Kerisma

Bringin’ it Back to Beantown Where it All Began. The HOB first launched in Cambridge, but only a few were blue when it closed down. The restaurant and entertainment venue had much success expanding in such locations as Vegas and Chicagoentertaining crowds. I’m glad to see it come back home and nobody was singing the blues tonight in Boston. There were guests living it up, laughing and having a great time at the opening party listening to the rockin’ blues talent at the new location on Lansdowne Street. Young and old mingled in the crowd of eclectic artwork decorating the walls where the disco ball and lights of the Avalon nightclub used to shine. Dan Aykroyd, the original Blues Brother himself and his closest friends, including Carly Simon, gathered on stage to get the party started and give birth once again to the new venue next to the famous Fenway Park. Everyone was dancing and singing celebrating the occasion. It was a great escape from the stresses of society today, to see everyone smiling having a good time, and meeting new people. I had quite a few memories dancing at Avalon and wasn’t quite sure what to expect walking through the door. They preserved certain aspects of the nightclub with the new structure, but offered audiences three floors now to socialize. I’m told the VIP room called the Foundation is quite the place to see and you too can join with an exclusive membership.

The men on stage were taking off their shirts as they were gyrating their bellies to the music, as the girls got down swinging their hips. It was fun and quite funny. I enjoyed swinging it myself on the dance floor and few complimented my moves. Best of all, was seeing many familiar faces of my past at the party. Yes, time has moved on for all of us, people get married, move on, have kids, change jobs, start companies, nightclubs and restaurants open and close. Yet, there’s one great thing about this city I can appreciate, mixing the old with the new, but preserving those special moments as if they just happened yesterday. Yes, it’s nice to connect with people on Facebook from our past, but the experiences tonight with people in person around this town, no technology can replace the realism, the real connections and memories made face-to-face. I had a good time and happy to share that experience with you. 

It’s about opening my world to you to share my perspective. You will read the Boston Globe and/or Boston.com, and some people will be seeing tonight’s report on WBZ Channel-4, as well as many other media outlets reporting on the event. Yet, my perspective will be unique to all the others, and that’s what is great about the new technology in our hands today and the power it has on us.

My friends and I just saw the movie “He’s Just Not That Into You.” A hilarious flick that pokes fun at how technology is used, or isn’t used, to make a connection with that special someone.

You rush to check your email, you make a point to check your Facebook page, you text, wait for a text, and if you are lucky enough a phone call.

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

Admit it, it’s not just gals that are doing this, but men are too. When did this happen that we are at the mercy of technology to influence our lives and for some to feel valuable. It’s the state of this crazy new technological world we live in.

No email…No text…Oh no! Yet, the girl or gal next to me has enough to create a novel. No posts written to your wall on Facebook for at least a week…Does anyone love me?

What is this world coming to? I had actually banned text for many months until people asked me, “Did you get my text?” Of course not, but I caved in to sign-up because I would have lost out on some important messages. Drew Barrymore said it best as the character of Mary explains to her friend the new society we live in. “He emailed me, text me, and My-Spaced me and now you have to check all these different portals of technology…it’s exhausting!”

Why are we taking all this time invested in the virtual world when we should be investing it in the real world to meet the true gentlemen. There is a new kind of chivalry coming out of this digital age when texting is the way of getting the door for someone, emails are the little hand-written notes from a secret valentine, when adding one as a friend on Facebook, is the new, “OK, you’re cool enough to join my crew.”

The little personal niceties are slowing diminishing in this “crack-berry/ iPhone” world. It’s sad. In the movie, Mary shares with her colleagues at the magazine, “Things have changed. People don’t just meet organically anymore. If I want to make myself more attractive to the opposite sex, I don’t go get a new haircut – I update my profile. That’s just how it is.” It’s true for us experimenting in the online dating world. Also, for those connecting with others on Facebook, or who wish to impress his/her former high school classmates. However, too often there are those that feel safe hiding behind their computer, posting messages that are not true, or sharing pictures that are ten years old. That’s just not right and it makes it harder for one to trust the virtual world without first-hand experience, or encounters with others in the real world. Meanwhile in the movie, the guy Mary meets online turns out to be a phony. Later she is pleasantly surprised by turning off the technology. It’s ironic when she uses it first, she doesn’t have much success. However, when she puts down the phone, turns off the computer and meets someone face-to-face, she finds love.

Don’t get me wrong, I find the entertainment through the use of Facebook, the texting between friends can be fun at times too, and online dating has some interesting experiences. Yet, sometimes I just have to sit and laugh not taking things so seriously. I have friends that obsess over the amount of text and what to interpret by each message. OMG, he didn’t text me back, or respond to my Facebook post! What happened to the day of picking up the phone, or meeting someone at a local café to talk face-to-face? We are becoming a fickle society that doesn’t want to invest the effort anymore. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS. That is, REAL ACTIONS in the REAL WORLD. In a recent interview about the movie, Drew Barrymore explains, “I’m totally confused by technology in dating. It’s so hard. It’s new; we’re in a new phase of history. It’s uncharted waters and we’re all figuring it out together.”

I’ve learned to value the interpersonal connections so much more with the influx of technology and social media. Today, I seek the sounds of sharing a laugh, the touch of one’s hand, the smells of the environment, the engaged conversations with others have come to have great meaning. It’s scary how quickly this world is changing and a time when the phrase “reach out and touch someone,” maybe becoming a thing of the past.

Honey, if he isn’t taking the time to treat you with respect in person, recall the things important to you in person, invite you out in person just to have someone close by to listen what’s on your mind ….HE’S JUST NOT THAT INTO YOU!