Amy Likes Passion Tea

Yesterday was a business and design day. No Godiva for you today. But Amy likes my photographs and Tazo Passion Tea. If I were still in New Orleans, I'd ask her to stop by or meet me at Still Perkin’ and just chat about nothing for awhile. She wrote an interesting "rant " yesterday about the nets again. And I found myself thinking once more about what it is we get from this connectedness. After the conversations I had this weekend, it is on my mind.

I am an introvert mostly. Can go for days on my own. Lots to do, plenty of inner life. But one of the key ingredients of home, was a little spot two blocks away, a hub, a coffee shop. And my "hood" was a walking one. So there was every reason to expect to meet someone neat if I just stepped out my door. Tourists , locals, friends, acquaintances, some regulars known only by sight. But if you were there, chances are you were okay, except the ones who weren't. But that's another story.

Oddly enough there among the celebs and semi celebs and the just "plain folks", there was an unspoken rule. Everyone was just anyone, just after quality of life. Of course Courtney Love did not last too long, that was never going to work. It is like that in "my adopted hood" in Santa Fe too, although there it's a little different. Surprisingly a little more closed off. And Gerald Peters, never saw him on walkabout, just the peacocks in his yard. My aunt had those too. I thought maybe he's a Southerner. But no, no home baked muffins or an invitation to brunch. He was mostly on his airplane or off selling the Astor Childe Hassam.

What's the point of all this rambling about neighborhoods? Well, Dallas is paved, suburban. People stay in cars. I walk, but it is on a paved and orderly Bike Path that goes through the neighborhood. It's nice. It's comfortable. It is safe. It is dull. But...Amy is in Chicago and shares her wit with me. She would fit right in my Garden District Hood. And there are others, places that I go around these nets, to find that flavor that is missing. That engagement so necessary to my life. She raised the questions yesterday about friendship and faux friendships on the web, about social media, and has come up with this delightful "cut the crap o matic." Yep, she would fit right in.

And here's the takeaway. I once was told to have good friends, you must be a good friend. And that has always worked for me. If you are doing business on the net, it is like business in real life, courtesy, respect, goes a long way. But above all, I have no interest in being anybody but me. So today, I know that when Amy sees this photo she will smile. Can't sell it. You cannot see it. But it is there. In my hood, that smile and simply giving someone pleasure would be a good thing. Like a nice visit, or sharing a cup of tea. So that's my painting today. Just a smile on Amy's face.

Come on Brush, we need to finish up those chocolates...yes, and paint them too....

Do you think "social media" is any different from real life?