Just because I can

I bought a most amusing book today, and this was a gem I found within…

I have tweeted from the gym. Those who know me personally are almost certainly aware of my pathological hatred of “working out” and other forms of pointless activity. Yes, I know: exercise is good for me. I think exercise is a wonderful thing, I just don’t think I should be compelled to participate if it doesn’t involve snow. On the (extremely) rare occasion that I managed to drag myself down to the basement gym, is it at all surprising that I would check my tweetstream in between reps on the lat pulldown? It was either that or stare at the exchange students with biceps bigger than my neck.

I have also tweeted from the ER. To be fair, this was because I checked in on FourSquare and it tweeted on my behalf. Does that really count?

I have tweeted from the bar. I also got into an argument at the bar, once, about the merits of social media with a bunch of podiatry and dietetics academics who really didn’t care that much.

I have tweeted in Church. This is mentioned in the comments, but I couldn’t pass this one up. To my credit, a friend about four rows back replied to my FourSquare auto-tweet when I checked into the venue, and I was merely responding to him. The tweets were even on topic, if I recall correctly.

I’m pretty sure I must have tweeted from other “inappropriate” places, I just can’t think of any at the moment.

Spin. They spent a LOT of time talking about spin. It’s such a pejorative term. It implies insubstantial and fragile words that are almost collapsing, much like a slowly turning top as it winds to an end. And the early history of PR had a lot of it, I’ll admit. But that’s not what PR is about. I won’t deny that there’s persuasion and positioning, but that’s part of how we communicate as a species.

We position ourselves with the clothes we wear, the food we eat, the TV we watch, and the things we say. I wear slim jeans and designer tees, I eat local produce, I watch Gruen, Poirot, and Time Team, and I talk about ethics and literature and social media and pop culture. I’d be cool, if I wasn’t so damnably uncool. I position myself, and I want people around me to buy into my spin.

If I can position myself, but I’m still honest about who I am (which I hope I am), then why can’t a company, or a charity, or a research organisation use the same tools of identity and position to define who they are and contextualise their actions? Yes, deception is bad. But when does “spin” become an unreasonable accusation? When are we taking normal persuasion and positioning and turning them into something they’re not?

Of course, this also begs the question; where does reasonable positioning end, and spin begin? My gut instinct is to say that if I’m not sure it’s reasonable, to stay away from it. I’m sure that I’ll refine this opinion over the years, but it’s a good place to start: don’t you think?

Oh lookit. I made Richard a SCARF. With CABLES. And WIN. And CAPITAL LETTERS.

Actually, the last one’s a lie. There are no capital letters on that scarf. Just win. If you want an entertaining account of the creative process, visit my ravelry project page (linked above) and read the shenanigans.

You know you’ve got the knitting bug when this is what you do when you’re waiting for your takeout coffee. I’m sure it’s the makings of a lovely first draft cable pattern, but… really.

So I made me another knitted goody. This one’s a starfleet insignia washcloth (yes, that’s an actual thing you can get in a knitting pattern) that is now my official face cleaning showery thingydoover. In yellow for command, of course. Contemplating making one in blue for science and one in red for operations (I’m a STTOS kinda gal),  just for shits and giggles. Move over, Stargate earth symbol! Your time is up, and the old school™ awesomeness has come to put you in your place. Or something.

It’s being modelled by my traumatised Jack Russell, Lucy. She looks so… keen. Not.

Also, Kimbra has awesome dress sense. What’s not to love?

Yeah, I’ve gone over to the dark side. Come play with me.