They Should Call It CRACKBOOK

So, are you on Facebook yet? Everybody's doing it. In fact, they say there are over 2 million Canadians with profiles on Facebook. Considering that Canada only has about 30 million people, that's a significant percentage of the total population.

What is Facebook? According to their website Facebook is a social utility that connects you with the people around you. It is made up of many networks, each based around a workplace, region, high school or college.
You can use Facebook to:
- Share information with people you know.
- See what's going on with your friends.
- Look up people around you.

However, according to me, Facebook would more appropriately be called "Crackbook". It's that addictive.

Start setting up your personal profile, and you're hooked. You forget about eating or sleeping you're so fixated on describing yourself. It's a clever approach. What better way to get people interested than to get them obsessing over their favorite topic - themselves? And, for those who get really hooked, a profile is never stagnant. Ignore that business deadline, you're too busy revising the section where you listed your favorite quotes. How could you have overlooked that brilliant Kurt Vonnegut quip in the first place?

You see, Facebook draws you in by getting you to best describe yourself so you'll appear clever and hip to others on the network. It's a social thing, after all. Almost more time consuming is deciding what picture to use for your profile. That picture accompanies anything you send to another person, be it a message, a poke or whatever. It better be good!

Once you graduate from the narcissistic world of "me", you suddenly become aware of the even bigger world of "everyone else". At this point, you may as well forget about any real social life. Your world is now online. Your world has become Facebook.

Before you know it, your inbox is flooded with requests from people claiming to be your friend. Want lots of friends? It's that easy. Just keep saying yes. But be careful. Addicts can be very unpredictable, and that's what all your fellow Facebookers are - addicts.

I recommend ignoring "friends" that you've never heard of, or who suddenly reappear in your life after many years of separation. Chances are you weren't communicating with that "old friend" for good reason. Like with a jilted ex-lover, best to keep your distance. An acquaintance of mine is now being "stalked" by an old boyfriend - Facebook style. She accepted his friend request thinking it would be harmless. She is now being inundated with pleas for her to take him back. It didn't work then, it won't work now. Not even in the social world of Facebook.

But it's not just about finding and making friends. There's a whole voyeuristic side to Facebook, as well. You're free to lurk about, sneaking peaks at other people's private lives; their conversations, photos and social networks. It's not only possible, it's downright encouraged. Everything's there - who's dated who, how people met, who's hot, who's not... And, you can do it completely anonymously. Or, if you'd rather, you can march right on in and brazenly announce to the world, the Facebook world that is, that you have arrived!

Now, having read all this you'd think that I've resisted the Facebook urge and remain a distant observer. Ha! Nothing could be further from the truth. Recently I was late for Friday afternoon cocktails with real in-the-flesh people because I was busy chatting with some online pals. Even worse, my blog entries have suffered because I'm spending all my free time snooping around in the dirty laundry of people I don't even know. Pathetically, I haven't even posted a blog entry about my trip to Venezuela!

But all hope is not lost. I'm sure the addiction will soon subside and in no time I'll be writing about the chicas and the beaches. Not yet, however. In the meantime, I do have some photos I'd like to share with you. Wanna see them? No problem. Just check out the photo album I posted on Facebook. Here's the link: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=618406717

The 2000 Club

Big news here at the Digglings today – an accomplishment of sorts. According to my site counter report (which comes out on Mondays), the Digglings had its 2000th visitor sometime last week.

(In reality, the 2000th visit was probably some time ago, as I didn’t install the counter right away, and I’ve been known to inadvertently turn it off from time to time. Still, I have it set to ignore visits from me, so I avoid the temptation to constantly return to the site just to pad the numbers. The counter also distinguishes between unique visits and page views, so if you jump to another page in the site, it doesn’t get added as an extra visit. The 2000th page view was about a year ago. I chose not to celebrate.)

Now, 2000 visitors isn’t much for some sites (most sites, really), but for me it’s an accomplishment that I take pride in. It means that at least a few people are entertained by what appears here, and value it enough to return from time to time. I can’t tell you how good that makes me feel, other than to say “Hey, that makes me feel really, really good!”

In honor of the occasion, I went back and had a look at my very first entry, written on August 24, 2005. In that entry I defined diggling as “random minings of the mind, my mind, in particular”. Since that time, there have been lots of entries (73 in fact!). Admittedly, they have been hit and miss; occasionally over self-indulgent, often riddled with poor grammar (I never did know what a dangling participle was…), sometimes more ranting than necessary. But in the end, each entry represents thoughts and experiences that I felt were worth sharing, and the fact that so many people have dropped by since that first entry means that in many cases, I was on the right track.

So, this entry really isn’t about bragging rights. Instead, it’s a heartfelt thank you to each and every one of you who feels inclined to visit the Digglings - my Digglings.

I tell people that I write for myself. In a way, I’m a big fat liar. I write to communicate, to share. It takes more than one to share, and I thank each of you for sharing with me.

Here’s to our next 2000 visits!

Interactive Christmas Greeting

Hello There, and Best of the Season to you!

In this extremely impersonal age, I'm adding an exclamation point to it all by using this blog entry to pass on my not-so-personal Christmas greetings.

So, first off, please click on the following link to get in the mood, er, I mean spirit. (You've heard of Bad Santa, how about Even Worse Elf...?)
http://www.elfyourself.com/?userid=4a64b6527606ec5cd0c8b97G06121800
Isn't that absolutely enlightening? I'm sure you're now more than ready for whatever this season has in store for you. ("Thanks" to Judy R)

On with the greetings.
If you happen to be in Vancouver this December 23, please drop by for a little Festive Cheer at Dave's Christmas Eve Eve Celebration (CEEC). Not quite a party, not exactly an open house, just an opportunity to gather around, down a yuletide cocktail and wish you were going someplace warm for the holidays.

If you're unable to attend, and we will not be able to exchange Season's Greetings in person, then at least you have my "elf" doing my part for me!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY!!!
(If you're at all insulted by my using a greeting that has religious undertones, please, for the love of god [oops, did it again] - LIGHTEN UP!)

Diggling Labels!

Hi All,
You'll notice a new feature here on the Digglings. I've added "labels" to all of the entries. Now you can search past entries by subject, instead of obscure (and often misleading) things like date or title.
Choose from such exciting topics as:
Fun - everything from jokes to cartoons
Go Outside - often humorous tales resulting from my fruitless attempts at extreme sports
Me - when I can't think of a category, I file it here
Politics - how can I resist? Politicians provide such an abundance of subject matter!
Rants - true, almost all my entries are rants. That's why it's often a second, or sub, category.
Religion - almost as entertaining as politics, and often inextricably intertwined...
Science - usually as in vs. religion, but sometimes just plane interesting stuff from the world around us
Travel - everyone's favorite pastime
Enjoy!

The 16 Rule

While the world sat back and watched Italy celebrate victory in the World Cup final (at the same time wondering “What in the world was Zidane thinking?”), I was commemorating a milestone of my own.  I have embarked on a new chapter of sorts in my life, which represents not so much a lifestyle change, as a lifestyle adjustment.  July 9, 2006 will go down in world history as the day the Italians brought home the Cup.  But in my history, it marked week one of adhering to “The 16 Rule”.

No, “The 16 Rule” is not some new dating regimen that I conjured up (I should be so lucky…).  It refers to the number of alcoholic beverages I am allotted per week.  That’s right, no more than 16 drinks, whether it’s a beer, a glass of wine or a G&T, in any given week.

People’s reactions to this idea are quite predictable.  When I tell them, they respond in one of two ways.  It’s either:
“16 Drinks?!?  You’re cutting down to 16 drinks?  Who in the world has 16 drinks in a week?”, or
“No way, man.  Impossible.  Give up before you start.  There’s no way you can restrict yourself like that.  It’s just not natural!”.
Either way, they inevitably arrive at the same questions – why 16 and why do it?

The number 16, I’m embarrassed to say, came from some TV program I happened to surf past several years ago.  I can’t remember much more than a perky host describing how a common plan for problem drinkers involves limiting themselves to 16 drinks a week.  When I started this self-imposed regimen, that’s all I knew about the reason behind 16.  The ensuing public ridicule has encouraged me to do some follow-up research.

But, before getting to that, there’s the other “why” question.  Am I a problem drinker or a raging alcoholic?  Is my life in ruins and in need of drastic measures?   Well, of course not! So why do it?  

Put quite simply, I’m a social drinker, always have been.  But, I’m also a very social guy.  This means going out for dinner an average of 5 or 6 times per week, and often having two different activities planned on any given night.  The common thread binding all of these is, of course, alcohol.  It’s such a natural aspect of social activities.  
“Let’s meet for a drink.”
“Come on over and we’ll have a glass of wine on the patio.”  
“I believe it’s your round, lightweight!”

The turning point for me was counting the number of drinks I’d actually consume in any given week.  Now, it’s currently summertime in Vancouver, and since it’s our only respite from 10 months of rain, alcohol consumption tends to go up when the sun shines.  Even so, count drinks I did, and I was surprised by what I found.  

On a Monday evening I’d have dinner on a friend’s back deck, followed by a round of disc golf at a nearby park.  Dinner was accompanied by two glasses of wine, we had a beer while golfing, and stopped off at a pub with a great deck on the way home.  Monday – six drinks.  Not necessarily excessive, but then along came Tuesday with the same total, and Wednesday, and Thursday…  Before the weekend had even started, I’d have consumed over twenty drinks!  Some week’s totals exceeded 40.

For even a social drinker, that’s a lot of alcohol.  In fact it’s too much.  I knew I needed to cut down, but my half-assed attempts to do so always failed.  I needed some way to gauge my intake, and a framework to enable me to realistically curb it.  Using a method that others had adopted seemed like a reasonable plan, so “Dave’s 16 Rule” was born.  

I've since looked into where the number 16 comes from, and it's loosely based on a "safe and healthy" alcohol consumption guideline.  Most agencies (Health Canada, CDC etc) encourage limiting alcohol consumption to two drinks per day, and never going over four drinks per day.  Consuming beyond these recommendations opens the door to a litany of potential illness.  The 16 Rule allows for those two drinks each day, and adds an extra on the weekends, without going over the recommended maximum.

Now, I'm not an angel, so I don't expect to never have over 4 drinks in a day again.  However, the process of counting alcohol consumption is a good one for me, and is going to contribute to my overall health as I muddle my way through middle age.  And, as an added bonus, I've already noticed a drop in my bra cup size!

The 16 rule isn't easy, but I am comfortable with where the motivation comes from and know it's the right thing to do.  That makes it easier to switch to water after a glass of wine or two.  In the end, that’s exactly what I want – to enjoy alcohol in moderation.  The last thing I want to hear is some doctor telling me I can’t even do that.

I Hate Birthdays...

More Heart Shaped Candy

Nice to see so many people standing up for Valentine’s Day. Well, sort of...
What follows is a quick response I sent to a friend who took me to task on the “Valentine Schmalentine” article.
***************************************************
Who me?
Far be it from me to express displeasure with a day dedicated to expressions of romantic love...
Nope. Not me. That article was written by some sarcastic sod on Craig's List. Nothing to do with my current state of thinking…

That said, I did find certain ASPECTS of the article interesting. Something about how the original idea of MUTUAL expressions of love between two people has turned into a rather one-sided ordeal (i.e. one side expects it, the other side digs deep and hopes it's enough to satisfy that rather indefinable expectation).

But seriously, my true feelings about Valentine's Day are similar to those I hold concerning New Years Eve.
People who go all out on New Years tend to be people that don't get out much. They are happy to spend $100 per person to go to some lame bar, watch the same band that played the previous night (for free!), and drink a complimentary glass of Baby Duck at midnight. It's a big night for them because they got to leave the kids with a sitter and play for a night in the big city. It wouldn't be such a big deal if they actually let loose once in a while.
Valentine's Day ends up being much the same. People who lead fairly mundane day to day lives attempt to rekindle something with their partner by spending lots of money at restaurants with inflated "Valentine's Menu" pricing. Or, they get all depressed because they don't do much of anything on Feb 14 and they wonder "where the love went".
I only say this because I think it’s better to maintain a healthy level of romance all year long. It's not a case of me thumbing my nose at a day of romance; it's actually quite the opposite. I say, why restrict it to one day? Why run the risk of having your love marginalized by yet another media hyped consumer cash grab? Instead, fill your year with as many nice dinners (Wild Rice works for me), romantic getaways (I know a great waterfront Inn in Port Townsend), and special treats (I honestly hope I don't need to make any suggestions here) as your budget can withstand. And most of all, it needs to remain a mutual thing. Money's not the equalizer here; it's effort and thoughtfulness.
And there's not a hint of cynicism intended. Well, not a lot, anyhow.

Feedback: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugh!

Well Hallelujah, it finally happened! After months of ramblings and musings on these pages, something has struck a chord with you the readers. Surprising to me, it wasn’t anything about God, natural disasters, politics or even guns. No, it was a piece on people acting ignorantly, and it drew more emotional responses than anything I had written previously. Comments ranged from something on the order of “Right on, high fives and cokes all around!” to an anonymous entry accusing me of being a “self-anointed superior jackass”.

So which is it? In case you didn’t read the piece, or for those too lazy to scroll down and check it out, it was a description of a guided night-time walk down an exquisite beach in Costa Rica to observe leatherback turtles laying eggs. I was struck by how our group seemed completely disinterested in the special and rare experience we were sharing, preferring to blab on and on about unrelated mundane fluff. The final conclusion that I drew was "if you don’t have something of value to add to such a situation, please don’t feel the need to fill the night air with inane chatter." Or something like that...

A bit harsh? Perhaps, but it stems from a rather strongly held belief of mine that as individuals we owe it to ourselves, to our fellow human beings and to the earth itself to wake up and pay attention. I’m not asking a lot, yet imagine if every one of us dedicated a small portion of our thinking, say 10%, to something that matters. If we could just step outside the reality television fast food culture long enough to take stock of what’s going on around us, I’m convinced the world would be a better place. Instead, the bulk of the population chooses to live life with blinders on, unwilling to look beyond their own immediate experience.

Costa Rica provides a classic example of what I mean. It’s a beautiful, fascinating place, full of culture, nature and, of course, surfing. No wonder it is one of the top tourist destinations in the world. However, as more and more foreigners are attracted to the place, many deciding to move there, the result isn’t so much a celebration of Costa Rica as it is an exercise in modern-world mediocrity.

The beachfront of Tamarindo is becoming increasingly crowded with hotels, and the surrounding hillsides are now dotted with condo developments. It’s bound to happen in such a desirable location, and brings much needed money to the local economy. But why is it that it also brings Pizza Hut, Burger King, Subway and the never ending list of usual suspects? These places have all set up shop yet Tamarindo doesn’t even have any paved roads, let alone reliable plumbing and electricity. Don’t people go somewhere exotic to get away from the local strip mall, or do we really need to surround ourselves with the familiar, no matter the locale?

I suppose Tamarindo is turning into a full blown resort and the influx of Wal-Mart et al is inevitable. But come on people, leave the craving for a Big Mac at home, and experience the flavor of another culture!

For those wanting to avoid the crowds of Tamarindo, Nosara is pure nirvana. For many years a remote backpackers destination attracting no one but surfers, Nosara has grown enough to boast a few hotels and some restricted services. Surfing is still the only game in town, but the land is being rapidly snatched up by foreign money. The locals get a kick out of how suddenly the courts are crammed, as gringos contribute modern ideas to their village by attempting to sue the pants off each other. Unfortunately, another trend is appearing, that of foreigners using the courts to push out the locals, whose close proximity apparently lowers the property values.

All of this results from self centeredness and ignorance. We wear blinders so we don’t feel responsible for our actions. Returning to the leatherback turtle scene, I’m struck by the very same attitudes. I wasn’t chastising people for socializing around the pool. People can fill their leisure time with whatever they please. But, strolling along Playa Grande, I was hoping to get just a sense that people in our group were able to recognize the rare beauty that we were sharing, and to understand how endangered it is. Instead, all I saw were people unable or unwilling to leave “Sex In The City” behind for just an hour. And to me, that’s inexcusable.

That’s just my opinion, and that’s why there’s feedback. Keep it coming, regardless of whether you like it, or you think I’m a jackass. I’ll do my best to keep you interested, or furious.

What in the World is a Diggling?

What is a Diggling anyhow? One would assume that it comes from the word diggle,
but neither word appears in the dictionary (honest, check for yourself: http://www.m-w.com/).

So, it's up to me to come up with a suitable definition. After all, I made up the word myself.

Here goes:
Diggling (dig-ling)
origin: first used in 2005, result of sloppy typing and unfortunate slack non-usage of "spell check", supposed to have been written as "digging".
definition: a derivative of the word diggle, as in "to diggle", diggling refers to random minings of the mind, my mind, in particular. Think rants, political satire, and observations about living with billions of people who just don't have a clue - it's all here.
alternate origin: from the name Diggler, as in Dirk Diggler from the film Boogie Nights. It just has a nice ring to it, wot?

There you have it. Dave's Digglings. Let's play!