Ah, the joys of seeing that blank document, before me in which now I will spew my tragic misfortunes. With a little poetry, some rants, a little humor perhaps, all in all these words I bring to life by the thoughts that have plagued my mind till now. If I could write a novel, a short story perhaps, oh wait been there done that… but anyhow if I had the time to put forth my energy and time into putting all my thoughts into words, it would be a grand piece of work from a person who’s now trying to dig themselves out of a deep hole, they’ve been cast into once again.

Therefore, let me begin and mind you heed this as warning I may greatly piss off some people by what I say here and now. So take caution, for what you are about to read, are my feelings, my desires, my struggles, and other things that make up my life as of now. Thus if I offend anyone, and I’m sure I probably will; I don’t apologize because I see no need in that, but take pleasure in the fact that I do not mention names. So if you are one of those individuals who think that the world revolves around you, oh my friend you are greatly mistaken, and I laugh in the fact that you’ll soon realize the truth and be greatly disappointed in your findings. If you see a need to confront me after reading this, oh please do and let us talk, because I will be pleased to pick apart the very details you sought to put upon yourself, that in fact could easily be placed upon others as well. So note that if something does offend you, please keep in mind it will probably offend others too, and despite the fact that one thing may relate to you, it may relate to others just the same.

Onward now to the grand circus and celebration of fireworks, oh it’s going to be a marvelous piece of work indeed indeed. Clap your hands, sit back, relax and welcome the presenter of this grand piece. Now then let me begin.

Part I: My Dissatisfaction with Today’s Means of Replacing Traditional Interaction.

Technology ah sweet, bitter sweet technology, oh how you both amaze me and anger me so. In today’s life moving at such a fast pace we stray from the old fashion forms of communication and interaction to what is easy, quick, and most effective to a degree. The young adults in the college scene connect with one another not so much on a one on one level of getting to know a person, but more along the lines of using the popular internet tools that have been thrown at them. Look at Facebook, Myspace, Bebo, and other networking profile sites for example; that allow users to create their own profile to their “own liking.” Sure it may be truthful to some degree, but how can one really know that which is truth and that which is false, unless you are a true friend of this person, perhaps a classmate, or even a co-worker. The fact is you don’t really know what the total truth is, they could be putting tid-bits of fact onto their profile, along with that which everyone wants to see; like take these two sections into perspective, “What I’m Looking For” or “Who I’d Like To Meet.” These are examples of two sections designed into most profile layouts, in which the profile user can put a number of things, from: “Oh I’m looking for a handsome, masculine man, who’s open-minded and liberal. And likes the same things I do.” Or oh wait here’s one, “So I’m gay yeah, I’m not looking to date women. Therefore, for all of you ladies who aren’t my friends STOP trying to add me, because I like the cock way better than the pussy. And I’m looking for a man who can deal with me being a total Bitch sometimes…” Wow, haha LOL what a laugh indeed.

Sure I admit I have filled out this section along with a few others, on various sites. But the point I’m trying to make is this; do you honestly realize that there are people out there, when you do the little browse, or search for people in your area; that are completely fake and lying on their profiles all the time. I mean there could be a 65 year old man whose stolen photos off the internet from a Google search to make it so he can pose as a 26 year old man looking for a sexy young lady. And there are so many other examples I could give right now, but the bottom line is that how can you trust anyone on these sites? How can you really, really trust a person on these sites? And how can you get to know them? How can you really tell who is real and true and who is faking it and giving your false information? You can’t, until it’s too late in all honesty. Sure you can exchange e-mails, add them to your instant-messaging service, perhaps give them your phone number and address if you’re brave enough and other things too. But in all honesty you’re just looking at what you first see on a fucking computer screen in front of you, not comprehending the fact that looks can indeed be deceiving in more ways than one.

Like I said before what happened to our old fashioned ideal of getting to know and meet an individual. Are we as a society getting too used to what’s in front of us, staring back at us from a fucking computer screen, in which we see a person who we had a crush on, and decided to stalk them on Facebook or Myspace to see if we may actually have any chance at dating this individual? Yes, I think we as a society are becoming way too damn lazy to actually meet a person face to face, invite them to a cup of coffee, and get to know them one on one, to see their behaviors, their mannerisms, and more. Instead, we resort to the internet and all it’s fucking fame and glory to rid ourselves of potential humiliation of getting stood up if we go after a person and meet them face to face. We are weakening our own selves, kicking our own two feet out from under us. From my own personal experience these sites may be a good way for keeping in touch with friends, family, co-workers, and so on. But in making new friends and meeting new people it’s still very shady and fits into a gray area.

Therefore, I do think that there is some truth in the saying, “These profile sites are a good way of finding a fuck-buddy, a good one-night stand kind of person. Because you start off knowing them to a degree, then fucking them, and afterwards if you don’t like what their objective or goal is in life, well you can just keep them as a friend or ditch them like all the rest.”

I ask you, is there not some kind of truth in that? I think you’d be lying to yourself if you thought there wasn’t.

So in closing this portion of my rant, I encourage you go back to your roots, go back to what you grew up knowing and learning how to do. Be brave, stand up and suck it up, meet someone take that step, take that dare; and by God get to know the real person for who they really are, stop taking the easy way out, and take the challenge instead. For if you always take the easy highway, before the rough, windy, and narrow road; you’ll never get far in life, and you’ll never truly find happiness, but only disappointment, and sadness instead. Learn from your elders in the fact that they offer us wisdom and knowledge in this area. For what else did they have at the time other than face to face interaction? When they dated, they saw at first friendship, then got to know the person, if it came to that point of furthering the relationship some did, some didn’t. Bottom line they are the ones that did it the best in getting to know the person on a one-on-one level, instead of through the internet and all it’s ways of trying to replace that face-to-face interaction with getting to know someone. Rebel, rebel and live and learn; Go back to tradition, for at least with tradition we know it’s worked before and will prevail even in today’s world.

Part II: The Pieces of Art.

The Technological World, a surreal world, in which we can make it how we want it, the world in which the only means of communications with other individuals is through text messaging, e-mails, voice recordings, web cam, and the oh so favorite and popular instant-messaging. A world in which we can share files with one another of photos, favorite songs, movie clips, and other stuff we may find to help one get to know “us” or who we make ourselves out to be. The following are a few things that make up my story of living in this “Technological World,” in surviving in it, learning from it, and breaking free from the chains it tries to capture us with.

A Beautiful Ghost to Me

By Gina M. Cooper

The messages, the comments,

You say you want to get to know me,

Exchanging digits, and e-mail addresses

The texting, the instant messaging, the e-mails

You say you want to meet me,

Seeing only photos, receiving more text messages

Every time I call, I get no answer

I stopped leaving voice messages a few weeks ago.

You say you want to meet me, to get to know me.

I’ve only seen you once, a brief hello, a hug,

You tell me you’d like to hang out,

Nothing for weeks, then a few more text messages

You say we’re friends, but that you don’t even know me.

Of course you don’t know me,

Except through this technological world we met in.

I’ve seen you once or twice, but that was it.

No real face to face interaction ever really existed.

Now I’m loosing hope, giving up in a worthless cause.

I’ve made an effort, despite being busy, I’ve tried.

What’s your excuse, oh too busy I see?

I almost forgot you’re a college girl too right?

What about me, a college girl and a CA,

You think I’m not busy too?

Step in my shoes for a day, take a stroll

See how far you go, till you grow tired of the path I walk.

You don’t even know me, yes that’s right

And now you never will in this world.

I gave you a chance that has come and gone.

I am what I am, nothings going to change,

I tried, and took a risk, only to fail

To me you were a beautiful young lady,

Outgoing, funny, and full of life

That is what I gained from the technological world.

Now you exist only as a beautiful ghost to me.

Perhaps one day I’ll be able to see behind the veil,

Of what is the true you, instead of only a fake image

Thus we’ll remain only ghosts to one another in real life.

But in this technological world, we shall still be friends.

I’m sure there will be more to come on this subject in the future so keep your eyes out =)