THAT PHOTO. PRIVACY. CROSSING THE LINE IN BOSTON

Sharing the unthinkable – credit: Wikipedia)

Some things horrify me.

I believe in freedom and I certainly believe in the right to a free press. We Brits, have had some issues in this regard over recent years, with law suits on how far the Press is allowed to go. Scandals such as “phone tapping” only really became scandals once we discovered they weren’t just doing it to the rich and famous. It turns out they were hacking into the parents of boys who were dying for their country in Iraq or Afganistan.

There’s a photo that came from Facebook,  I’m not sure if it’s real or a fake, but it’s spread like wildfire. It is not a nice photo and every person that forwards it on in emails and in attachments to text messages or even social media should take a moment to think about what they are doing.

THINK ABOUT HOW YOU WOULD FEEL IF YOU WERE THE PERSON ON THE CHAIR?

Oh, did you forget about them? The human being at the center of the story whilst you all gloat and pass it around saying have you seen this?

In an open office of around twenty, there were two of us that said “NO.”

“No, I don’t want to see that damn picture. Why would I want to see that?”

“No, I don’t want to see a human being broken and bleeding”

“No, I don’t get a kick out of another’s misery”

I feel saddened that human curiosity on the macabre is enough for us to lose our compassion and our dignity. So that people huddle around a phone or a screen saying things like “Have you seen this, it’s gross”.

These people weren’t children, or teenagers. So, you can’t blame the complete lack of discretion on naiveté or inexperience.

As much as I believe in the right to Freedom, I also believe in the right to privacy. So if you see or get forwarded a copy of that photo, just delete it. There are things that should stay private and this photo crosses that line.

As for Boston, I wish everyone peace and my thoughts are with the families and friends of those that lost their lives.

Comments, as always welcome.

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My Version of Equality.

Stikfas Yoga: Beta female practices the Cobra Pose (Photo credit: the other Martin Taylor)

I’m a bit embarrassed and a little ashamed. You see, I quite enjoy being the Beta Female to an Alpha Male at home. There, I said it. Now before we all go off the rails about how it should be all equal and everything. I am not subjugated by my dearest or belittled or oppressed. I’m also completely sober and deadly serious about this.

Let me explain. I have a professional job which involves a plethora of strong actions and key decisions. I juggle, I strive and I bring home some reasonable bacon in my work-life and when I get home. I want exactly the opposite. Because having it all, simply means doing it all – if you let it.

There’s something comforting about letting someone else take the reins and give you the space to NOT decide  and make decisions  for a bit. This is my version of equality and I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

Now, I am not saying that my husband makes every decision but we came to an agreement a few years ago that he didn’t need to ask my opinion on absolutely everything.

It’s tiring when one partner becomes so passive that you end up thinking for them because it’s easier than constant discussion.

What do you want to eat this week?

Where shall we go this weekend?

What would you like?

What do you want?

Whilst it’s nice to be consulted about major life decisions, I don’t want to asked all the time. This for me is perfect equality. I trust him to make decisions for me because I know he always has “OUR” best interests at heart.

What does equality mean for you?

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205 – FOLLOW ME EVERYTHING IS ALRIGHT….

This is a “thought bubble”. It is an illustration depicting thought. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I thought about doing a blog post last week about this and then seven people decided to ditch me, so it became redundant and then I picked up another seven followers yesterday. Which is I think a record for me in a single day…

I hit 205 Followers yesterday. I know how many followers it says in the sidebar but that includes my twitter and Facebook friends too. So it’s baloney. But, my official stats are 205 as of five minutes ago. For all I know another seven people will decide that this isn’t hitting the spot for them,  hightail it away in the next twenty-four hours and I’ll be back under the 200 mark.

It’s not a mind-boggling number for most of you  – two hundred.. But for me it’s many, many more than I ever thought I’d get.  When I hit 100 I did a little dance and I’m just as thrilled now it’s the big 200, in fact I’m doing a samba now, which is making it hard to type.  I feel a little humbled by that number. We live in such an instant gratification world that to have connected and shared my thoughts with 200 people feels like a victory.

Yes , I know most of them probably followed me looking for a “Follow Back” and sometimes I do, after I’ve checked out their blog, read some of their posts and seen the heart of them beating. Sometimes, I don’t.

There’s some hardcore followers though, one’s who I still genuinely get thrilled about seeing their little faces or object or randomness in a square of happiness accompanying my posts as a like, then a heartfelt and genuinely thought-provoking comment on whatever I’ve chosen to ramble on about.

This all started as a blog about writing but that’s not how it is now, it’s my form of self-expression and it’s a bit random. Oh, I throw in the odd post about writing because it’s a big part of my life, but it’s not all “How to”.

So this post is my thanks to all those who clicked a follow and whether genuine or not, cheers for stopping by. I guess I’m not as alone as I thought.

There’s a  special mention though for the following (anyone not mentioned please don’t take offense, but I couldn’t stick 200 odd on here):-

http://charronschatter.com/

http://magoffleash.wordpress.com/

http://wideawakebutdreaming.wordpress.com/

http://thereclininggentleman.wordpress.com/

The above, you know who you are and you know what you did. THANK YOU.

Comments as always, welcome.

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ALL GOOD THINGS……

Mondays Wednesdays Fridays (Photo credit: vasta)

This past week has been great fun. I’ve got Facebook to work. I’ve posted stuff on lots of different topics. And even if you haven’t enjoyed any of it, the fairly prolific nature has been good for me as a writer.

However, I go back to my day job tomorrow in the corporate asylum. If I am to continue with my WIP and meet my first draft goal – something has to give.

So, I have come up with a plan! I will still be checking in and replying to comments on a regular basis but I will be posting on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week. This gives me, the ability to still post and try to fit in my other writing as well.   All bets are off at weekends, I may post if I get inspired by something, I may not…..

The posts are fairly random though. I never wanted this blog to get pigeon-holed, so you may get humor one day and a rant about the creative struggle with writing the next. You may even get more poetry. Oh and as I have upgraded, I am toying with the idea of using video occasionally, to emphasize a point. I think I prefer the words to stand on their own though. So don’t count on this!

I will be using you as a “treat” for achieving word goals in my writing projects! You are now my emotional blackmail for my psyche (Yes, I know how cracked this sounds but whatever works right?)

So thanks, for reading, commenting and generally joining in where appropriate. You guys ROCK!

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SOCIAL MEDIA ATE MY HAMSTER!

I will eat your time and social skills…. Thats why I look so cheery!

Well technically it ate six hours of my day, however I have always wanted to use that headline in some sort of post.

I am not per-se a technophobe, you are more likely to find me sorting out the I.T issues.

Today, I felt all the frustration and howls of anguish that Mr TTWI usually emits. Because some stuff just doesn’t work like it ‘s supposed to. I have been mired in forums and focus groups, trying to work out why I can’t get my Facebook Author page to link into everything as I don’t want to connect it to my personal profile.

One more “unknown error” and I may have just given up on the self-publishing DIY platform idea altogether.

It is now working, but as the saying goes “along with freedom comes great responsibility” and that’s what this self-publishing lark is all about, I guess. We get to take creative ownership of our books and our brand all at once and that includes crocodile wrestling social media into submission.

Of course you could employ someone to do all this stuff for you. Just the same way that you could probably get someone to write the book via a ghostwriter if you’ve got enough cash…

But where would be the fun in that?

P.S – So if you have the time, please check out my lovely new Facebook author page and feel free to like it. It’s just my own little like at the moment and it feels a bit lonely…. As an added horror bonus  – you get to see what I look like.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/S-J-Foster/406358246087116