Total Pageviews

Thursday, January 19, 2012

I Won’t See Me at My Funeral/Love Lies Floating

Recently, I was a call in patient on Emily Volman’s funny and entirely useful “Laughing with You” podcast/podcouch/ blogfest extravaganza. The subject was my inability to tone down my endless worrying; little did I know that the therapy would lead me to a concept that would threaten to tear my very concept of reality asunder.

People on the internet might NOT be my real friends? Madness!

If you wish to hear the aforementioned session, you can find it here, or on the iTunes. Don’t worry I’ll be here soaking in my narcissism when you get back. Maybe I’ll sing myself a little song while you read. (Shawn Colton does not own the rights to the likenesses of KISS, the song by Richard O'Brien, or the blatant rip-offery of Tim Curry's golden tones. ::Steps off of SOPA box::)





Welcome back! So you listened, what did you what did you think of...?

I'm sorry, what?

Yes,Caissie St.Onge is truly awesome.

So, as I was saying ...

Did I meet Ms. St Onge in the green room of the show? No, actually I was late and she had to fly back to...

WAITASEC!

Listen, this BLOG IS ABOUT ME!

What kind of friend are you?

Oh no! What if Emily was right? What if people on the interwebz aren't REALLY my friends.

I talked to the man I named my son after (and likely the only person that will COMPLETELY understand this entries title), Mr. D. W. Hanson,a.k.a. Ragz Dandelion and he seemed to agree with Emily's sentiment. To be a true friend, you need to see people at both their best and their worst.

So I thought, about it, and I have come to a conclusion. Looking around my house at all the things my internet family have sent me over the years, and then realizing that the ability to purchase this house was the result of an internet relationship I ...

Well, we'll leave that story for the next entry.

The question is ... what do you think?

Comment and discuss. Please.


(Special Thanks to the beautiful and talented DJ PlaZma for recording that karaoke performance, so very long ago. )

12 comments:

  1. I do think friendships can be STARTED on the interwebz. And that can lead to events that form a true friendship.But some real life interaction must take place for it to get to that place. The great thing about the internet is that it's an awesome ice breaker. And true friendships form over shared experiences and the best part is- shared memories. And that's awful hard to come by from just interacting with messages over a Twitter or Facebook feed. My friendship with you is so valuable to me because of all the crazy, goofy, sappy, amazing and wonderful times I've had with you that no internet messaging application could ever duplicate or come close to. Course, who knows, maybe someday someone will come up with an app for that too! Til then, thank the powers that be for creating the internet and for making it possible TO make friends over the Twitters and such, so that someday I can meet these people in real life and create new awesome memories with.Just don't laugh at me cuz I'm short. And I dress funny... and I... well,I'll stop now! Love ya, Shawnzilla! P.S. Maybe I should change my icon too. Not sure how many friends I can get with an icon of a gorilla flipping off the viewer thingy. Naw... My true friends would understand the reference.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks, you magnificent bastard, and the man that has known me always.

    Love, Goliashawn.

    ReplyDelete
  3. No time to listen to the sessions right now (stupid homework!)and I've seen the video before, you are amazing as always. :)

    To answer your question. Yes, I believe friendships can last through the internet, just like in person. I've known people online since 1997 when I first got the internet that are still around better than I had friendships with over years in school with (screw facebook high school friends! I didn't know you people then, don't try to add me now!)

    Some connections even get deeper and more personal online because you don't have that nervousness of being face to face, or awkward silence after possibly telling any problems or secrets to online. You can also find people who can relate to your issues, or have things in common that live across the country that you'd never get to meet face to face. Look! You're not alone after all!

    Sometimes it happens, sometimes it doesn't. It all depends on the people involved I suppose.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Totally agreed, on the face to face point! Though I would have never met some good people face to face if it weren't for the interwebz. Like you! :-)

      Delete
  4. Ummm yes and vicariously no, but you know my opinion & that I have a deluge to say about the topic so... Regardless, quality post Brother!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have a lot more to say on the topic to... this might be a theme month.

      Finally bought me some Richard Cheese, Brother, and it fils me with mirth! Todays playlist: "Prediction: Pain" (on shuffle) just played Cheese's "Nookie" cover followed by some fella singing "Nobody's Home". Much more sultry than Waters fella!

      Delete
    2. I have a few of his tunes. I like his version of Creep and (I know you hate the subject) his version of Rape Me is hilarious

      Delete
  5. I think lasting friendships can be forged and nurtured over the Internet. Quite frankly I enjoy talking with Shawn more than dealing with some of my friends face to face! For me, it is about the quality of the interaction: being able to talk with a friend, to comfort them or make them laugh is what's important to me, not their physical accessibility. I can talk to Shawn at 3 a.m. on Twitter when I'm awake and in pain, whereas my "local" friends would not appreciate a call at that time in the slightest.

    ReplyDelete
  6. It's a thought-provoking question, and I'm downloading the podcast now. I read a quote a while ago that stuck with me that seems to relate. Peter Usinov said "I do not believe that friends are necessarily the people you like best, they are merely the people who got there first." With "real" friendships, I certainly see this. With internet friendships, I think this is less likely to be the case. Some shared passion brought people together, and some other factor led them to strike up a conversation and keep it going over time. I think the "internet" relationship is something that isn't fully understood, hasn't existed for long, and is naturally something people are going to be a little afraid of because it's a radical change. I think in 100 years these early fears will seem a little silly. Things will be different, that doesn't mean that they'll be worse. I also love that the internet lets us distill ourselves into our best possible selves. Maybe it's not the full picture, but I don't think that makes it a bad one. Once I hear the podcast, I may feel like an idiot for having wrote all of this. I'm OK with that. You're awesome.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Not as awesome as you are, Huckleberry. We don't talk about the subject much on the podcast. We did in the original "session" but there was some editing for time.

      Delete
  7. I am honored that you posted this my friend. Of all the videos I posted from The Hang, this has always been one of my absolute favorite.

    Alas, this was the clip that was supposed to get you a record deal, and I'm sorry that it didn't come through. :(

    ReplyDelete