Friday 15 May 2009

Short to the point of rude?


Well the experiment didn’t work. Someone (OK, englishmum) said she once got 4,500 hits on a blog because she posted a recipe for lemon meringue pie. Then someone else told me they had been ‘inundated’ when they happened to mention that Brad Pitt was filming in their village. So, still feeling somewhat inadequate after hearing that there are US bloggers who get 94,000 hits a day, I thought I’d try it out.
Result? Even less hits than usual. Ah well, it was an interesting experiment (although, as Kitty points out, makes for a pretty trite blog – apologies).
Got me thinking about communication though. I’m still a bit bemused by Twitter. I can see its applications for business and it’s a good discipline to get over your message in 140 characters or whatever it is. However I reckon James must be beta-testing a new even more concise Twitter at school.

I’ve just had this little exchange via email (reported verbatim):

James: hello

Me: Hey, hello you! How are you? Daddy's gone for a cycle ride and I'm at my desk. Well, obviously. Blackbird is building a new nest now, in the creeper next to my window. Are you in IT?

Lots of love

Mummyxxx


James: thanks


Me: Thanks? Is it raining at school? It is here. Are you going for lunch soon? Wonder if it'll be lasagne? he he.

Mummyxxxxx

James: didyou get my attachment (sic)

Me: Is that it? What are you doing? Obviously on computer but is it an IT class? What attachment? Ah, that attachment. Sorry, didn't see it. Will go and open it now. Mummyxx

James: hi from nathan
and did you get my attachment

Me: Just seen the attachments. Wow the cover is great!
Do you want it printed out?
Hi Nathan - are you OK?
Mx

James: yes

Me: OK, I'll sort that.


James: not the second page but the first

James: (blank email)

Me: OK
Crikey, you don’t talk much on emails, do you??!! ;)
Mxx

James: No

Long pause.

James: Archies being a saddo about james Bond

Doesn’t look like he’s inherited either his parents’ love for words or their capacity to yatter on at great length on absolutely nothing in particular. Probably a huge blessing all round. Or is it that men (and boys) are just naturally more brief than women? Adrian’s emails are frequently brief to the point of terse (though he can write the hind legs off the proverbial donkey when it comes to beer) whereas women tend to write longer, more polished emails. Or is it an age thing?

By the way, have just posted a report on over the counter medications on my other blog – http://brutallyfrank.wordpress.com/

And, actually I am no longer bemused by Twitter - I am in love with it. Breaking news, looks like the Disney 7 might rise again as the Bognor 7 (or should that be Blognor)? Watch this space......









33 comments:

Edward said...

If you get a moment, could you please explain Twitter to me?

Toby does texting rather than Twittering (or is it Tweeting?) but his prose is expanded by the addition of "-age" to everything, so "lol" becomes "lollage". His expression of amusement - "titterage" is very Kenneth Williams, I find.

Zoë said...

That looks very like the kind of exchanges I have had with mine in email and text since they hit puberty! It's not much different today.

You were trying to increase footfall? You could try adding your blog to Technoratia, Stumbleupon, Digg, and any one of a number of similar sites.

Exmoorjane said...

Edward: increasingly seems to be used by business and certainly in journalism/PR etc for getting news around the web (given everyone's inboxes are now frozen solid). I'm very new to it but watching it with interest.
LOVE titterage and lollage (sounds like something Lolly could do).

Zoe: isn't it great? I was just howling with laughter (though, to be honest, it worked better as it was coming in but hey...) Would LOVE to get Digg and Stumbleupon but can't figure out how to get the buttons on each blog without inserted the HTML every time.... Yup, techno-stupidity raising its head again. Another email tutorial would be FAB (but only if you have time)....

Jude said...

well, he answered you..
As you have already said, and don't get me wrong, how the hell has Crystal Jigsaw got over 400 followers?? I follow and am not envious.....She's great, she is, honest, ok, I'll stop digging a bigger hole....

Ladybird World Mother said...

Oh, I send texts and emails and other ridiculous Modern Communication Ways and Means... and some of those are just like your one with James!! Spend AGES writing lovely witty kind warm sentence or two.. and get one syllabled curt Word of Reply. Lucky I am so nice and kind and dont Take Offence. Loved the fact that James does the same as my Ben. Phew. Not just my son then... XX

Exmoorjane said...

Jude: Crystal is a great networker - I am awed at how many people she comments on and how she manages to do it all. Serious respect, Crystal. Yup, you're right - I should be grateful for the email in the first place (though he DID want something).

LWM: Nope, not just yours! What I find funny (in myself) is that I was huffing and puffing about no Capitals and no Full Stops and all that - why is it I stick to Proper Grammar and punctuation, even in emails, texts and twitter???

Shabby Chick said...

Love it, I can feel the teenager vibes coming across! Am following you on Twitter, just joined and love it. I have all of two followers but have never had a problem talking to myself!

Mel xxx

Minnie said...

Definitely pick techie brains re Technorati, Digg, etc.
And remember you need targeted coverage, as opposed to 'blanket' variety.

Jen said...

Love the email conversation - and I KNEW that was what you were up to when you posted what you did.

English Mum said...

Ah, but hang on, before you make me sound like an UberMommyBlogger. The recipe has had 4000 hits since it was posted in January. It didn't get 4000 hits on one day. And remember I'm in Ireland so google.ie has a lot less sites to choose from when looking for recipes too.

And you've written about 25 books, and I haven't. Not that I'm jealous or anything, but...

I'll get me coat...

Exmoorjane said...

Shabby: Twitter? Just don't...I feel another addiction coming on.

Phidelm: am seriously thick when comes to adding stuff like this. Will try again when brain is fresh on Monday..(wishful thinking).

Strictly: Ah, I know you did!

English Mum: Oh. Blush. Egg on face and dog poo on foot. Didn't realise THAT. Thought it was one day. Feeling a lot calmer now....(sorry, sorry, just too much pitta in my constitution).

Reasons said...

He's a boy!! You had words of more than one syllable. I see no problem!

claire p said...

I'm still resisting twitter. I think short emails is a man thing. Richard's dreadful.

Faith said...

What amazes me is how much all of you seem to be on the pc. I think I spend too long on it, and I only have a weeny house and no children or teens. And Jane, because of your counter thing, and Milla putting up the post in the c. room, I put a counter on my dove blog and since doing so have had 27 'hits'. Ok not many you say, but none of those people have left a comment, and I wonder how and why they came in the first place. James' emails remind me of my sister's texts, certainly leave you wanting more info!

Tim Atkinson said...

Twitter's blogging distilled - like Plymouth Gin. You don't need very much to... have the desired effect!

Calico Kate said...

Am staying sooo far away from Twitter. Emails & Blogging and reading blogs and commenting on said blogs takes up too much time already. Ended up with a bonfire in the toast department last night coz I was reading ElizM's blog and not concentrating on what I should have been doing which was making B's supper! Had to buy new (from charity shop) toaster today as a result. House still stinks!
CKx
Word verif is 'nobism'!!!

Carah Boden said...

I'm with Edward - can someone please explain Twitter? For business, yes, I have had its relevance explained, but who the hell wants to know if I've farted?Like Faith, and as I have repeated endlessly since beginning blogging 2 years ago (with a pitifully low number of posts to show for it) - HOW DOES EVERYONE FIND THE TIME????
400 followers? Pah! Who needs more than 20? (me!!) - oh, and on my Fridge Food blog I lost 50% in one day - one of my two followers obviously got bored and sugared off! Total cyber-humiliation, that one. Took me days to recover!
Have done the Technorati thing and am no.736,665 or something. Quite discouraging really. And no-ones reviewed it. I think all this stuff is so random, is it really worth bothering about? Let's just chill...
x
Ps: And no-one's mentioned Facebook yet either!

Carah Boden said...

Ps: love the email exchange. Yep, it's a man thing. Women just don't know when to shut up. You just have to look at the length of my comments...!

Mopsa said...

Ahh... I'm getting it! The Disney mates suggested daily blog posts, minimum, responding to your commentators, and.... I have a feeling more neat tricks of the bloggers trade are about to be revealed. I have a handful of posts that get lots of visitors, and some of the search words that reel them in would make a pale skinned person blush, but Mopsa has black fur so that's ok.

rachel said...

You lot are seriously scary, with all that Twitter and techie stuff at your fingertips!

Boys and men, though.... the taciturn ones don't get any better with age - the Lovely Son, never one for talking much, rings me from 300 miles away, to have this very typical conversation:
Him "Hello."
Me, in delighted maternal tone:"Oh, hello! How are you?"
Him: "Fine."
and so on, until the monosyllabic responses and lengthy silences get to me and I tell him I have to go now as my other telephone stalker is holding. I have never fathomed out why he rings, really, when texting could let us both check that the other is still alive...

Anonymous said...

I see the use of Twitter as a business tool or even for tracking your kids when they are out without you, but I dont get the wider use. I have a few friends who twitter and tried to get me into it so I tried it and lost the will to live. I dont know why I would want the breaking news that my friend has just gone to the mall or has just left Denny's. For a few weeks there, I almost turned into Elmer FUdd and tried hunting them down so I could shoot them.

But I think its an age thing. This generation is much more economical with words!

Sam Fox said...

Blimey Jane, are you drinking extra caffeine??? You're blogging like mad! All good of course! And don't worry about James, its just a bloke thing. Adrian is the exception not the rule!

Maggie Christie said...

I loved the e-mail exchange, especially the blank reply. Priceless. I don't get Twitter either. I registered, but then couldn't think what to say...

Irish Eyes said...

Loved the e-mail exchange, and it's not just males who are terse. My two in reply to loving text enquiring as to state of mind, health and food consumption [now that ever-present Mother has left home] and usually get "Lv u,runin L8, tk L8r, X xxx". Very informative. As for Twitter, well, am still working out this area so Twitter is seriously "n da futr!" See my blog for the parents who left home!

Kitty said...

Oh, Jane, now I feel mean - it was just that word verification thing the said trite (well, tryte) and I didn't mean your blog content, I meant the whole concept of the phrase thingy and oh, god, I'm diggin now too. Jude - any room in your hole?

Sigh. Sorry.

Today's word is rhysive. Can I make amends with that one?

Pondside said...

Anything that enables communication is great, in my book, but Twitter hasn't caught on with my network.
Men and words - what is it? Mine all email as though there's a charge per character. I can't imagine what they'd do with twitter.

maddie said...

I'm on Twitter, but only so I can update my Facebook page without going into it. It all takes up too much time. I'm with the boys on this one.
x

Mum Gone Mad said...

Hello, just blog hopping and found you. I too have an unhealthy obsession with the amount of visits I get in a day (not many) and having read your blog feel I may just have a blog entitled "here is Brad Pitts mobile no." just to see what happens lol :)

Exmoorjane said...

Reasons: Yes, you’re right and expect it will only get worse as he hits his teens!

Claire: Resist, resist – it’s evil!

Faith: Yes, far too much time spent on it. I had a weekend off and it’s done me the power of good.

The Dotterel: Make that Gordon’s and I’m all for it!

Calico Kate: Very wise…..though can quite understand losing track of time while reading ElizM’s blog - always a total treat.

Her on the Hill: Hilarious. Love that you lost 50% in a day - what DID you say? Let’s not mention Facebook eh? LOL to your second comment. A often says, ‘why DO you do such long comments? I often don’t bother….thanks dear!’

Mopsa: I’ve only just got the counter so never know where people came from or by which searches they found me. And confess I am blushing a bit too!

Rachel: LOL – maybe that’s why Facebook, Twitter etc were invented – to save men having to make long chatty phone calls! Can’t imagine either was invented by a woman, can you?

Dave: Yup, I think I’ll mainly use Twitter for work….and yes, totally agree it’s an age thing..

Cowgirl: FAR too much coffee!!!!

Mags: Hmm, follow me and we can be puzzled together!

Irish Eyes: Heck, now that I would find hard. I simply cannot text…..

Kitty: No, it’s me – was in foul sensitive overly neurotic mood…..I’ll put myself in the hole!

Pondside: Love the ‘charge per character’ – would think Twitter would suit them hugely!

Maddie: I don’t know people do it and still manage to work, clean the house and generally live. Will have to find you on Twitter.

Mum Gone Mad: LOVELY of you to drop by – thank you. PLEASE do the ‘Here is Brad Pitt’s mobile number’ post – hilarious.

Milla said...

Jane, am almost tempted NOT to leave a comment (verbose naturally) because of your seeming unironic use of the phrase LOL. Off to vomit.
Wait til James is 12, the e-mails will pick up, T's texts are longer than J's e-mails, but F is yet to do either. It would take him a week, poorlove, to muster a sentence.

Exmoorjane said...

Milla: LOL..... he he (is it because it's sooo close to LOLLY?)

Annette Piper said...

My boy has verbal diarrohea when he's here at home. But put him in a situation where he's surrounded by people he's not 100% comfortable with and there is SILENCE. At the very most a monosyllabic answer to questions.

Sorry to hear the strategy didn't work, I won't try that one now ;)

Rob-bear said...

Twitter is a whole new language, at 140 characters per message. I've already studied six languages; I figure that's enough for one lifetime.

Besides, tweets are "for the birds."