Electronic Communication

I'm as big a fan of texting and IMing as the next gal. I frequently IM people sitting in the next room at work. Sometimes they are so close that I can hear the ding of my IM's and their furiously typed responses. It's kinda silly when you think about. As much as I am guilty of it, and think it's the easiest way to communicate these days...I kinda miss "old fashioned" contact, you know, like the telephone, or GASP, seeing each other face to face...

I've made the following observations regarding electronic correspondence, specifically IM and text...feel free to dispute me on these but I think I have a fairly good frame of reference, both personally and professionally...

Instant Messenging
Remember the days you had to minimize your buddy list every time someone walked by your desk? Instant messenging was the way teenage girls communicated, not educated professionals. But like everything else, that's changed! Now, my entire office is on IM and like I said before, we frequently IM rather than walk across the office. I will even admit to IMing someone in the same room as me (laziness at its best)! I think that while IM is a lot easier, it can sometimes get messy. Messy in that you can't always tell the "tone." Tone is important...think about it. Try saying a simple phrase, even one word...like "What" No punctuation, it could be rude, nice, shocked...how do you really know? I have often misread tone of IM's and gotten angry for no reason. On the flipside, some people seem to be tone deaf, in that they cannot take a hint over IM. Let's decode this one--ONE WORD ANSWERS, never a good thing. The one worder clearly does not have time or just plain doesn't want to talk to you. ONE WORD FOLLOWED BY A PERIOD--even worse-period. And signing off on someone, for me, that's like slamming the phone down in my ear. Not cool.

Texting
Yes texting is great, and ever since I got the Envy, I am applying my 10th grade master typing skills to messaging people at record speeds. But again, tone is difficult to read. Also, I strongly believe that texting should not replace conversations. Sure, it can be great when you just need to tell someone something and don't want to get into a long conversation. But, if there is a convo to be had, than it should be a phonecall thing. I've gotten finger cramps from longwinded texting, not fun...

Furthermore, texting someone "hey"may be the single worst text ever. This relates back to people that call you and say "hey." Either way, 'hey" means nothing. If you have something to say, than say it. If you don't, than save the hey for the...

Finally, I believe this applies to all forms of electronic communication. The one-sided message. For example, if someone only emails/IM's/Texts you with what they're doing/can do for you/have done etc. it doesn't leave room for much response, and that's even if you WANT to respond to the obviously selfish sender. Communication is a two way street and technology should only make it more efficient. Does anyone else know what I'm talking about here??

Funny Thing About Getting Older...

Is that you don't really realize it. It's more of a gradual thing...kind of like watching grass grow...you can't really notice it happening but once it does you notice the end result. I know how old I am. 26. I'm not OLD...right?? I bought some wine today and I didn't get carded. I ALWAYS get carded. I've been told I look 12, 16 even as old as 21...but I ALWAYS get carded. Today, I reached for my ID instinctively while purchasing two "classy" bottles of wine (and by classy I mean they were more than 10 dollars a piece...). The man behind the counter laughed and gave me the hand. "It's ok honey," he said. Whoa. I look my age now? When did that happen??

Today, I also replied to a post on one of the networking groups I belong to. There was a rather spirited debate on whether you should put one space or two after a period. The old souls said two. The younger people seemed to know that one was the way to go. OMG. I still use two!! (Note the spacing on this very post if you don't beleive me!) Ok, guess that sealed the deal...Welcome to being old Allie, enjoy your stay...

To the rich tourists that once bossed me around...

So the other day I was in a pretty hard core new business meeting with an awesome potential new client and an awesome team of our staff. As I was listening to myself speak I realized, "hey I actually know what I'm talking about!" It was a great feeling! I felt very confident and was impressed with the way I was able to hold my own around a conference table of smart and important people (my colleagues and bosses included!). Then I got to thinking where I was not too long ago. In the words of the catchy Freecreditreport.com commercial I was literally "serving chowder and ice t to tourists in t-shirts." Don't get me wrong, somedays I wake up and think, I had the life back then. I slept all day, partied all night and made some nice cash in between. And I gotta say, I met some great people, did some crazy things and made some memories I'll never forget. Some days I definitely wanna shut off the alarm, some days I even think, "hey, if I sold my car, my bed and maybe this computer, I could probably go hang out in Costa Rica for a while and not work." But most days lately, I'm feeling pretty...accomplished at the end of my day. I love wearing a suit, having a great business meeting and meeting interesting and smart people. I love being in New York City and knowing that the chance to be as successful as I want is right there at my fingertips. I work for a great company and am constantly learning new things. I can't wait to see where I'm going to be in 5 years, or 10 years or even tomorrow, but I'm thinking big these days, so watch out NY!

Networking and the Long Train Ride Home...

So last night I braved the sideways rain, my broken umbrella, broken bag strap that broke from the weight of toting my laptop around the city....and attended a happy hr. A "networking" happy hour I guess you could call it. After prepping myself at a more low key bar downtown and getting myself to my more social "two beer alterego," I was ready to mingle. What followed is now a blur of political banter, booze and business card exchanges. Oh yeah and a few new friends on facebook. I think I'm jumping on the anti-networking bandwagon, at least in terms of using the word. I'd prefer to call it socializing, schmoozing or depending on the evening, partying like a rockstar. All in all though, as I try to transition myself to a "big time city someone," I find these organized "social gatherings" can sometimes be good, afterall we all need a little help meeting new people sometimes. Anything to expand my social circles is a good thing. I went from living in a great little resort town and knowing literally everyone, to the LI social scene, which has left much to be desired for me personally. I'm really trying to meet some great people in the city, both socially and professionally, whether it be at a bar, at a networking, I mean socializing event, or waiting on line while they fix the damn ticket machine at the LIRR station (met someone that way the other day!)

Anyway, these were just some of my thoughts that I was able to ponder on the 49 minute train ride back to my neck of the woods. However, as luck would have it, last night's ride was a little less kill yourself due to the company of a neighbor that I bumped into at Penn Station. Definitely better company than the drunk morons we were sharing a car with. Island Park guys, I hope your reading this...