Friends

I have friends in many places.  Lots of them are not in North America, but that's where I am.  Some of them are usually in North America but are currently traveling, and some even write about their experiences on blogs just like this one, because everyday is a new day, and new things carry with them new experiences.  Typically, blogs like these - travel blogs - are pretty interesting to read since the person writing them is immersed in a whole new world, not just a new day.  This also means that a chance visit to such a blog, without any prior knowledge of the writer's experiences, would most likely be a compelling one, because the experiences being written about are most likely going to be relatively detached from the experiences written before.  But it could also be flipped; perhaps the travel experiences are consistently being built on top of one another and to read for the first time about a mid-travel experience would prove disconnected and reserved for those vicarious followers.  

Other people think travel blogs are just plain boring.  Others, still, believe the act of blogging in general to be disreputable and vainglorious.  And yet, blogs remain.  I think it is rather innocent.  

The internet is a marvelous place, but of dubious distinction.  It is the only encyclopedia one shall require, perhaps ever again.  But that is dangerous thinking.  The internet is also a lonely place, but most people would probably tell you otherwise.  

A computer cannot replace a friend, even though you can use one to talk to each other when you are miles, miles away.  

You and a computer, together, cannot:

share heartfelt moments.

carry poignant conversations about the human condition.

have a tea party.

drink beer.

play duets on piano.

have sex.

cook brunch.  

play water polo. 

Maybe you can, but that's pretty weird.