Don't look now, but, you're being followed!

What’s that feeling you get when you get your first follower on Twitter? Is it a rather sinking feeling of added responsibility? Like, yeah, just great. Now I gotta write something brilliant and intelligent and insightful… Yet another MOU – Morally Obligated to Update… Or, is it a feeling of a different kind?

And what if you’re really not in the mood to update but you simply feel you must. For, what’s the point of having a Twitter account if you aren’t tweeting regularly? So, note to brain: Try working up something near genius to put into 140 characters or less. (CHARACTERS! Oh the art of brevity.)

Alas, you give in to the (very self-induced) pressure and convince yourself that at least one person gives a hoot that you’re painting your nails metallic blue. (Heeeyyy! It looks good on you!) ‘Cause, I mean, people tweet for all kinds of reasons, and if building your own brand (your-name-here Inc.) and marketing your skills blah blah blah isn’t your reason for using Twitter, then, relax, put your feet up – blue painted nails and all – and tweet to your heart’s content (in 140 characters or less).

Oh! What’s that saying, double negative aside? “Just because you’re paranoid, doesn’t mean they’re not after you.”

Enjoy being followed!


Claudia
www.cyopro.com
www.twitter.com/cyopro

V-formation

Depending on what we set out to do, and how much doing it, (and the result of doing it) mean to us, we tend to feel a bit queasy. I know it's not just me. (Right?)

Well, so it is with my writing. I set out to do it; do it, then wonder about the after-effects as soon as it takes flight and becomes subject to the "reader's interpretation". Each stage offers up its own degree of anxiety, but I imagine it's that last bit that offers up the most.

I wrote a letter to the Editors of the two main newspapers in Jamaica two days ago. Essentially, I tried to get folks to focus on the possibility that their online profiles might be doing them more harm than good.

The butterflies were flying in V-formation. I wrote my full name, inhaled, exhaled, acknowledged the possibility of rejection (again!) said a quick prayer and hit "submit". No hiding behind my pseudonym "Cee Dubya". Just sent it. Out there.

The Jamaica Gleaner published it as the "Letter of the Day" today! Last time I checked, it was 'recommended' and 'liked' - someone referred to it as an "excellent article." (Thank you!)

And, to boot, what a memorable way to mark the second anniversary of this blog!


Claudia
www.cyopro.com
www.twitter.com/cyopro

The battle...

...of the bulge has begun!

And, I'm going to win!

To VICTORY!!!


Claudia
www.cyopro.com
www.twitter.com/cyopro

Where are my feelings centred?

I don't know.

Close(r) to 40 and still not sure.

Quite an adventure...!!!


Claudia
www.cyopro.com
www.twitter.com/cyopro

Where does the time go?

I wonder. I, like you, spend every second of every day doing something deemed important. Yet, after about a month or so, it seems like it's hard to tell how it was really used.

It's not about counting the years, they say. It's about making the years count.

True, that. Even - and especially - for the seconds.

They add up.


Claudia
www.cyopro.com
www.twitter.com/cyopro

Summer time

And I'm loving it.

It's not just the fact that it's summer; it's the fact that it's summer and it's actually pretty warm and my parents are visiting. So, it feels like home without my having to spend hundreds of dollars on plane fare.

Tee hee.



Claudia
www.cyopro.com
www.twitter.com/cyopro

"How does a person get to be that way?"

I'm not sure what triggered my move to check Roger Ebert's review of a particular movie. Come to think of it, I'm not even sure of the name of the movie right now, but, that's an aside. What I AM sure of, is that I hit upon a link to Ebert's blog and, well, the next thing you know, I was being drawn into a simply warm, engaging and beautiful piece of writing. The title of the top-most entry caught my eye: "How do they get to be that way?"

See, years ago I read for my degree in English. (They probably should have named the B.A. degree after the name of the department - Literatures in English. Way cool. Anyhow, I digress.) One of the required texts was "Annie John" by Jamaica Kincaid. Of all the lines and quotes and what not in that text, the one that had always stood out for me was this: "How does a person get to be that way?"

Since then, I've used it at every precious opportunity. Precious because, well, thankfully, they have been few and far apart. For there are times, indeed, when you can only shake your head in amazement, as you seriously ponder the phenomenon which you have the pain (usually pain) of beholding. At those times, I simply think it - sometimes out loud. I articulate it to no one in particular and try to situate the world back on its axis.

Of course, occasionally, I, too, am reminded that, well, how should I put this? Stteo, the world doesn't revolve around me. Not everything nor everybody will acquiesce to my every want. (Oh well.) I resort to thinking of how came I to this place? (Another (less-used) bit from "Annie John"?) And, in pretty short order, the answer comes. A quick glance and reflection - usually in chunks - over my close-to-forty years and the answer is clear. I came to this place by virtue of the fact that I have been becoming the me that I am today from the get go. It's all about the journey and the choices I made - and continue to make. For e.g., I chose, from an early age, to make Jesus Christ the centre of my life. That right there explains a humongous amount of the who, what and how I am. I choose to be neat - my place, though small - must be tidy and look, as Mommy says sometimes, "presentable." And, ooh, I dunno how much of it is Monk - the one I love for several reasons, but, least of which is not that I so totally identify with some of his preferences... We shall call them that.

So, when I stumbled (refreshingly) upon Ebert's title, I immediately got to reading. And the more I read, the more I thought about not only mentioning him, and that entry, in this blog, but also about making a link from my blog to his. Now that'd be a first.

While I ponder that, do enjoy Ebert's entry.


Claudia
www.cyopro.com
www.twitter.com/cyopro