Plurkisms

It occurred to me that many of my plurk friends have created a culture over the last few months. You can count on a guy named Class Tax to have a new crush every week (he'll edit the name in the lead plurk often). We will have at least some culinary discussion at least once a day. We will celebrate karma boosts with drive-by plurks and emoticons. We will share personal challenges and be encouraged by one another. And every Friday or Saturday night, one of us, idiots that we are, will have a few too many and will drunk-plurk. This is something I'd like to discourage. But it will happen and sometimes the results are hysterical.

When I joined plurk, there were very few folks around. But my friends list exploded overnight. I wish I could tell you who the evil person is who ... er... the nice person was who introduced me to Plurk. He created a monster... er.. provided me a means to explore further social networking.

From a social media standpoint, this is somewhat fascinating. When I joined, none of this existed. We created the drive-by "naked cartwheels" (thank you Trinners). We created the banana dance welcome. We wake up to each other in the morning and tuck each other in when it is bedtime. And we do it across time zones, all over the world.

I've seen the frustration of one plurker who was dealing with citizenship issues, the pain of another who was trashed while she made every effort to be professional, break ups, get togethers, and even medical issues. Where, in all the world would such an environment be where this kind of encouragement exists? Have we come to the place where we can no longer do this in real life, but must now find our support and affection from 140 characters or less on a social media site, by strangers?

I'm delighted we have each other. I am saddened that this acquaintanceship doesn't exist in real life for many. And I look forward to my plurkdom growing and prospering with all things good and none of the nastiness that comes from people who don't know how to be grown ups.

Here's to a great Plurk!

UPDATE: I stand corrected. Plurk is not technically a "social media" but instead a "microblogging network". Thank you guy-who-gave-me-the-link!

Army of Women

I don't often write about the real world. But, in honor of a real life friend who has been there four times, I offer that October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. With one in eight women having breast cancer throughout their lifetime, it makes sense that today they've launched an Army of Women.

One of the reasons (they say) that the research isn't done for breast cancer is that they don't have the bodies - healthy and ill- to study. So one bright gal got the idea to put out the call.

Want to help? Sign up. If you fit the mold for a study, they will email you. You can then request more information and see if it is something in which you want to participate. If it is, let them know. If not, delete.

Where? http://www.armyofwomen.org. Join us today.

Teddy Bear Nomis

Tonight, at the Breakers... Nomis Oyen arrived with his entourage in tow. He then proceeded to perform a reading as follows (from the song):

If you go out in the woods today
You're sure of a big surprise.
If you go out in the woods today
You'd better go in disguise.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic.

Picnic time for teddy bears,
The little teddy bears are having a lovely time today.
Watch them, catch them unawares,
And see them picnic on their holiday.
See them gaily dance about.
They love to play and shout.
And never have any cares.
At six o'clock their mommies and daddies
Will take them home to bed
Because they're tired little teddy bears.

If you go out in the woods today,
You'd better not go alone.
It's lovely out in the woods today,
But safer to stay at home.

For every bear that ever there was
Will gather there for certain, because
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

CHORUS

Every teddy bear, that's been good
Is sure of a treat today
There's lots of wonderful things to eat
And wonderful games to play

Beneath the trees, where nobody sees
They'll hide and seek as long as they please
Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic

CHORUS

Donations to Nomis' mental health care fund can be sent to Ribbons Whitfield in world.