2.24.2011

A PHONE CONVERSATION

Im in our 22nd floor Hotel room at Bally's in Las Vegas, groggy from a 5:30am radio interview I did with an NYC station.  Im on the phone with my Mom trying to explain how to send the this very blog to all of her friends. It went something like this:

ME ...no mom you just copy the link and paste it to your email-

MOM: Ok I'm clicking the thing and its not-

ME: -no just select and copy it-

MOM: I did that Mark.

ME: Select it so it's highlighted at the top.

MOM: I think I've got it.

ME: You copied the link?

MOM: What? No. What are you talking about?

ME: Ok, why don't you just forward the email I sent you to everyone you want because the info is already there-

MOM: Do what?

Me: Forward it....forward the same email you received from me back to all of your friends-

MOM: Forward it? 

ME: Yes. You know how you send me all those chain emails all the time, the ones that say you'll die or have bad luck or get food poisoning for seven years or whatever if you don't send it to 30 friends?

MOM: I do not send those anymore, I delete them-

ME: -do that, but with the email I sent you.

MOM: Delete it?

ME: No don't-

MOM: Oh so you mean they have to read it now and resend it or else-

ME: No they won't have to resend it or else-

MOM: Thats a good idea-

ME: -No don't do that-

MOM: Why not? 

ME: Because it's only a chain email if you want it to be.

Pause...

MOM: Ok. I think I get it. Now, is there a way I could email people and have them immediately sent to your site?

Pause...

ME: Yes Mom...Thats exactly what we're talking about right now. Just do everything I just said-

MOM: I AM doing everything you said Mark, It's not working. You just never-

ME: -OK, ok ok...just start a new email then and address it to everyone you want to see it. Then in the body just type www, dot-

MOM: Hold On, w w w, dottttt-

ME: uh huh, dot-

MOM: Dot...

ME: Yes...dot, Sin loud-

MOM: -hold on...ok, sin loud-

ME: -speak easy, dot-

MOM: -speak...easy...

ME: -dot, com.  Or whatever site you want them to see-

MOM: Wont this just take me to your site if I type this?

ME: Not unless you click it. Now that URL becomes a link and as soon as they click it they'll go straight to the blog. Like if you sent an email to Jackie that said, Hey Jackie check out www.CNN.com Then from the email she could just click the link and go to CNN. It's a shortcut so any web address you type automatically becomes a link-

MOM: Your on CNN?

ME: No It's an example-

MOM: Ok I think I got it, but I don't want them to see that strange man on your site.

Pause...

ME: Strange man?

MOM: Well there's this man at the top of your site, right there in the open, right next to you and I have no idea who that is.

Pause...

ME: ....What?

MOM: That man Mark, on top of your writing, do you know him?

ME: No...

MOM: Well why on earth is he right there on YOUR site next to your writing and my name?

ME: Your Name?

MOM: Yes. I did one of those...things, so I can read your...what is this thing?

ME: Blog-

MOM: -right, but who is that man?

ME: What?

Pause...

ME: Ohhhhhh, yeah I don't know him but he has his own blog so he's probably reading mine.

MOM: Well why is his photo there? 

ME: He probably has a blogger account.

MOM: Well I just signed up my name for on those to read your site everyday and my picture isn't there.

ME: Have you uploaded a photo of yourself to your own blogger account?

MOM: What are you talking about? Mark, there is a man on your site and you need to get, him, off. Now.

ME: He isn't on my site Mom, its googles site, and He's following me.

MOM: What? You're telling me someone you don't know is following you!

ME: Yeah it's how the Internet works now. You want as many people you don't know to look at your stuff and follow you. The more you have the better because you then become connected to everyone they're connected to and the more connected you become the better you are.

MOM: At What?

ME: At the internet. See, this guy follows me which means I should follow him, even though I don't know him, so that maybe people already following him will see my picture on his page and start following me. It's like free publicity but using other people.

MOM: And you don't have to know them?

ME: No. I think Out of the nine hundred something friends I have on Facebook I really only know like, 14 people.

MOM: Really?

ME: Yes. 

MOM: Well I don't like that.

ME: Me niether...

Pause...

2 comments:

  1. Oh my gosh, this conversation is effing great. And so like many conversations I've had with older adults...

    ReplyDelete