Yesterday was a very introspective day concerning my thoughts on the internet and social networking. The topic received a thorough and spirited discussion which got me thinking about Columbus and how it is perceived by outsiders.
It also was good for me to vent a little in a productive way. I did not like what Michael Ruhlmam said. I wrote him a reasonable email, not a blog post about wanting him to die in a fire. I got a respectful response. Lines of communication were kept open. Still, not enough for some people, but plenty for me. And it was not the 'celebrity' writing me back. It's the same situation as a poor business transaction, or part of a poetry slam you do not like - it's a good thing to offer on the spot constructive criticism. To find the person in charge and make concerns known. I guess it's easier to archive outrage in a blog or sit in internet purity on a message board than to be proactive.
What do you all think of Columbus? What are you initial reactions to it, especially if you have never lived here? What were your thoughts about it when you found out you were going to live here? I've lived here for twenty years and I'm learning things about it every day.
George Steinbrenner died yesterday. I'm no Yankee fan, while he made sure baseball players got paid well it also made it difficult for those who are not well off to attend a baseball game. In the mid nineties I was at a Clippers game with wife no.1, we were walking though the concourse and I saw a short, portly man. It was Steinbrenner, all by himself, putting ketchup on his burger. I was impressed that he was doing something ordinary, but also thought that the last person who did that for him incorrectly probably got fired, as did the person before that. She went to talk to him and had a casual conversation. She told me as she started talking to him she could see a look pass over him that meant that he wanted to be left alone but quickly changed to one in which he was dealing with the public. I'm not sure about the conversation, but it was short and not unpleasant.
Here's a video of my son swimming.
6 comments:
I have been one to blog about my outrage and do nothing proactive. That has changed some in the past few years and, I agree, it is far more productive and satisfying to address it directly. I still "forget" a lot of the time though.
Nice video. He looks very happy in the water.
- nammu
Im far from perfect in my rant targets, but I've been wotking on toning them down and using the energy in a better way.
He loves it in there, no doubt about that!
I like Columbus a lot, I've often thought I could live there. I definitely don't have a negative view of it.
I once wrote a thoughtful email in response to an op-ed columnist and got a one-sentence snippy reply. I refuse to read him any more.
Glad you liked it here. I know C. liked a certain dining establishment :)
Snippy responses are no fun. People are busy, but that does not build goodwill.
I forgot to respond about Columbus. Pretty much all I know about it I know from reading you - so it sounds like somewhere I wouldn't mind visiting but probably wouldn't make the effort to do so. I have seen so little of the US and most of the places I'd like to see there are in other parts of the country.
- nammu
There are worse places to be than Columbus, but more exciting ones too. You can usually make fun where you are though.
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