Texting, Tweeting and Facebooking… and the Urinal

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Today’s Blog Post
Texting, Tweeting and Facebooking… and the Urinal

I just knew it was going to happen. I knew that people are obsessed with this new toy and cannot possibly leave it alone. I knew that eventually their obsession would come be displayed at the oddest places.

What am I talking about? Well you have seen plenty of it and you will recognize it as almost a new norm for most people… it is the Cell Phone and their compulsive use of it.

Now they are not using the Cell Phone as a Telephone… that has been happening for many years now. Rather they are using the texting and messaging service that comes with the Cell Phone communicator.

And actually the transference to the idea of a Communicator has now happened. You don’t need to call someone and actually speak to the person. You simply tap a very small screen or keyboard to send a message to them. You know that in a matter of minutes you will be getting a reply to your question or comment.

The Text Message service, or Texting as it is known also, acts like a kind of answering service as well. People are preferring this mode of communicating to the old fashioned voice that the Cell Phone has offered.

Next to the Texting is the Twitter communication mode. In order to use this one you will need to have a twitter account and also be willing to declare your Tweeting ability. By setting up you Twitter account you will get a Twitter name or address (something like an email address but unique to Twitter and you).

On Twitter when you send out your Tweets to your special friends that have been added to your circle of Twitter Friends... they receive them when you fire off a comment.

Now Twitter is not quite like Facebook where your closer friends, or people you actually know, connect with you. Twitter is broader and more general in nature. Here you are connecting with possibly total strangers, or at the very best brave friends that have come up to the level you are and you are now sharing “special stuff” directly with them. You know that they will be reading what you say the moment that they can get their Cell Phone/Communicator into their hand.

Twitter people are likely more apt to read than Tweet. They seem to be more compulsive followers than they are broadcasters of what they are doing right at that moment. BUT that may not be entirely true in that many are just beginning to learn the power of a Tweet… and the marketability of Tweeting on Twitter.

I mentioned Facebook earlier where you connect with closer friends and even more casual ones. Well through the wonders of connectivity and instant alertness that would make the old fashioned NORAD(North America Air Defense Command). A Tweet from my Twitter account can be sent instantly to my Facebook Account… what I am saying to my casual and business related friends can be seen by my closer friends on Facebook.

Now I know if you are a Baby Boomer you not likely to be that up to date with all of this stuff, unless you have cool kids or real cool grandkids that Email, Text Message, Facebook, and Tweet on Twitter.

The History for you old folks is as follows.
NORAD setup in 1958 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Aerospace_Defense_Command
Email first seen in 1973 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email
Facebook launched 2004 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook
Twitter launched in 2006 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter

BUT it is a myth to think that just young people are using these programs. I blow that myth away with the most recent evidence that I have been collecting. People of all ages are now owning and using Communicators of all kinds!

AND they use the Communicators in the weirdest places. I knew that was going to happen as well.

Are you ready for this? You are likely sitting down reading this – so I needn’t ask you to do so. But then many people are reading this Blog on their communicator as well… so sit down.

Men are now using their Cell Phones/Communicators as they stand at the URINAL! No kidding! At first I thought it was a “one off” kind of thing. Nope not at all. There are more Communicators in the Men’s Bathrooms than you can every mention. And they are not talking to anyone – that would not be cool letting the other guys next to you at the Urinal here what you are saying… but Texting, Tweeting and Facebooking can be done with One Hand!

Now I know that none of you have thought of that before. About half of my audience on this Blog have not stood at a Urinal in that they don’t come into Men’s Washrooms!

I can’t attest to what happens in a Women’s Washroom yet, but I am guessing that they are Texting, Tweeting and Facebooking as they stand in line waiting for a cubical/stall to open up.

Ladies or Guys, you might think twice about asking to borrow someone’s Cell Phone/Communicator next time. You have no idea where that phone has been, or who has handled it… or whatever.

And the use of the Communicator comes usually after a long period of not connecting. The longest period of non-connectedness that I know of now is in the theater while sitting through a long show.

The other evening I witnessed seven of the eight men standing at the Urinals all checking their Communicators, and also sending one handed messages to whomever while they waited on the natural process to take place.

I nearly fell over when I saw them doing this. I had a mind to slip out my own Communicator to take their photo from behind… but that would not show well. You need to be at the end Urinal to take their photos from the side to let the photo catch what is going on.

But taking another man’s photo while he is standing at a Urinal is not so cool… in fact in might get you killed in a not very nice place or to be on the nasty floor withering in pain!

So words will have to do!

For a number of years now I have known that strange things happen at Urinals. Men have used the wall above the Urinal to write messages to each other and draw pictures for each other to enjoy.

The strangest one that I had witnessed was the placing of “Gospel Tracts”, the kind that religious freaks use to get you converted to their religion. As I stood at the Urinal that day I looked at the pipes in front of my face and there was a Gospel Tract for me to take home.

I was offered a One Handed Religion from a one handed man.

I left the Gospel Tract where it was. I already had enough religion, thank you very much.

Now what do I do with all this “valuable information”?

I felt the best thing that I could do was Facebook it today. So in a few moments my sleepy, Sunday morning crowd may be reading this as they sip their coffee. But I wonder what they will be doing as they read this one?

Hmmm?

Oh in case you would like to Communicate with me my Twitter account is ( @misty_hollow ) without the brackets. My Facebook is simply “Murray Lincoln”. My Text messaging is done with 7057681530 – cell phone as well.  My email is murray.lincoln@gmail.com

And I promise that I will not answer while I am in the bathroom – anywhere!

~ Murray Lincoln ~
http://www.murraylincoln.com/

Resource:
NORAD (1958) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/North_American_Aerospace_Defense_Command
Twitter (2006) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twitter
Facebook (2004) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Facebook
Email(1973) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email