I love the smell of dead fish!

When I smell fish, dead or alive, I immediately think "Summer" and "the Puget Sound".

I grew up in Seattle, WA, so those of you who are familiar will know of the famous Pike Place Fish Market where fish are thrown and caught by professional fishmongers. It's a great show and great fun.

Anyway, I never worked there. But, my first paid work was at my best friend's house during the summers on Fox Island, WA. Her Dad was the Captain of a herring boat. We'd go out on the boat at night and set the nets for herring. Then, we'd drop the herring into pens back at the house.

In the late morning under the sun, we'd stand at a sloped table and scoop herring into bags. We would pack them 12 in a bag, 12 in a bag, 12 in a bag while yellow jackets buzzed around our scale-covered fingers.

If I recall correctly, we were paid piece-rate, so fast was good! And, when we were done, we'd float on styrofoam blocks in the Puget Sound.

After I turned 18, I spent a summer working at a salmon cannery on Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA. It was a great summer for learning Spanish and packing salmon, but a terrible summer for canning salmon since the salmon weren't running as typical. As a teen who wasn't dependent on the income, it was quite an educational summer. I saw a goat sacrificed by a group of Muslims from Malaysia, the goat head in the oven with its eyes glazed and its tongue sticking out (given to the Mexican workers by the Malaysians), and witnessed a white man's wigwam burn down due to his own stupidity.

I love walking by the Fish Market in Pike Place because it reminds me of summer.
When I first took my, then 4-years old, stepson to Pike Place Market for his first vist, the words out of his mouth as we walked by the fishmongers were "I just love the smell of dead fish!"

I was so proud!

Connections

So, in my last article, I forgot to mention Linked In 

Linked in is a social networking site that helps professionals link with other professionals and share their expertise and resumes with one another.  It was my experience with Linked In today that started me on my Social Networking blog, posted previously. 

I was thinking of the "connections" we experience as social networking enriches our lives.  Or, perhaps just fills up those empty spots in our lives that could be filled with other things like exercising, work, eating and other tasks that are not amenable to procrastination. 

Anyway, I saw, on my mobile app, that I had some updates on Linked In.  I immediately went to discover if I had finally been discovered.  I don't know what I hope to be discovered for, but being "discovered" is an exciting prospect.  At least if it results in something that makes you rich. 

So, while perusing my updates, I see that a former High School friend was a Presenter at the 20/20 awards in February 2012.  Wow! Wait, what are the 20/20 awards?  So, I type in a search and come across a link to the 20/20 awards on nowhere other than Blogspot (which hosts Calamity Brain, btw).  The depth of these social connections is astounding!  Of course, I've never been to the 20/20 awards, and have never heard of the 20/20 awards, BUT, a friend from High School with whom I am connected on FB and Linked In was a presenter at this illustrious event.  Question, is he a friend, or acquaintance since I clearly don't know him well enough to a) know what the 20/20 awards are b) ask him what the 20/20 awards are and c) know that he had presented at the 20/20 awards until I had an update on my Linked In?  

Anyway, that aside, I learned that the 20/20 Awards are an award ceremony to look back at those films that won Oscars 20 years ago and re-evaluates the Academy's decisions with the benefit of, you got it, the 20/20 vision of hindsight!  Their blog on Blogger informs us that they are in no way associated with the Academy or the Oscars.  Therefore, I will not post a picture of an Oscar here. 

The Silence of the Lambs won 20/20 awards in this past ceremony.  It was the original winner on many counts for Oscars in 1991.  I think the awards are called a "Felix"  Perhaps I'll ask my friend/acquaintance.  While reviewing this year's winners I saw a movie I'd never heard of before:  Barton Fink starring John Turturro, John Goodman and Judy Davis.  Mr. Goodman won a Felix for Best Supporting Actor.  Well, of course, this required me to look up the film.  It is a 1991 Coen Brothers film set in 1941.  How did I miss this? 

Well, anyway, thanks to Social Networking and my friend, or acquaintance, I have learned about a film I never heard of which now has not one, but two Felix awards.  Perhaps I'll find the time between updating and reviewing my Social Networks to actually see the film.   

Navigating Social Networks

With Social Networking at an all-time high and growing, I couldn't help but become a beta-tester for a new site:  Pinwheel.com  I discovered Pinwheel through a Gizmodo article, posted on Facebook:  Why You'll soon Be Using a Wonderful Little Service Called Pinwheel to Discover the World Well, what really happened was that I tried to enter a contest by posting the best response to the Gizmodo article, couldn't figure out how to add a map point or whatever to my comment, went to Pinwheel myself and signed up for access.  Then, I was invited by the site itself.  But, if you'd like an invite, let me know.  I won't make you insert a map in my blog.  

I tried to advertise Pinwheel on another networking site I belong to, TarValon.net which is a phpBB website devoted to uniting worldwide fans of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time fantasy series.  Although TV.net fans are notoriously anxious to try out new things, I haven't had a single taker yet for Pinwheel.  Weird.  I was worried that too many people would be interested and I only have three invites, but I guess without discovering it for themselves, a solicited invite is perhaps not special enough. 

Is it possible I didn't get an overwhelming response because people are saturated with Social Networking?  I don't think so.  I think people find niches for themselves which allow them to connect with others in the most efficient way to communicate and "be discovered".  Once they find a niche that works, it may be difficult to try another experience until you can hold it in your hands and see how it fits into your life without having it feel like a commitment. 

For example, first joining Facebook (FB) is like being a rock star...people from your past come out of the woodwork to "Friend" you.  I remember being thrilled with this experience, only to have an existential crisis some days later when a) my multiple "worlds" collided, (e.g.) the High School Geek that I was and the Professional Woman I am (well, and still a geek), the divorced parents, my online friends and my professional work life, etc. and b) I had to deal with the 20-something-odd-year leftover emotions from being that übergeek in High School.  (True, I wasn't ostracized in High School, but it wasn't that much fun for me either, I was just more of a peripheral afterthought for most of my classmates.)  At the point of existential crisis and working three different sites to broaden my social network I could either have abandoned FB or continued.  Years later, FB is still one of my main modes of communicating with others. 

Now, I've hit my stride on FB and am part of a social demographic of women of a certain age who are comfortable with this medium.  Damn!  I hate being a statistic!  Perhaps that's why I like to seek out new opportunities? 

Well, anyway, before Facebook, I was entirely devoted (and still am) to TarValon.net and was a sometimes proliphic journalist on LiveJournal.com.  Sadly, I can't even remember my LiveJournal (LJ) password at the moment.  I can't remember the last time I posted there.  Thus is the nature of social networks, fun until something better comes along.  *feels slightly guilty for neglect of LiveJournal, reviews last LJ post from 2009 when I told LJ I'd taken FB as a new "lover", feels less guilty...at least I said goodbye*

I've tried Twitter, I know its quite popular, but I'm too dumb to get it.  It doesn't make sense to me the way Facebook does.  Perhaps I'm too old for that demographic?  I am an avid Pinner on Pinterest, another relatively new site.  I am addicted to creating boards and adding pictures to my boards.  I don't feel the "connectedness" to others that I do on Facebook and TV.net, however.  But, I feel a momentary thrill when others pin my pins, and I feel a momentary thrill when I discover a new pin that I can add to my boards, or that causes me to create a whole new board! And yes, I am also part of a certain demographic on Pinterest as well...damn statistics making me feel old and matronly!!!  Next thing I know, Target will be sending me Targeted mailers for products reminding me how middle-aged and matronly I am.    

Perhaps that's why I was attracted to Pinwheel, it makes me feel like I'm on the edge of something, and not so matronly after all.