Carol Bontekoe

This blog has been keeping track of my adventures since 2004. The stories and the adventures have come from my college dorm room to Uganda, Peace Corps Kyrgyzstan, learning Dutch in the Netherlands to living in the wilds of Homer, Alaska. I went back to school in Amsterdam to study Theaterwetenschap (Theatre Science) at University of Amsterdam. And now my adventures as a Fruit Fly, a Sexy Unicorn, and creating a movement with Team Sparkle in Chicago.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Being Deep in 140 characters or less

Twitter is the new "it" thing that the media is latching on to. Especially with the poorly behaved and patently uncool politicians using Twitter at inappropriate times. For those that don't know Twitter is micro-blogging... or just a more self-serving version of a blog. I write in this mostly to keep track of my life for myself. I go back and read old entries to realize how far I have come.
Oh... no I mean I write this for my dozen or so loyal readers... I live for you people and your comments fuel my soul... forget the part where I said it was for me. I like imagining I have a legion of fans, despite having no talents. I feel this is the same mind set that people on reality shows have.
What was I typing about?






That's Right.
I'm on Twitter. I even use it. Mostly since I'm not smart enough to use the new Facebook and still want to use some kind of technology type thing that people my age are supposedly all doing... I watch Cable news...they always let me know what people my age are doing.
I mostly use Twitter to look for good travel deals, check up on my two friends who are on it, and get my sports stats for MSU and all my Detroit teams. However, I "follow" a fellow RPCV(Returned Peace Corps Volunteer). I won't use his name. Not because he'll be reading this-I am a 100% sure he won't. And not to protect his identity from other RPCVs, because I'm pretty sure they could figure out who it is without my help(Guesses will be accepted). No I won't write his name cuz I can barely stand to acknowledge I read the crap he writes. I feel if I type his name I some how validate him. I can't do it. Don't ask me to.

Boring people like Jimmy Fallon use Twitter to write such interesting things as:
"national lampoon radio hour" is a required listen
I forgot how much I love radio...
Happy Saturday. Making a homemade Sausage McMuff

I make fun yet I am boring on Twitter too(everyone is)I write important things like:
"Couldn't figure out where I knew a girl from tonight and convinced her we hung out the night before, she ended up being my dance teacher"
"80s pop is like comfort food to me."
"Gave a 13 year old girl advice about navigating through high school politics. I almost forgot how how good I was at it back than."


Real hard hitting stuff there.


The Un-named RPCV, however, uses Twitter as a way of trying to show the world how deep he is. In the same vain as Aristotle just limited to 140 characters. I find it annoying, arrogant, and frankly I don't understand most it. Here is a sampling of his Tweets(these aren't even as bad as some of the others I just picked his last ten to save time):
"People seem to be more willing to wait for something they believe in. Hot dogs, love, democracy, art, shoes, etc."
"There's the image I want to have, the image I project, and the person I am. Somewhere in all three is me."
"To the tune of 50 folk guitars: "I will find the wind and let the colors become my only lens." In the words, people. In the music, spirit."
"So polished he's stale. So unique she's common. So observant I'm blind."
"Irony: A billboard advertising minimalism. The sun sets in the West; he'll never make it. Chewing gum is like wool socks for sheep."
"I've tried to go back and see the world through my eyes three years ago. I can't do it. The best I can muster is questioning who I am now."
"Do train conductors feel their lives are comfortably predictable or painfully monotonous? Can they drive a car or do they stop ever 2-3 min?"
"American Irony: For better mental and physical health, you must sacrifice sleep and work more."
"I think the novelty of dressing up is starting to fade. It always does. Or my fascination with Mayan tribal wear is growing."
"It feels like a blur. A lot of water has passed under the bridge. I still don't know if I want to be on the bridge or in the water."

"Tweeting" is the verb used for writing in these micro-blogs. I feel tweeting is the shallowest form of communication. Yet RPCV is using it to show how deep he is... I guess when you have never gotten out of the kiddie pool the shallow end can seem deep.

hmmm.. maybe I'll Tweet that last sentence.


8 comments :

  1. Anonymous said...

    You RPCV friend write a blog on 'the Stans?' He's real good at making sure commies know we don't do coups there and calling for the murder of world leaders?

  2. Brandie said...

    you fail to endorse your own twitter. what is it? lol.

  3. Carol/K-Roll/C-Bone said...

    It's just my name. nothing fancy.

  4. Anonymous said...

    You never fail to entertain me.

    Tell Alaska hi for me.

    Love,
    Sara

  5. Carol/K-Roll/C-Bone said...

    RPCV is so original he is cliche... so proud of all the RPCVs that ahve guessed correctly. :)

  6. becky said...

    so true. twitter is stupid, but so addictive.

  7. Unknown said...

    I can't wait to read more on your blog! I love this post! :-)

  8. caitlin said...

    what a douchebag.