Social NETworking or Social NOTworking?

Social Networking is all the buzz. From teens to stay at home moms, corporations, and political figures, everyone is doing it. Tweeting, posting on Facebook and MySpace, IM, texts, LinkedIn, and blogging. It makes me wonder what happened to picking up the phone and saying "Hello, how are you?" or writing a note to express your thoughts.

Is there such a thing as too much communication? I think that all of this NET-working causes us to have a distorted view of who our friends are and who our acquaintances are. As soon as you accept or ignore someone on Facebook, you now have an instant friend. How easy was that?

It is exhilarating, for some, to see that they have 1391 friends. Who in the world has 1391 friends? Each of these "friends" have access to your daily activities, and sometimes a minute to minute play if you choose to tweet about it.
How are these electronic relationships affecting young people? I come from a generation where it took time to determine whether someone becomes a friend. You meet, find out if you have things in common,and it takes a while to foster the relationship. I was taught that your inner circle should be sacred, and personal.

This rapid intake of information, accepting friends, posting, and tweeting everything about yourself may have a detrimental affect on the minds of children and teens. Morals, values, personalities, and habits are being formed in the teen years. Yet, teens are spending time forming relationships with people they don't really know or care about. My opinion is this just may *not* be working.

Solution- If you are 30 years old and older talk to teens about what I call the good ole days. When we called people, knocked on the neighbors door and asked if the boy/girl next door could come out and play, played board games, not video games, wrote thank you notes and Christmas cards, not e-notes and e-cards, had coffee with a friend to help her through a rough patch in her relationship, connected with a date by conversation, not by text, formed a relationship with the opposite sex by asking questions, and knowing who their friends are. The list could go on and on. I think the 80's babies know what I mean.

What goes around comes around, just look at the fashion industry. I do not believe we are doomed, and all relationships are going to be ruined by a MAC and a PC, but I do believe we have to slow things down just a little bit for the sake of the next generation. Let's bring the conversation back around.

Theatre Etiquette

Broadway Bound..

There are a lot of great shows this fall, from A Chorus Line to Shrek. Even a few of the classics like Phantom of the Opera and Lion King, are worth seeing again with new friends or an addition to the family. So, what is the appropriate protocol for seeing a Broadway show. Here are a few bullet points, please share:

• Be On Time- Nothing is more disrupting then a group of 20 waltzing to their seat, disrupting the actors and blocking your view. Most curtains rise at 8pm, and if you arrive even 5 minutes late you will not be allowed to enter. You will either have to wait for a break in the show, or stand in the back before you can get ushered to your seat. So arrive early or right on time, so you can enjoy the entire experience. Didn't you pay enough money for those tickets? I recommend dinner reservations at 5:30pm, in the theatre district. Chez Josephine's, B. Smith's, and Carmines are a few of my favs.

• You are *not* at the Movies- The highly skilled and trained Broadway actors can hear you. Save the talking, crinkling wrappers, rifling through your purse, even whispering for intermission. These actors are masters at their craft, they may perform in numerous shows a day and or week. So be courteous and respect their work.

• Turn off your Cell Phone- You would think that I would not have to even mention this, that it is understood that your phone should be off. For some, it needs to be repeated. Vibrate or Silent are not options, and let me tell you why. Some cell phones or PDA's have a vibrate option that is louder and more annoying than some ring tones. It is distracting, and inconsiderate. Silent, yes, but when you occasionally look at your phone there is a blaring light that could light up the whole theatre and that is distracting as well. Also for Blackberry users like myself, we have a blinking red light that could possibly distract your neighbor which is equally as offensive as distracting the cast. Please turn it off.

• Intermission- Most people have just had dinner so if you have the munchies please grab a light snack or drink during intermission. Key word here is light snack, most theatres have a concession stand where there are chips, cookies, and candy available. All of these snacks are usually small and bite size for a reason. Chat with your neighbor, stand, have a quick drink, text a friend about how dynamite the show is and when the lights dim once or twice find your seat and get back to theatre mode. Remember the phone..

• Make an Effort to look Nice- You don't have to don gowns and tuxedos, unless you really want to, but do your best to capture the essence of the evening and look nice. I know that the word nice means different things to different people. I will just say this, if you only look good in denim and a button down,then wear it. There really is no rule, but an effort to make the night a special one whether on a date or sharing a special time with family does require a little sprucing up. I say go all out, I know I do.

• Children- I have mixed feelings about this one. Some say children of a certain age should not attend Broadway plays because they simply do not have the attention span that adults do. I agree with that to a certain extent. I will say No to bringing babies and toddlers, but musicals can be a wonderful experience for young people. My parents have been taking me since about the tender age of 8. Of course I was well behaved and knew the proper protocol, and my memories are priceless. I recommend parents bring young people to a musical or theatre event suited for children. If they are not entertained, or simply cannot sit still, give it another few years. The experience is truly culturally rewarding.

• Please be Still- Please try to keep your heads apart. Two heads are bigger than one, be considerate of the people behind you. Also, the music at some of the shows is phenomenal, but avoid dancing in your seat or singing along. You are not at a concert.

Take advantage of living in one of the best cities in the world and do it with kindness and respect for others.

Enjoy the Show!