts: often more clearly than I follow them?
DeleteGood luck in Glasgow with the trial. Glad to see you blogging and thanks for all your comments in the past.
ReplyDeleteThanks Diane. I'm hoping that there will be plenty more comments in the future!
DeleteI, very much, miss Blogland (you, John, Lisa). It is so much sweeter than the reality of life in our everyday society (unless, of course, we can be in our very own territory without the sight of idiotic people - haha).
ReplyDeleteHeather how true. And at least we always know that each other is there.
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