Social Networks and Messages

I signed up for Facebook mostly because I was curious. Now I am also part of a felting social network page. For a shy person, these social networks are a blessing. Nice, carefully controlled conversations. For people in remote areas or those far from friends and family, they are a great resource for keeping in touch. They are a bit of a challenge for me though in that there are so many people to talk to. I don;t want to hurt anyone's feelings or push the wrong button--literally.

When I first moved here I lived in stark terror of offending someone. I walked about with a chronic smile in case someone saw me that I did not recognize in time or greet appropriately. Now the folks who know me know that I may be designing ganseys n my head and pass them on the street with best of intentions bt an absent brain. They tell me about it the next time they see me. We laugh.

Also when I first moved here, as I have often commented, I was befuddled by the language. Even when I understood the words, I could not always take in their import. "Messages" was one of those words. Messages can mean either messages as in someone called and left a message or it can mean lists of things to get at the grocery or other errands. This seemed an unusual meaning to tack on to the word until I knew enough people to appreciate that going into town to do errands and buy groceries was also a way of collecting the news and connecting with people.

I have no idea if that is how the word came into being, but it seems apt. Last week between the bank and the grocery store, I caught up with half a dozen friends-acquaintances. One daughter ws jus thome on a break from school in Inverness; another had her hair done; another was on her way to thus and such event. In each case, the meeting involved exchanging the news --messages.

Ok just a quick post. Need to get to town and get the messages.