Techno Happy?

The Right Way?

So here’s the thing, I love technology and use it in my everyday life.

I advocate innovation and get excited by conceptual geekery.

I have a real life and a social media enabled life – I call it an outlet for my constructed self.

I Tweet, I blog, I Facebook, I download shiney iPhone apps with a core function and imperative to enhance my life/make my life easier.

I admit that I am dazzled by marketing spin, even though as Creative Director of an agency, marketing + spin + the consumer is my business.

A few things have struck a chord recently:

1. My folks managed to get rid of their old kitchen and appliances purely by word of mouth and cards in their local post office.

2. During a recent trip to Sydney, I wanted to avoid data roaming charges and my mobile provider suggested I buy a map – initially I guffawed at such an idea but once there, map in hand, it was really quite fun

3. I recently tweeted that it was fun to hang out with friends who don’t ‘do’ social media and don’t have iPhones, what surprised me is how many people replied, agreeing that it was indeed refreshing or to simply swap anecdoatal tales of two worlds colliding and how funny it is

4. Having enjoyed a summer holiday in Kefalonia with the aid of a large paper map, I have since posted the map (via snail mail) to a friend who was heading to Kefalonia – she benefitted from my notes on the map which included pebble coves I discovered, restaurants in and around Fiscardo which I visited, where to turn off for certain attractions and notes in how to approach roundabouts when in Greece (I’m still trauamatised) and which bits of road the goats hung out on

A very dear friend of mine advocates the notion of ‘voluntary simplicity’, I used to raise an eyebrow but now I think i’m just a bit late to the party. He’s on to something.

Whilst the simply life can be a good and nostaligic life, I like the balance and choice that tech brings to the party.

I’m not about to ditch my love of ‘enabling’ tech and connectivity rituals – I can’t, I’m a junkie, I’ve gone too far down the road to find a turning point. I really like this route most of the time. Truely.

Howerever…

What I am going to do more of is re-embrace the low-fi life – I’m not talking about leaving a crumb trail next time I go exploring or redoscovering the art of letter writing (please, that’s a whole other post!).

I’m simply talking about remembering that I have a choice in how I approach everything and sometimes it’s fun to be lost in a strange city with rain-splattered map – not being able to speak the lingo and wandering into an unknown rustic cafe only to discover the most amazing food, likewise, when you have a tiny window in which to meet a friend before she catches a train to the other side of the country and you both fancy a cheap Thai feast in Holborn, then I will choose tech to enable the night to go to plan and to time.

In conclusion then, for me – tech is a tool for when you need it, yes it can enhance and connect you in ways you never imagined were possible but without a balance, tech can dampen your sense of adventure and fun.

Why pretend to swing a hula hoop via a games console when you can go and buy one and have some real fun?

Don’t get me started on the notion of exercising via a games console…

Go. For. A. Run.

(In.The. Mud.)

Picture Perfect? Again, please!

So this is how Greece looked, pretty stunning and a bit of a snapshot of my recent holiday:

But take a closer look at this picture, yes, I took this and think I have a future as a live action/sports photographer!

10/10 for technique.

Although, the best things in life are about preparation and here’s one of a zillion I took earlier:

One of many "opps, missed it, can you dive again?"

Love Story

Having always been a cat lover, I was delighted when a furry friend revealed itself on the first morning of our Greek adventure.

The cat’s first attempt at joining in the fun was whilst we were supping our morning coffee on day one.

Morning, I can Haz coffee too?

Having always been a dog lover, the boyfriend struggled with the idea of having a cat around the house and declared it a ‘dirty pest’ (although I was sure that even at this early stage, he didn’t really mean it).

Alarmed that a cat could appear from nowhere, jump into his lap and expect some tickle action – interrupting his much anticipated holiday reading – was certainly a shock to him.

Taa Daa, here I am again! It's OK, I won't bite :)

There we go, perfect fit.

The cat however, persisted in her ‘you will love me’ campaign, by getting involved with the boyfriend’s morning stretch routine –  a strong start which showed off her playful nature particularly well I thought.

I can do that too, look!

I likes this one better.

Without trying much harder, she moved in. Two became three.

Chillin' on the stairs, rollinz, rollinz, rollinz.

Whilst we supped coffee, she supped milk al fresco from the finest bone china.

Nom. K thnxbai.

It didn’t take too long before the boyfriend was giving out tickles without being jumped upon.

No sooner had the cat sat down to bask in the afternoon sunshine; the boyfriend was there, doing the chin, the cheeks, the ears, top of the head and if rumours are true – the belly.

Left a bit...

And so, by the end of week one, a love story unfolded – cat and boyfriend learnt to enjoy time together. He got to read, whilst she got a welcoming lap.

I had readz it anyways.

I on the other hand, got bitten by cat gremlins every night for the remainder of the holiday after this photo was taken.

What’s up pussycat?

I sees your food and I wants it.

Do cats pull on the human heartstrings?

No.

We play these strings just fine ourselves – in the key of ‘irrational guilt’.

In being human, our genetic make-up is predisposed to nurture, protect and make fat, even when cat or comrade already exhibits signs of obvious plumpness.

Here’s my theory, cats essentially love company. It is not always about cats wanting table titbits or treats around their regular meal cycles – sometimes an ear tickle or a quick belly rub is enough – unless of course one is confronted by the cat mob of Kefalonia…

Having spent the last two weeks in on this beautiful island, life is apparently good for cats of a tenacious nature.

Welcome in restaurants the island over,  Kefalonian cats regularly enjoy fish of the day, feta, rooster, bread, anchovies, olives,  yoghurt and all manner of ‘saganakied’ delights, pretty much every night of the week.

These puds are as tough as old boots yet exhibit the most extraordinary acting skills; just last night, the drama played out as follows:

CAT [eyes semi open, feeble meow emanating from wonky mouth, raised paw]: I’m so wee and poorly, please give me some food before I roll over and DIE. AT. YOUR. FEET.

SIOBHANNY [clearly moved by said cat’s plight and close to handing over entire sea bream]: Aww look at him, he looks starving, here pud, have some fish…

CAT [looking straight at Siobhanny as if she were the giver of all life] Oh, that was the best piece of fish I have ever tasted in my small, tiny life. But… wait a minute….  Now, I must  steal your boyfriend’s affection, I see he has the lamb… Talk to my skinny butt, I is over you.

Yes, make no mistake – their loyalty is flaky. These cats follow their well-tuned, mucky little snouts from table to table, sussing out the softies who are willing to throw ‘just a little’ prawn their way (despite the 18 Euro price tag – ahem).

Finally, beware; a lick on the foot is not a sign that you are their special friend, you are probably just a tad salty or they are eyeing up your little pinky.