Comments on: The Virtual Relationship, Real World Etiquette, Text Messages and Email http://www.spencesmith.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/#utm_source=feed&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=feed Connecting People To Life Fri, 12 Mar 2010 02:42:51 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: glenK http://www.spencesmith.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/comment-page-1/#comment-509 glenK Wed, 18 Jun 2008 22:08:59 +0000 http://spencesmith.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/#comment-509 Speaking of... I just met Philip Simpson here in Norway. I'd love to see you sometime when I get home. Speaking of… I just met Philip Simpson here in Norway.

I’d love to see you sometime when I get home.

]]> By: Sojournerabroad http://www.spencesmith.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/comment-page-1/#comment-510 Sojournerabroad Wed, 18 Jun 2008 03:42:42 +0000 http://spencesmith.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/#comment-510 Well spoken... As my postname may communicate, I live on the other side of the globe, have for over 4 years - in a culture that has some built in boundaries for relationships - which makes building relationships more difficult, along with language issues. Communication with friends and family back in the states is limited to emails and skype calls. People are busy and my friends are not "virtual communicators". I don't Twitter, (it is not available where I live,) and I still rely on email and text messaging. In the last year of living alone, I have discovered various blogs - yours being one I have found along the way - as my viewing has increased, I have noticed that I am more aware of what is happening in the lives of the bloggers that I check in on than the people I do life with, work with, and definitely more than people in my friends and family in the States. While being connected to these people has allowed some interesting reading, a sense of community and connection - I am acutely aware that it is not sustaining nor life-giving. I don't even have the temptations of the expanding electronic world - yet the ones I have seem to have becomes a bit dependent and unhealthy. I crave face to face meaningful connection and have found myself concerned about where I am finding my source of connection. As I often head to a blog before His lap or a phone call to someone I actually "know", as I have done this morning. Living the life we were created for -break bread together, etc seems more and more difficult. It is a conscious effort to pursue the tangible life. Learning... Well spoken… As my postname may communicate, I live on the other side of the globe, have for over 4 years – in a culture that has some built in boundaries for relationships – which makes building relationships more difficult, along with language issues. Communication with friends and family back in the states is limited to emails and skype calls. People are busy and my friends are not “virtual communicators”. I don’t Twitter, (it is not available where I live,) and I still rely on email and text messaging.
In the last year of living alone, I have discovered various blogs – yours being one I have found along the way – as my viewing has increased, I have noticed that I am more aware of what is happening in the lives of the bloggers that I check in on than the people I do life with, work with, and definitely more than people in my friends and family in the States. While being connected to these people has allowed some interesting reading, a sense of community and connection – I am acutely aware that it is not sustaining nor life-giving. I don’t even have the temptations of the expanding electronic world – yet the ones I have seem to have becomes a bit dependent and unhealthy. I crave face to face meaningful connection and have found myself concerned about where I am finding my source of connection. As I often head to a blog before His lap or a phone call to someone I actually “know”, as I have done this morning. Living the life we were created for -break bread together, etc seems more and more difficult. It is a conscious effort to pursue the tangible life. Learning…

]]> By: Doug http://www.spencesmith.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/comment-page-1/#comment-511 Doug Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:37:26 +0000 http://spencesmith.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/#comment-511 Spence all good points. I find myself doing the same thing with texting and twitter. My wife has called me out a few times, yeah that will put one it his place. :-) While the virtual world does allow us to connect with the "world", it's the personal (non-technical) relationships that last, have the most meaning and give back the most. Spence all good points. I find myself doing the same thing with texting and twitter. My wife has called me out a few times, yeah that will put one it his place. :-) While the virtual world does allow us to connect with the “world”, it’s the personal (non-technical) relationships that last, have the most meaning and give back the most.

]]> By: Mark Jaffrey http://www.spencesmith.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/comment-page-1/#comment-512 Mark Jaffrey Tue, 17 Jun 2008 07:54:23 +0000 http://spencesmith.wordpress.com/2008/06/16/the-virtual-relationship-real-world-etiquette-text-messages-and-email/#comment-512 Thanks Spence for this useful wake-up call. It's really important to set boundaries, and as Anne has done, to evaluate them periodically and then to change them if necessary. I suppose the lesson is to live intentionally and make decisions pro-actively, and not just get swept along. I have never had email on my phone, but that's all going to change when I get my iphone - exciting times. Thanks Spence for this useful wake-up call. It’s really important to set boundaries, and as Anne has done, to evaluate them periodically and then to change them if necessary. I suppose the lesson is to live intentionally and make decisions pro-actively, and not just get swept along. I have never had email on my phone, but that’s all going to change when I get my iphone – exciting times.

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