RE:think

When Social Networking Gets it Right

There are horror stories out there about online social networks. Most of the stories we hear are negative. We hear of sexual predators on Myspace. Craigslist has it’s very own killer. Even Ernie posted earlier today about one of the huge problems with Facebook.

But every now and then, I see see this medium get it right. Sometimes, it gets it right in a huge way.

Social networks are popular for many reasons. Some use them to pimp themselves. They post all kinds of pics of themselves and it’s all about creating an online image.  Some people actually use them to market products. Still others use them as a virtual soapbox to get their thoughts and opinions out to someone, anyone, who will read them. I do this often. But most of us are using them to reconnect and keep in touch with others. In this, these services have served me well.

As most of you know, my 10 year old daughter spent 4 days and 3 nights in the hospital with a severe kidney infection. It was a trying time for her and our family. We are still worn our from the whole ordeal and she is still in recovery here at home. But there were some bright spots during this time. We were showered with love, care and concern. We received phone calls, visits, emails, and yes, notes of encouragement via Facebook and Twitter.

I was able to keep most of the people we know apprised of the situation. I posted updates as I could and asked for prayer. And guess what? BOOM! We were getting encouragements and notes from not just a few people, but dozens! Every time one of you would send in a kind note, I would look over at BeBe in the hospital bed and read it. Some of you she knows, but many of you she does not. It didn’t even matter. Every time we got one she’d smile. It made her feel important and special.

So good on ya Facebook and Twitter. You’ve created something that allows us to report and receive in a way we’ve never seen before. I am very grateful. Thank you.

And one more time, and probably not the last time,  I want thank all of you who called, visited, tweeted and posted notes during our trying time. It was awesome and helped more than you know.

Technorati Tags: Facebook,Twitter

Party!!!

Clint, Lisa, and Stacie

Julie and Kevin

Thursday Nights

Gotta Have Friends

Last night we had one of our bi-annual gatherings that gets friends together that don't always get a chance to hang our regularly. We had a blast. As is our usual modus operandi, there was karaoke. And as usual, it was HILARIOUS.

More than anything, I was just glad to get these folks over that I don't see on a week to week basis or even month to month in some cases. I am not the smartest guy in the world, but I have figured a few things out. One of them is value and absolute necessity that good friends are to a happy and healthy life. Here is you free advice for the day: Have friends, and lots of them, and spend time sharing your life with them.

So, we need some pics huh? Well here ya go...

Me and Clint.

Rob and Jay.

Vette and Kevin.

Wagner Boys.

I'll get a flickr set up soon and you can check out more.

Way to Go Ernie...

My buddy Ernie graduates in a week or say. I am more than proud of him. Ern, you da man.

Link: Please Celebrate With Me

He's Comin' Back!

This is just some stinkin' news. Ernie is coming back to town.

Link: ernpac.com

What a Crazy Weekend!!!

It started off with me and good buddy Clint heading to Knoxville to check out a band with Ernie for an early birthday gathering for Ern. We were about 10 miles out and Clint said the steering felt a little weird. We continued on, left the interstate and as we pull out at the bottom of the of off ramp the rack and pinion on the left front totally broke loose. We were able to get it to the side of the road, call a tow truck, and get Ernie to pick us up.

Now let me interject how blessed we were. Had that happed on 4 lanes of interstate, at the end of rush hour at 65 miles per hour, well, it would have been bad to awful.

We got the car to Pep Boys and like the troopers we are, headed on to the show. Well, we headed to Barley's first for a brew and some pizza. Later, we saw one of our favorite tribute bands, Appetite for Destruction, the fake Guns 'n' Roses. They were killer as always and I am consistently blown away at just how good fake Axl is. Before they took the stage, Poison tribute Hollyweird played. They are terrible and I thought Ernie and Clint were going to get into a fist fight about the original band.

Anyway, Saturday was a day of College football with my boys. Michigan, one of my favorite teams, beat Notre Dame, Ernie's favorite. It was sweet and I won't gloat. Although I did tell you Ernie not underestimate the Wolverines. Props to Ern on the grilled salmon.

However, later in the evening our beloved Vols fell to the evil Florida Gators and a horrible personal foul call by an official that erased a TD. It was a rough way to end the day. Vols losses take a day or two to get over. I'll even avoid ESPN for fear I will have to see the highlights again. They love to rub it in on me. I think ESPN hates me.

Back to the car... It was going to be more than the car is worth to fix, so pray for Clint as he looks for new transportation this week. And we needed a ride back to Kingsport, so...

We hitched a ride home with some Charlie Manson looking dude. He smelled of pickles and Josh Stewart and scared us a little bit. He drove a '75 El Camino and insisted we all pile in up front. I made Clint take the middle seat.  He continually talked about the egg salad sandwich and how it is totally underrated while ham and cheese was extremely overrated. I thought this was some of serial killer code talk and that I was egg salad and Clint was ham and cheese. Meaning I was safe and Clint wasn't. He actually stopped on the side of the road a couple of times, walked around the car while talking to someone named Randy that we couldn't see. It was scary.

Ok, I made that last paragraph up, we hitched a ride home with good friend Hoosh, who had come down for the Vols game.

There were lots of little funny things that happened throughout the weekend, but I can't remember them right now. It's the kinds of things that once the man group breaks up and goes there separate ways in normal life, they forget them till the next time they get together.

Remember, pray for Clint, I know the spot he is right now because I have a car down and am not sure what I am going to do.

Thanks Ern for having us, Clint for driving us most of the way and Hoosh for getting me home to the fam.

Nouwen Quote...

This is a good one...

"When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives means the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares."

- Henri Nouwen