By 
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| {Box Girl by Lilibet Snellings via ItsMonicaLA Instagram} |
“Sometimes I dream about the days before Facebook and G-chat, before Instagram and iPhones. Before iPads and iEverything. Back when Apple was still an apple, The Cloud was just a cloud, and Siri was just the misspelled name of Tom Cruise’s daughter. Back before Twitter and Tumblr, and before phone conversations were so taboo. Before texting and not talking & abbreviating everything. Back when OMG and WTF were just someone’s initials. Back when Thursday was not #tbt, and we did not LOL at our own jokes. Back when we were forced to pick up the phone because we didn’t know who was calling”
-Lilibet Snellings, Box Girl
This morning I woke up and walked to eat breakfast at a great neighborhood spot called Coral Tree Cafe. Before leaving I was perplexed on whether to pack my laptop or not, as I already had the book I am reading, Box Girl, and the June Issue of ELLE magazine, with Angelina Jolie on the cover, packed in my purse. I thought to myself, “why would I bring three different ways to entertain myself for a time slot of maybe 30-45 minutes?” Looking back I realize that a laptop offers an infinite amount of entertainment while a magazine several (lots of sections to skip through) and a book… well a book is really one source of entertainment, you either like what you are reading or hope it eventually gets good. Hence why I needed both the magazine and the book, which I ended up reading a part of each. All within a half an hour time span, including several intermediate Instagram check points and of course, eating breakfast and downing absurd amounts of coffee.
I think I am always quick to say that the internet age has prevented real social interaction and allowed us the opportunity to create more fictional versions of ourselves. But with further consideration I think despite the internet shift, we still maintain the same need and level of social interaction we would have without this new wave of technology. Some of the best instagram photos, facebook posts, tweets and emails have come from loved ones who have shared something special, unique or a major life moment. Whether it’s a #tbt of our terribly hilarious childhood outfits, a keyboard cat video on youtube, a buzzfeed quiz to tell you what kind of sandwich you are, a Facebook post that honors someone’s brother serving in the military, a tweet about being in Europe for the first time, a paperless post invite to a Derby Day party, a #regram of a funny meme, or a status that someone’s loved one passed, all of these things are shared with others and wouldn’t make any sense without a network of people with whom to share it with. Yes, people get a high off of a record “likes” but I think deeper then that is a desire to feel supported, validated and “liked” by the people who matter to us, friends, followers and faux.
The reason I know about this book is because my best friend Emma had the pleasure of meeting Jenny, who then invited us to her book club. Jenny is an amazing LA blogger who created the site Dessert Darling, which now includes a wedding and healthy blog too. And the icing on the cake (no pun intended) is that my friend Emma met Jenny via Twitter! Long story short, people can now meet on Twitter! At first glance it sounds crazy, but in reality, anyone you meet in person can portray themselves in whatever light they want. They can exaggerate their connections, finances, lifestyle and friendships but in SOME ways, social media can portray realities, or least appear to document them well. The saying “you can’t judge a book by it’s cover” (no pun intended) applies to both social media personas but also to those in real life! I am not saying you can ever really “know” someone from a social media profile, but you can’t from meeting them briefly either. I think the future is going in a direction in which social media has the ability to connect people who may have not met in any other way. It can at the very least offer about the same insight as a first impression based off apparel, accent, or small talk (where you live, what you do) can.
I have only attended one Book Club hosted by Jenny, but can’t wait to attend the next. Everyone was fun, smart and offered something new. From the interior decorator, the resident doctor, to the Hollywood actress, to the maker of amazing toffee candies and to the Brazilian bikini designer who is creating a new boutique, we all connected and learned from one another. Just add wine, snacks, comfy seating and walla, book club turns into I am so happy to be around all these amazing women night, all exchanging life updates, stories, advice and support, laughter and opinions. It was a great way to spend a Wednesday night. Thanks of course to jokes about online dating and the social media tool (twitter) that brought us together.
Read on,
Xx, Monica!
Authentically,
