1). Initial Frustration.
Earlier this year, Matt and I did HP to get a lounge suite. (Don't worry, its all interest free baby.) I am the person on the account for this not Matt. However when we get our statements in the mail, it is addressed to M & J Gilbert. Why is this....? I am the person on the account, so you would assume I should be first. Or, maybe its alphabetical, but then I would still be first. The only reason I can think that it is M & J and not J & M is because there is some system that automatically puts the male first.... Inherent Systematic Misogyny? Or do I need to get a life and get over it? Maybe there is another explanation? It doesn't bother me that much, but every time I see that envelope I do ponder the reasoning....
2) Stream of consciousness.
I have read that a recent phenomenon in relation to Facebook and Twitter and the like, is that people tend to think in status updates. Oh look its snowing, thinking 'Wow, its snowing in Wellington, so cool!' Or, yay I just finished my assignment 'OMG totally finished my assignment LOLZ' (or something like that...).
I have found this happening to me, not so much in the sense of thinking in status updates, but rather in thinking, 'I have to put this (thought/comment/photo/link) on facebook!.' Its almost like a process of validation and making something memorable. Like it didn't happen if it wasn't on facebook.
Is this even a problem? Does it make us more self focused? I guess for me its just being aware that I tend to do this, and now realising that I don't need facebook to valadiate what is happening in my life .
3.) How to end a phone call.
You know the scene:
(on phone) A: 'Hey where are you?'
B: 'I'm here, where are you?'
A: 'I'm by the white chair...'
B: 'Oh! I see you now! Hi!'
A: 'Hi! ok cool....'
Is it just me is it slightly awkward to end a phone conversation when you can see the person visually? Its like there is a tension between phone call ending etiquette (must say 'ok, well bye then,' 'ok bye, see you later, 'yep see you soon, bye,' 'bye', 'bye'...) and the fact that you can see the person (but are not yet in talking distance). People still seem to need to end the call with some filler (ok, cool, yep, great..) and don't seem able to just hang up.... imbeded social norms?
Ok my mind and its inane thoughts are going to shut up now.
Re 1) I have noticed the same thing too, I think it's a "traditional" thing from way back when the men were the breadwinners and earning the money, and thus paying the bills etc.
ReplyDeleteI think it is different if the woman is a docter and her husband isn't - would then be like Dr J & Mr M Gilbert. I could be wrong though - I have seen that once before.
2) I think Facebook has become something like a diary - if something great happened we of course want to remember it, and we would usually write it down somewhere right? But now we have the internet at our hands so we're using Facebook like a diary now, no?
I like your idea about facebook - as our diary, just in a new form
ReplyDeleteI think Facebook is like a diary, a letter and kinda a scrapbook. You capture the moment, and then you look back later on and see if you thought/feel differently. A letter to family/friends who can keep up to date with what's happening with your life. Cool blog! :)
ReplyDelete