Wink if you're confused
Purpose, Plasma, and the Peculiarities of Tech
I’m tempted to say that I have not had a ton of time to write lately, but then I recall the three TV series I’ve finished in the past few weeks, the ones I can almost recall the titles of but of which the plots, characters, genres, networks, and level of enjoyment I experienced largely escape me. No, there’s something else keeping me from putting pen to paper finger to keyboard. I’m not exactly sure what, but it’s related to a question a friend and mentor asks me quite often about my life choices in general - “What is this unto?”, which roughly translates to “This thing you’re doing - what is the purpose?”
I’m not sure, other than it’s a way to process, in community, “things” going on in life.
In any case, while I continue to think it through, here are a few observations. Some are old and some are new. Hopefully none are borrowed, and I don’t do blue.
Ok, that is a sign to either quit completely or move on to the post . . .
Emojis should not be so enigmatic
Can we all agree that we are using the wink emoji a bit too much? I can't ever tell if someone is being folksy, trying to cloak an insult, or is just flat out lying to me.
“Thanks for that report 😉”
“Your kids are so well-behaved 😉”
“You don't at all look like you need to work out 😉”
“We’re looking forward to it! 😉”
“Your test results look normal 😉🙏”
Conversation IRL should have more options
I kind of like the do not reply emails I get from time to time. It's like saying to someone, "Don't respond to this, but. . . "
The other interesting email feature is the "message recall." I received a message from someone the other day, we'll call him Cliff, and then about 30 seconds later I received a second message stating that Cliff would like to recall his first message. In this scenario, Cliff is essentially asking me to delete the first message, but it's not like I can forget what Cliff said.
It's such a strange world of digital communication we live in. I feel like these strategic tools may be useful in my daily life, though.
Me: Sweetie, I need to tell you something, and please don't respond.
Child: Why can't I respond?
Me: See, you've already done what I've asked you not to do! Why do you do that?! . . . Oh, don’t cry. Ok, Ok, daddy's sorry. I'd like to take back what I just said, if I could. Daddy'd like to take it back, if you'd be so kind. Can you do that for daddy? Let him take it back?
Like all aging jalopies, I’m about a quart low
I broke the blood machine the other day while donating Red Blood cells. If you’re not familiar with that process, they essentially take out your whole blood, separate the red blood cells from the other stuff (called “blood broth”, if I’m not mistaken) and return the other stuff back to your body along with saline to replace what they’ve taken. (And just when I’d started to get control of my sodium intake - this needs to be more clear in the brochure!)
I say “they” but it’s not like a person is doing this manually with syringes and turkey basters. It’s a machine, like aforementioned. In any case, there was some type of issue which caused the machine to stop mid-stroke. As I sat there, the process of taking out and returning interrupted mid-return, the lovely nurses and techs seemed to struggle to know how to end this procedure and get me out of there before I realized they owed me at least a quart of blood broth and saline. I could feel it in their forced nonchalance, their aloof body language, and their patent refusal to use phrases like “This isn't good” and “Hey Siri, how much blood broth does a person need?”
They eventually got me unhooked, said I’d be fine, and shared with me that the good news was, since I did not complete the donation, I could donate again sooner than normal! Boy, if they think I’m donating again any time soon . . . they’re probably right. I’m a sucker for free snacks and $10 gift cards.
Still, I’ll bet Clara Barton never let her Power Red machines do that crap!
Speaking of broken down vehicles
One of the most difficult aspects of parenting is that you're almost constantly doing things to meet the needs of your kids, and all the while your kids are almost constantly interrupting or distracting or flat out sabotaging you.
It's like if I dropped my car at my mechanic's, and then stayed around to bang wrenches together, pour all of his various engine fluids into a large punch bowl, pull random parts off my own car because "I want to help," ask if he can make me one of whatever he's eating, all while whining to him every 3 minutes that another customer keeps looking at me and asking him every 4 minutes why he likes the other customers better than me.
I love them to death, but it’s not very efficient.
Hope you each have a great weekend! See you sometime next week (I promise), and would love to hear from you (e.g. how many times have YOU broken a blood machine?).
Another funny one 😉Actually, this is the first time I’ve ever used the wink emoji! The faces are so small, I can’t tell if they’re winking or crying or laughing or sleeping or smirking. I just decide everyone is smiling or blowing me kisses and go on about my business 😏. And the next time you are asked unto what - tell them to turn frowns into smiles. Joy is a noble enough reason. 😇