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| Image created with help from Bing AI |
An old friend from the Analogue World called me today, chatting away in some detail about her Christmas and New Year. For my own part, I found myself with very little to contribute to the conversation - mainly because I felt that very little of what I had been up to myself was likely to make any sense to her.
I suppose she may have "kind of" grasped the concept of me having had a video call with my brother on Christmas Eve. But I simply couldn't think of any way to even try to explain to her, for example, that while on New Year's Eve I went to bed at 9 pm, at the same time I was also attending the Laughing Horse Awards Ceremony on a small island among the U.S. Virgin Islands, hosted by blogger Yorkshire Pudding. (If you weren't there yourself, you can read more about it in his first two posts for 2026 on his blog by the same name.)
Actually I have to confess that even my own memories of that event are rather blurry, in spite of the fact that I was even honoured with an award myself. (But I suppose that's probably true for some Nobel Prize winners as well!)
The official report from the event also claims that I performed some ABBA songs. I can't say I recall that either, but one that seems likely to myself would be this one:
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| My first blog post ever, 5 January 2009 |
Hi Monica - I came to your blog relatively recently, through Mieke's. For almost 15 years I have belonged to a Nordic Crime reading group, so have a lively interest in what everyday living in Nordic countries is like. I suspect we of the same generation. I fully understand the difficulties of trying to explain to someone IRL the Laughing Horse Awards night. I almost tried, and then remained silent. I live on the east coast of Australia, and currently you and I share the problem of being housebound by extreme temperatures - just at opposite ends of the temperature scale. We are having yet another week of heatwaves, so that means scurrying about in the early morning to do chores such as watering garden pots, getting laundry on the line and back in before it is toasted, closing blinds and curtains as the direct sun moves across the house, and then settling to check into the blog world, that comforting place! I look forward to whatever else your blog reveals in 2026.
ReplyDeleteHi Beth. Thanks for reading and for introducing yourself. Do you have a blog of your own as well? (Clicking on your name doesn't lead anywhere.) I don't think I'd prefer a heatwave to be honest - at least I'm comfortable enough indoors just now... ;)
DeleteYou are such a faithful poster! Nowadays it is kind of hard to imagine someone who is so totally out of touch will all forms of tech. I love ABBA!!
ReplyDeleteThanks Ginny - you're an inspiration yourself as a faithful poster, and a friend since 2009!
DeleteHappy New Blogging Year, Monica, happy blogoversary AND congratulations for your "recommended" award - your second already!! :-D
ReplyDeleteYes, it is nearly impossible to give someone a good idea of what we're doing when they aren't at all familiar with computers, social media, mobile devices and so on. My mother-in-law in Ripon has never owned a computer, and her most sophisticated electronic item at home is her TV which has a slot to play DVDs, but as far as I know, she never uses it because (I suspect) she doesn't remember what to do, no matter how many times her daughter has showed her.
Also, a lot of people in my circle of friends and acquaintances have no clue of what my daily work really looks like. They know I'm a Data Protection Officer, but their very vague idea is only that it is "something with computers" (which is true, of course). And that's even those people who create and use personal data almost every waking minute!
Meike, even I who read your blog don't really know much more about your job than your title, that you work both from home and at a few other places, answer lots of emails, and partake in various meetings... But I guess that is really all the data that a Data Protection Officer is allowed to share on her own private blog! ;)
DeleteI first met you in that first year which was my first year also. I see you had one comment on your first post, I had none of my first few posts. and within a years time had 40 friends commenting, you were one of those.
ReplyDeleteI live with the person that has no idea what goes on in my blog, phone, computer. He has no phone, no computer, no tech at all and since the streaming has wrecked the cable TV he must have, he misses out on things he wants to see. they moved his sports to streaming channels and not the cable, and since I have to set it up for him to watch, he misses the games. he doesn't want me in control of the remote.
I fully understand what you are saying because if I talk to someone not in my blog world, I have nothing to talk about with them.. a year of 24/7 in my home has made that even worse.
Sandra, I had almost forgotten about that, someone did comment on my very first post, which seemed kind of miraculous to me (how on earth did they find it??) and probably encouraged me to continue. I don't think I had any further contact with that first commentator though? - I seem to recall that back then there was a Blogger button "Next blog" just leading somewhere quite random...
DeleteYes, the increase of streaming services have caused a bit of confusion, not all easy to keep up with where to find what. Not interested in sports myself I'm not bothered about that particular aspect of it but understand it must be difficult for your Bob.
I always read your blog and enjoy hearing about your daily life. I think that is why I follow many others' blogs too. It is a window into different worlds!
ReplyDeleteSame here, JC. It's hard to explain to people still living their lives completely "off-line", though. I fear I probably left my analogue friend feeling sorry for me having spent the holidays alone - while I myself feel I've been in communication with lots of people every day!
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