Redundant Connections

In the effort to keep the writing going, I will address the prompt from the 3rd that I skipped. I do think it is slightly redundant, but maybe this is just a good way to clarify.

Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Do you think you still spend the same amount of time connecting in the face-to-face world now that socializing is so easy online?

I think for me the amount of time in connection electronically directly impacts the amount of time in connection face to face in a positive way. 

I do suppose that is somewhat counter intuitive or unexpected, but that's how it works for me.

I find that the more connected with a person I am electronically the more I am interested and comfortable having face to face time with them. A person that I email with or text with regularly is much more likely to get some of the small amount of socializing time I have available to share.

There are so many constrictions and circumstantial things that impact face to face time in my world, it really isn't fair to try to pin it down to one thing or to quantify and say I like this person better because they get more of my time or whatever. Each person and relationship is unique. 

It's an excuse I suppose, but managing a large family takes a lot of time and energy. I have my own things I want or need to be doing also. The amount of "free time" I have to socialize is also used for doing things with my family-the adults and the kids, seeing family, seeing family friends and doing things I like to do like read or write or even sleep.

I miss sleep.

For me there is no rule it seems. Sometimes because I am in relative constant or regular electronic contact, I feel less driven to meet with them face to face or have less desire to do so. For other people, the constant contact makes me want to see them even more and spend more time with them. 

I find another thing that happens is familiarity. The more I am in contact with a person electronically, the more I become comfortable with them. That comfort level helps me to motivate myself to go out and spend time with them. With a low comfort level, I find I have to spend more time and effort convincing myself to go out, that it will be fun or OK or whatever.

My life default is to stay home.

I think e-communication can be very good for face to face time, but then again, I'm not everyone else.