Reconnecting
I have been enjoying one of the great benefits of social media lately. That is, reconnecting. I have rediscovered old high school classmates and neighbors. Once I find one, then they have a couple more that they have to suggest and the “friends” list grows.
This demonstrates to me not only the power of today’s social media and the world wide web, but also how much of an impact just one person can have. As my friends list continues to grow I am not out to place additional names on some list for the sake of numbers. Rather, I am amazed at the number of people who have touched my life or shared my life with me in some way.
It is not just the world wide web that connects us… No… it was far before computers were even invented that we were connected. God the Father intended for us to go out into the world and share our lives with one another. We make an impact where we are and with whom we are surrounded. That is why I like to think of myself as a “Walmart Missionary”… I will use the opportunity of standing in a shopping line to say hello to a total stranger and share a piece of life with them. Oh how marvelous it is when we are talking about the joys of living and walking in the ways of the Lord!
FAS Friends
I met with a new friend tonight who I call “Fishers Fran.” We both have Foreign Accent Syndrome, (an extremely rare
Eastside Ellen and Fishers Fran shake up a local Steak 'n' Shake. ---Photo by waitress Cloe.
medical condition that causes a person to speak with a foreign accent that is not their own) and live in the Indy area.
Fran had some friends tell her about hearing me on the WIBC 93.1 FM radio spots I’ve been doing over the last couple Tuesday mornings by invitation of the Morning Show personalities Terri Stacy and Big Joe Stayzniak. Her friends told her that she must listen. Then Fran took the initiative to call the radio station and they passed along my name and told her I was on FaceBook where she sent me a message.
Last Tuesday evening when we first spoke by phone, Fran had her normal voice. Her foreign accent came on suddenly for her along with left side neuromuscular symptoms back in 2005. Unlike me, her regular voice has returned, but she does have episodes where the accent returns for a few days. In fact she recently was interviewed about her Foreign Accent Syndrome story in an article for the April Issue of a magazine that is popular with the Catholic faith. I am sorry that I do not have the publications name right now, but I will edit this post when I have it.
Today she called to say that her voice has “flipped” so that she has the accent again. Her voice does have strong similarities to my own, but is definitely different. She can say some long “A” sounds that I cannot, and I can pronounce the “SK” sound that she cannot. So it was very enlightening as we met at a northeast side Steak and Shake for a friendly supper. Many patrons stared as we spoke and laughed together. Our waitress asked the inevitable “where are you from” question. To which we both smiled and replied “where do you think?” “Think” was pronounced “Sink” by Fran and more like “Tink” by me. Our waitress took a while to understand the fact that we are not FROM Europe and now living in the Indiana. Rather, we are both Midwestern Americans who are speaking with very strong foreign accents. She guessed Fran as more Eastern European and me she placed as Irish. LOL. Anyway our waitress Cloe was kind enough to snap our photo with my camera.
Given that there have been reportedly less than one hundred cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome ever reported worldwide and that so very few people, including medical professionals, have even heard of the affliction, I believe our budding friendship is an answer to prayer! It was encouraging to talk to someone who understands what it feels like to not have the voice/accent you have had your whole life. I feel greatly blessed by meeting her, and especially since she is within short driving distance.
We may have discovered a new comedy team in the making as well. We thoroughly entertained Fran’s daughters and husband with our silliness as we each corrected the others accent. Though our accents have some similar qualities, Fran sounds more Eastern block European (more Russian), whereas my accent sounds more French mixed with Norwegian. Her husband said that we sound like we are from different parts of Europe, but European all the same. I think it was an encouragement to her family as well as we were able to lightheartedly share our stories. Her family was able to see another person with the same thing happening so that they could feel less alone in the peculiarity of it.
Below is the link to a video that her daughter Celia shot of us. Please be kind to us as this was totally impromptu shooting so I am not wearing any make up and am looking more unkempt than I would have liked. However, the spontaneity of the shoot makes it too good not to post.
Foreign Accent Syndrome Friends
Now, I really would like to hear what you think about this post so please leave a comment. Thanks.
Friends: Angels in the flesh
-
- Angel Alex and his halo.
This is a good opportunity for me to express my thankfulness for really good friends of such calibur that they can best be described as angels in the flesh.
One such friend is Alex Conner. Just tonight he used a video conference call to help me set up my Ellen5e.com site that I’ve wanted to get going for over a year now. Alex is a very talented Indy Christian Geek who really knows all the bells and whistles of the computer programming and code world. But more than just an extremely technologically gifted young man, he is a guy who treats others with the convictions of a true Christ-follower. He makes the extremely above my head concepts of attempting to understand the workings of a computer much more understandable. He definitely is gifted with super-human patience and a unique ability to explain things in a way that a person can grasp the meaning without feeling talked down to.
I went from having a somewhat depressing day of rain and frustrations, to actually being able to get something very substantial done… or at least a lot further along in its development. This is because of sacrificing of time for my benefit by one of my personal angels. Thanks Alex!! You are my angel for the day… probably much more like a week or month.
Heaven’s New Tenant
Today I learned of a dear friends sudden homegoing. Although we are both strong Christian sisters, I find it very difficult to do other work today. Therefore, I write this blog entry in her memory.
Okay… so the tears are flowing! I feel the sorrow of knowing I won’t hear “you look like such a cute little ol’baby doll” in that sweet southern drawl when we speak together at the UBCafe every Saturday. I cry in remembrance as I am hearing her voice, feeling her soft “Palmolive” dish-washing hands, and teasing her to smile for the camera.
Marie was one of the reason’s I enjoyed going to the Unleavened Bread Cafe for Ask Anything Saturday ministry. I could get pretty busy doing things with other people, but would never miss the opportunity to connect with her each time.
Since Ms. Marie was the main dishwasher at the UBCafe, I would sometimes take my dishes straight back to where she was working behind the kitchen. Then I could hug her from the back while she was elbow deep in dishwater. She would flash me that beautiful smile that she hid from the camera. Yes, the ivories were crooked, but they were as bright as diamonds, and I regret having not been able to catch that genuine smile on film.
Ms. Marie could be a playful imp from time to time. I know that one of our favorite “games” was trying to keep Neil Cox’s half-emptied coffee cup from being escorted back to the dishroom along with other dirty dishes that Marie collected. She made us laugh when she got into that “you better not turn your back or that dish is ‘mine’” mood.
I sure am going to miss my beloved Miss Marie… the hole in my selfish heart is oozing pain. Evenso, I rejoice to know that my sweet Miss Marie is going to be there to party with me in the sky when the trump sounds and we meet our Savior in the air along with all the other saints! And we will be singing praises to our LORD and Savior forever, and ever. AMEN!
Birthday with friend Henry Lee Summers
Henry Lee Summers poses with me on my birthday Friday, Feb. 20th). Steve and I went to Gallagher’s 2 on Indy’s southside for pizza and listening to their band play!
Henry Lee Summers and I became friends in Spring 2007 when in some classes together. I didn’t know who he was until AFTER he helped me with some guitar chords. THEN, we joked around, sang/played a lot between classes… guitar, keyboards, singing…good times.
It was my birthday, so we went to Gallagher’s 2 on Indy’s southside for pizza and listening to their Henry Lee Summers and the Alligator Brothers play.
When not playing with Henry Lee, on their own, the band is known as SoulShine – Brian Baker (Far Left.:former national touring guitarist), Henry Lee Summer (middle front) and Charlie Bushor (middle back, former drummer for The Why Store, MCA Records) Rhonda Baker (lead singer/keyboards) and Greg Baker (Bass, far Right).
Why I Tweet
Tweeting [posting a message on Twitter] IS conversation that is not just “for the birds”. It’s a way to soar to new heights of involvement in other people’s lives.
“A little bird told me . . . ” what did you hear, what are you listening to, what interests you and what of value do you have to offer others?
Twitter is a web service that is so easily integrated with other websites, phones and mobile devices that it is quickly becoming the primary way to stay involved.
I believe that Twitter is a valuable tool because it allows me to stay current with what’s happening right now in other people’s lives. It is a major method by which I can not only meet new networks and friends, but also build those relationships exponentially as we literally share our lives with one another in a messaging kind of way. These messages are sent in short updates based on the question “What are you doing now?”
However, that doesn’t mean to say that we need to know that you are blowing your nose or taking out the trash. It gives me “up to the minute” updates on what is happening in peoples lives: I get instant prayer requests, testimony to God’s provision, thought-provoking opinions and advice, leads and links to other resources, a wide range of TRUE HELP in a time of need. If too much noise comes from a source that I am listening to, I simply will no longer listen.
Just like in real life conversation you choose who you will listen to. “Follow” is the term that Twitter uses. Just as in a crowded room at a social event, you wouldn’t care to hear what every single person might have to say, rather you value listening to and talking with those who have something that you value to say or ask. What is interesting to you?
How interactive is it?? The crowded room is like a group chat in the new media world. A lot of different people are talking at once, so they have to be divided up into smaller groups “chat rooms” which generally center around some topic. However to participate in a chat room, or an IM chat for that matter, you must be physically there to take part. The conversation goes on without you and you may simply miss out.
This is a bit different than a message board… again usually centered around a topic or an email or webpost… which is posted then may be left for a while before any more activity takes place. Not necessarily at-this-moment, but when you get around to it. The posts are stored somewhere for reference and/or later action.
Now let’s look at Twitter. Twitter would be like the host of the party coming into the crowded room and saying, there is dancing in the Grand Hall, a buffet on the terrace, and by the way, a red BMW has left its lights on. If you were out of the room when the announcement was made your friend can restate what was said (Twitter keeps some of the more recent tweets), so you can pop in and out of Twitter and just check back. BBL (be back later) The announcements were made publicly, but a person chooses to act only on those things that are of interest to him.
My tweeting has gotten me into friendships that would have taken me much longer to find (if at all) just out on the streets. Twitter is a communication tool that acts kind of like a family reunion or gathering of friends. You get to know people by word of mouth: things they say, tweets about opinions they have, books they read, music and food preferences, and more importantly to me their overall character… the way that they live life.
Reach out… go to them…I see a HUGE opportunity here to bypass all the awkwardness of social boundaries like what do I wear, how do I act, who can I go with so that I’m not alone, suppose I don’t know anyone there… all the insecurities that can paralyze people in fear. I believe a lot of these concerns have crossed peoples minds at some time or another and driven them to the conclusion that going out into some social situations is just too ‘fake” as many people try to dress and impress for that first impression. Once people listen to others on Twitter, they get to know them before they go out in public places. Twitter is great for setting up a spontaneous get-together: meet for lunch, go to a movie, games at Lou’s… fear of rejection by asking out on a formal date is bypassed by “I’m going to —— wanna come?”.
I think that Twitter allows people to be honest and transparent in a way that frees a person from so much fear and rejection, and allows for true fellowship to take place. In my experience I have developed a group of people that I care for like family. When they hurt or need help, I am quick to encourage. When they celebrate something good, so do we all. That is BIBLICAL in my eyes.
Additional WITNESSING opportunities as postings demonstrate how a Christian lives in real life. Suddenly a non-believer’s aversion to anything Christian as being judgmental and hypocritical is challenged by the fact that there are several postings a day of how professing Christians are ‘walking the talk’. That all Christians are not condescending and condemning. That Christians, like any other person, are in process. We are ALL on a journey; and Twitter can help us take it side by side!
DARE—-Accountability – another benefit of the Twitter community is the fact that we can help each other remain accountable. Did you get that math homework done Jon? We essentially “spur one another on” — another Biblical principle I see that is assisted through using Twitter. We can challenge each other to examine our opinions and how those line up with the truth that we value.
SHARE—-By sharing what we experience, know, feel, enjoy, dislike, value and detest, we are opening ourselves up to the possiblities of helping each other,
CARE – encouraging and being encouraged,
PRAYER -praying for each other, giving advise and practical aid in specific areas that can be stated very specifically and in-the-moment. For example, “I am having a problem with trying to get my pictures off of the digital camera. Can someone help?” OR “My sister went into early labor, please pray” OR “I’m going to South Bend for the weekend. Where’s a good restaurant to try?”
For the most part Twitter is Public (there are privacy settings and direct messaging that can be just one on one) so many people can contribute to a conversation about when and where to meet, advice on problem-solving, recommendations on resources, when one person posts a prayer request or a statement about being ill or something, it is fantastic to see the flurry of posts that respond.
People do listen. People do care. Every person matters. Twitter helps communicate all of that.
Looking at INNOVATION as bringing creativity to bear against solving a problem, then Twitter is a very valuable tool in the realm of innovation.