Posted in Books, Movies, Televison, Uncategorized

Don’t Stand So Close To Me

Posted on by D. Parker

1funny1019I think the internet should come with an instruction manual.

Or at the very least guidelines.

Really.

Have you seen some of the stuff on here?

Maybe start slow, something simple,

like…

  • Don’t feed the trolls or don’t tweet when angry, sad, lonely…drunk, or ill-informed, without verification. For some, maybe just don’t tweet at all. This also applies to posting on Facebook, texting, commenting, etc.

  • If someone unfriends you, relax, then look up the definition of friend and if someone doesn’t agree with your opinion that doesn’t oblige you to start a war. Viva la difference.

  • Watch out for those snap judgements, don’t mistake conversation for honest conversation, and know the difference between flirty and creepy (don’t stand so close to me, even on the internet).

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I sometimes wonder what the world is going to look like after a few more years ‘high’ on social media?
Electoral candidates are constantly apologizing and dropping out of politics for tweets, texts, pictures (the better question might be why those pictures were taken at all)…even if it was years ago. That reminds me, I should check my Twitter feed.

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Social media has given us the freedom to express ourselves, but like anything else, social media brings out the best in some people, the worst in others. Or perhaps this level of wow-super-interesting-but-not-necessarily-in-a-good-way was always there, the internet has just made certain views, er, more available.

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Perhaps some people always thought they were:

  • Being mind-controlled by subterranean lizard people (gee, I hate when that happens).

  • Celebrities who sometimes seem like subterranean lizard people, just not as cool.1funny999

  • Aliens, androids, and other ‘a’ words.

  • Traveling through time and space, wait, wasn’t that on Doctor Who (don’t blink and take me with you).

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  • Immortal (I’m sure that worked great, right up until the moment they died).

  • Fairies, merpeople, wizards, witches, vampires, zombies, werewolves, Donald Trump (sorry, just randomly listing supernatural creatures).

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  • Married to video game characters (hopefully not Sonic the Hedgehog, too, umm, quick).

  • Obsessed by food and cats and cats with food.

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  • Inventors of things they didn’t invent because in some cases they weren’t even born yet or not that bright.

  • Being used in secret government experiments (hey, I watched X-Files too).1funny1001

    Look what the internet has done with this latest refugee crisis. I think we’re all migrants. At birth, we move from our mothers. We wander…first to our knees to crawl, then drift to an upright position to walk. We travel, even a few feet to play. We rove to school. We wander into relationships, friendships. We transition to jobs. Sometimes roam the world. Humans are nomadic; we take journeys through stories, books, movies, TV programs, and now, the internet, even if we never leave our home. One way or another, we like to move it, move it, we like to move it, move it…

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Just like one way or another we’ve all sought refuge, if only in a book, a song, on the shoulder of a friend, in the arms of lover, in a movie, TV program, a story, a walk, a drive, in sleep, cookies, alcohol, hope, and so much more? When a day has kicked your butt up and down the street, who doesn’t want sanctuary?

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We could spend forever judging and bickering over ‘the right thing’, frankly, I admit, I’m not always sure what is the right thing, but clearly, helping in some way can’t be the wrong thing, right?

So, is the internet the last nail in our cultural coffin, or just another way for humans to connect? For me, it’s a great place to make memes…and friends. What about you?

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Author:

Very me

162 thoughts on “Don’t Stand So Close To Me”

      17. Definitely! We need to treat each other respectfully. Everything else is just a positive consequence. Hope you don’t get buried again this year. Big hugs, dear!

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  4. Is that a Sleestak?

    I wonder in the future what email addresses will be left for people. I see a lot through my job that aren’t ones I would want to put on my resume’ (yet, others do, obviously). What happens when that’s ALL that you can choose from?

    People are strange. I play Yahtzee on my phone, which is connected through FB, and some guy keeps trying to chat me up. Dude, you are wearing your company uniform in your pic with your name RIGHT THERE. Not sure your fiance’, as seen on your open facebook page, would appreciate this!

    (yeah, I FB stalk, but only when provoked and even then I don’t do anything with the info. i’m nosey but not vindictive.)

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    1. I was going with a Sleestak and at the last minute I went for the Star Trek Gorn; some Kardashians were also in the running…it was a toss up, so many lizard people. 😉
      lol Yes, I can see the future of email addresses getting very dicey. 😉
      Is it a lack of shame or just not getting where they are? So creepy.
      Judging you so hard right no…kidding, I think we’ve all had our moments. 😉
      Thanks for dropping by and hope this day is being Full House, 4 of a kind, and Chance good to you…we can only hope for a Yahtzee so often in life. 😉

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      1. Now, I feel like a bad geek for thinking Sleestak before Star Trek. UGH!

        Serious advice, if your email address is “sexaymomof6 @emailcarriername” don’t put it on your resume. Seriously. I would rather it be initialsandwaytoomanynumbers than that.

        (true story on that email address; when the asked about a job it would always go to spam on our server!)

        I should say I don’t FB spy often at all, but the few times I have, it surprises me what people have open to the public!

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      2. So many lizards, it’s hard to choose. 😉
        With so many choices you’d think, hey, maybe that’s not a good idea. I hadn’t thought of the spam angle, but it makes perfect sense. 🙂
        I’m not shocked easily, but I am sometimes taken aback but what people will discuss on FB, I’m often thinking, hmmm, hat might be more private message info. 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  5. IMHO, one reason individuals can get so opinionated on Social Media, is because it can be a sort of mask – some are themselves, but others pretend they are something they are not. I’ve even seen a few individuals pretend to be several people and have conversations with themselves in certain group situations.
    Bottom line, I believe that the good overpowers the bad. As an author, the internet gives me an opportunity to connect with fans all over the world. which is very convenient.

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    1. It’d say they need to get a hobby, but I guess maybe talking to yourself in a group might count, er, maybe. 😉
      The internet is just another form of human connection, there will always be good and bad elements, but generally, it’s amazing. 🙂

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  6. I swear that dog knows more about the internet, social sites, tweeting, Facebooking and blogging than I do. It is like a minefield out there and with crutches I have four feet to worry about sticking on one and being blown to hell and back.
    Luckily I have friends and they’re real friends not imaginary ones, I can prove it as I have their email addresses, though I’m a little surprised so many live on Mars. I didn’t know we’d colonised. All I did was suggest dropping in for a cuppa one day and asking where they were.

    Have a Glorious Week and let me know when you’re taking this comedy show on the road.
    xxx Massive Hugs xxx

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    1. It is scary out there and your maneuvering powers might be a tad limited so be careful…you’ll get by with a little help from your friends. I’ve heard mixed reviews of Martians, but I like to think they’re just misunderstood. 😉
      Got to go, I’m just dog-gone tired, bone-weary…ok, I’m done with the dog jokes, I didn’t mean to hound you. 🙂
      Take care, David and mega massive mammoth monster hugs. 🙂

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    1. Why, whatever do you mean? lol 😉
      I thought everyone might need a good giggle on this Monday evening…glad to hear it worked. 😉
      Hope this week has less homework and more fun, maybe not, but I can hope for you. 🙂
      Megahugs. 🙂

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      2. I think the world is ready for another female doctor (of course I’m referring to Joanna Lumley already having been The Doctor in ‘The Curse of Fatal Death’, but apparently that doesn’t count, for some reason). 😉

        Liked by 1 person

  13. The net, like anything else, has the power to be used for good and evil. I’ve seen both to a large degree. The only difference from this and any other tool is the speed over distances at which the work takes place. I am seriously pro-internet, like I am pro-most tools. But I do recognize that a hammer can build great things, but is also used by evil people to bludgeon to death. So goes the internet.

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  14. So far so good, Donna. Lots of wonderful people out here, opportunities to support and be supported, to be kind and make friends. It’s hard enough to make time for all the wonderful blogs and posts – got no time at all for negativity. I disengage without batting an eye.

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  17. I enjoyed reading this post. I think the internet is a wonderful place. Without it, I would never have encountered WordPress where there are so many lovely people. However, it is best to have some sort of reserve when posting on Social media sites. If you are not happy with your granny or your boss seeing it then probably best not to post it! Most of us though have succumbed to posting something that we regret, but hopefully only made that mistake once!

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    1. Thank you kindly. 🙂
      It certainly has some amazingly good and bad, but you’re right, there should be guidelines, at least in our heads of what we ‘share’ or in many cases, ‘overshare’. 😉

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  18. This was great! I get tired of the ranting and raving on the internet, but I understand it’s a way for people to release their frustrations. Like anything else – there’s good and bad in it.

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  19. I’m still positive about the internet and haven’t had too many bad experiences. It just reflects the people who use it and gives us all a chance to say things that we wouldn’t necessarily say in the flesh, as it were.

    I’m finding that I’m getting more careful about what I say than I used to be.

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  21. You are the funniest woman alive. The best thing about the internet and technology is soon we will not have to leave our homes or actually interact personally with anyone! Thanks for the laughs!

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  23. all nets catch stuff and let stuff through, can act as a cage or a safe haven – which just goes to show you can metaphor the shit out of anything and still talk rubbish. Lovely post Donna

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  25. Agreed – social media is a great place to make new friends, and learn about so many different things.

    You make all these memes in your posts? Those memes, along with all the gifs you post, prove that you’re someone who wants to make the internet a better place.

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  26. I think like the phone it is a useful tool, but should not be a stand alone thing. People find it all to easy to bully when they can’t be identified and this is one of the sad things about the internet, but it is so useful for someone like me, who can barely leave the house, it allows me still to have human contact and not go completely stir crazy

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      2. I know the feeling, but about yours. I’m starting a campaign to get my library and others to buy more books and ebooks by indie authors, what do you think, good idea?

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  30. Reblogged this on ' Ace Social & Media News ' and commented:
    It’s that time again for a #Donnamazing post and this one is no different it is brilliant. Just love your topic about standing to close to the flame – it looks beautiful and bright like the Internet of all things (IOT) for short, they like their initials hides a multiple of All things.
    Well the Internet as l heard can be good and useful like All things but everyone who knows all things like Gods knowing Good and Evil really are not the people you want to stand to close to in the first place.
    Though #Donna everyone should stand close to people like you now and always lots ❤️ X

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    1. Very wise words, Ian, it does seem like even the most wonderful of things, like the internet, something that connects people and helps them help others, also unfortunately has a dark side.
      Thanks for the reblog and the sweet words, you are really too kind. 🙂

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    1. I am playing catch up all over the place, James, I think I should be writing a post about spreading yourself too thin and the consequences…so sorry. Thank you so much for this nomination and the shout-out. I’m honoured and thrilled and will try to keep up (no promises because I hate breaking them). Hope this day is being kind to you. 🙂

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  35. I love the picture of the dog at the computer. It looks a bit like me with some of my technical struggles.
    I thrive on the social contacts I have through my blog. It’s not always easy for me to get out or meet like-minded people locally so it’s really opened up my world. I’ve now got friends all around the world and it’s just fabulous! xx Rowena

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    1. He reminded me of me as well, Rowena, especially after the time I’ve been having with computers lately. 😉
      And if not for the internet, how would people such as you and I ever have connected and enjoyed each other? You are so right. 🙂
      Thanks for dropping by and I hope this weekend is good to you. 🙂

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    1. Congrats, hey, wait, I thought Snarkyanna was my name, that’s ok, we can share (sharing is good). 😉
      Your worthiness is legendary, Mitch and I feel honoured not only to be nominated, but to be in such worthy company. Thanks for spreading all that sunshine, sunshine!!! 🙂

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  37. Your comments have depth, courage and .Ean a lot to me in this post. My mother’s parents were immigrants who met and fell in love with each other (one from Sweden and the other from Germany.) They met in NYC so I believe in allowing people to take sanctuary or refuge here. Both my grandparents were productive and never spoke their homeland languages wanting to be “American.” Grandpa M was an engineer and Grandma M was first a server at a big hotel then a homemaker. I like the connections I have made through blogging and wish I had more time to “visit.”

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    1. That’s a wonder story. We have wandered the Earth since humans first could wander. And look at what we have found…mostly, each other. 🙂
      Thank you for sharing your grandparents sweet and inspiring story. 🙂
      Anytime we get to visit is lovely. 🙂

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  39. It is true that the Internet has helped a lot. We’ve met with so many people that ordinary we wouldn’t have met with and we’ve learnt so much from. Thanks for the post, it’s lovely.

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  41. Yes, everyone does need a sanctuary. I write about this often and one of my first blogs was about Sanctuary. Now all I have to do is learn about adding memes to my posts. Still not good with much of technology.

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    1. Memes are simple, either make your own from a free site (gifs are a little more complicated, but fun), save them, then add them; or find ones you like, save them, add (and if credit is given, credit them). Way easier than you may think. I found adding YouTube vids more daunting, but then turned out to be easier than I thought.
      Now I’m thinking I want to read The Hunchback of Notre Dame…must have been the word Sanctuary. 🙂
      Hope this day is treating you well. 🙂

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  42. I have met some amazing people on the internet like Donna, and some true weirdos like…Ha not naming names. If someone Unfriends me I frankly dont even notice. I am too busy living life. And frenemies are not part of my program! But I definitely make sure to know Who My enemy is. Thanks for sharing at the Pit stop!

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