Category: Thought for the Day

Sitting in the Coffee and Chocolate Café in downtown on a beautiful sunny morning, while I wrote it reminded me of the song by Stealers Wheel and the words Clowns to the left of me and jokers to the right stuck in the middle with you. Why because to my left of me sat three men all busy working on their laptops.  There was also one young lady with a book titled “Art & Fear, her pen in hand marking pages and writing about the chapters, what a beautiful sight.  To my right sat three other men with their laptops and guess what another young lady with a book reading and writing. Coffee shops are supposed to be places of meeting people good conversation and discussion.  But not here as all the people with their laptops may as well of had a sign saying “please do not disturb” they were busy connecting to the world outside.  It would be easy to say to the young ladies reading their books “what are you reading is it of interest” and guess what we have a conversation going. Then two men walked in and sat down with their coffee and just started talking and having a conversation and laughing what a beautiful sound of conversation.  I do have to say I have often sat in coffee shops on my own laptop – but I think now I will make more of an effort to bring back the art of discussion and conversation. Remove your “please do not disturb sign”

Change your thoughts and change your life, it is better to have thought differently than to have died inside. Our fears are there to help us grow, it is better for you to grow rather than your fears.

The growth of communications via social media networks such as Facebook, Twitter LinkedIn, blogging and others has been unbelievable over the past few years.  Facebook is now claiming that its fastest growing group are females between the ages of 55 – 65.  Those born in the mid 1990’s have grown up with cell phones, texting, email and Facebook as part of their day to day lives. Yes where there is an upside there is a downside – where is the art of starting or holding a good conversation with someone face to face gone?  From what I can observe the teenagers and early twenties are holding the majority of their discussions over the internet using social media networks.  Young couples are texting each other from within the same room both working on their laptops or iPhones.  Is this the way of the future? What has happened to just being able to actually start a conversation and talk face to face with someone.  Even talk over the telephone instead of texting.  I feel that these qualities and skills might disappear and the main form of communication will be via technologies networks.  How will individuals related to each other as couples and as work colleagues?  Maybe in years to come we will be running classes again on the art of communications teaching people how to just talk to each other again. Communication is vital in our lives but not by social media alone – so lift your head or dial that number and just talk to someone today – maybe this post is a few years too soon?