Staying in touch...

No man is an island... we're social creatures. In the last couple of months, I've been constantly reminded (directly and indirectly) that life is about relationships. One friend aptly summed it up...vertical and horizontal relationships. Vertical - with God, horizontal - with man. Can't disagree with that. Think I'd go cuckoo if I live in solitary confinement. That's why, I supposed, in Kamunting and jails, solitary confinement is one form of punishment meted to inmates.

Staying in touch is a breeze these days...

The mobile phone is one such tool... smses. It's a great way to send messages of all sorts. I enjoy getting messages too. With Twitter I think mobile texting which is already a hit will take off some more. With it you can let your friends know what you are doing almost instantly. This I haven't gone in, though....time factor.

I use Skype. This is a great tool also to get connected. Very much like MSN (which I also have but rarely log on because I'm too lazy to download a Mac version) it allows my friends to catch me whenever I am online. I've been able to 'chat', talk and see my two young friends from across the Pacific Ocean very regularly the last hols via Skype. Had tonnes of fun with them! Even watched them play piano....how much better can it get?

Then during the hols too, I jumped onto the Facebook bandwagon...been a treasure trove cos it has reconnected me with really, really old chums from school days! I've been able to 'reconnect' with my schoolmates, some of which I've not seen in years! 8) That alone is already cause for celebration! After using it for a couple of weeks, I finally understood why it's such a hit with users. There are other similar sites but for now, I'll stick to this.

And finally there's the email. Used not to trust webmail service...only started using Gmail in earnest this year. Via Google Talk, had a nice chat with Linda who is on the other side of the Pacific Ocean too.

But I do wish there is one single aps for all this.... cos I have to log in so many sites now... However, I am not complaining too much....cos all these apps....they've allowed me to reconnect with people in ways my parents' generation could never possibly imagine! To be able to reconnect with others is a blessing in life. For that I'm thankful. Anyway, who knows, in a couple of years, communication as I know it now may undergo another transformation, one that would be even more mind boggling! 8)