dianaschnuth

This new age of technology is something else. My husband and I just got iPhones a little over a year ago, and these tools have really changed how we interact with our friends and acquaintances. If Aaron’s at the store, I can text him and ask if he put milk on the list. I can play Words With Friends (basically, Scrabble) with my best friend, two and a half hours away. I can check Facebook from my couch at home or my desk at work (always during breaks, of course).

Later this afternoon, we’re meeting friends for lunch. They made an impromptu trip up from Columbus, and we arranged today’s rendezvous last night via Twitter and phone.

Ain’t technology grand?

Just a lack of oomph.

I have tons and tons of ideas for blog posts; unfortunately, most of them actually require thought and composition and at least a quick edit before being sent off into the world. When I come home from work in the evening, I don’t generally have that kind of oomph. I have enough oomph to see Aaron off to work, feed the cat, feed myself, and do some singular task. I have to choose wisely what that task is, though: I can clean house, or blog, or play a video game, but I can’t do all three. It’s a challenge fitting exercise into that narrow window of energy, too, but I’ve been trying.

So, it’s all about priorities and consequences. Turn on the TV, watch the news, and then get sucked into playing Xbox 360; or focus on my meal (and likely eat less because of it), turn on some music, and do what needs to get done.

And have the computer off by 10pm.

I wish I didn’t have to use my most productive waking hours working for The Man.

Happy Festivus!

Although I’m at home alone tonight, I will still be sharing in the time-honored Festivus tradition of the Airing of Grievances. Traditionally, this is done in the presence of those about whom you have a grievance, but I’m substituting the entire internet in lieu of a personal grievance-airing.

OK, it’s not exactly a time-honored tradition for me. I’m not good at airing grievances, mainly because I know I have many grievable shortcomings that could easily be used as return fire. I’m also not too keen on publicly airing grievances about individuals, so most of tonight’s grievances will be vague, resulting in a mental chorus of, “Is she talking about me?” If you have to ask, the answer is probably no.

First, a general grievance about tonight’s attempt at baking a sausage cake. I did what my mother told me NEVER to do: I accidentally got water in the candy glaze icing while I was cooling it in its cold water bath. Whether as a result of the water or of the fact that I stopped my constant stirring for long enough to pour the water out (and to have a hairy conniption while doing so), I bungled the vital timing of pouring the icing on the cake, and it cooled too soon. So, now I have ugly (but still tasty) sausage cakes to take to Christmas. Bah, humbug.

My major grievance, and I’ll get it out in the open early, is that so many of my friends (and my husband’s friends, who are my friends by extension) have grown less and less social. Facebook does not replace face-to-face time, especially if you live within 20 miles of us. Even if you live farther away, there’s no excuse for not sending the occasional e-mail, or making a phone call, or even just sending a direct message on Facebook (if you can’t break free of your social networking tools). Granted, there are a handful of friends, whom I can readily count on one hand, who have stepped things up and made a concerted effort to socialize with us. We appreciate that. The rest of you unequivocally suck, and have disappointed me greatly.

Let’s see. What other grievances to air… Oh, yes. Since this blog ports over to my Facebook, allow me to tell you that there are, in fact, a few of my friends whom I have blocked from showing up on my Facebook news feed. Chances are that you talk about God too much, and/or give too little actual information about how you are and what you’re doing. No, I won’t tell you if you’re one of those people. Just know that I am disappointed in your lack of substantive updates.

Um. What else?

I’m no good at this grievance thing.

Anyone who wants to air a grievance about me is welcome to do so in the comments (on my actual blog, please, not just on Facebook).