In which Jenny Rand, Tracy McCray and Jen Koski Chat about:
Coming back, baby! The power of social media support groups.
And why we do (or don't) LOL!
Coming back, baby! The power of social media support groups.
And why we do (or don't) LOL!
JEN: We're back!
TRACY: What's our first topic?
RAND: That we're back, McCray.
TRACY: Ha! I've been so happy to hear from readers who missed us. I had no idea people were really reading us. And I was just having fun chatting with fantastic women!
JEN: Working in print, you miss the immediate (or even eventual) feedback. People read something, like it or don't, but don't often reach out to let you know either way. ...Until you're pulled from the page. And then we heard from LOTS of people!
TRACY: So in The Chat 2.0, comments are encouraged!
JEN: Yes, please. Apparently, there were even a few newspaper cancellations from people who didn't want us to leave.
RAND: I had someone come up to me at a nursing school event and say that after 30-plus years, she cancelled her subscription. She thought we were the only positive thing in the paper!
JEN: The news business is tough! But we've definitely been feeling the love.
TRACY: Well, ONE thing we're going to have to add to The Chat 2.0 is a Swear Jar.
RAND: Damn. Freetly is going to be bankrupt.
JEN: Right?! That's the thing a few of our Chatters are most excited about. (I'm looking at you, Dawn and Missie.) There's no barring, umm, "real" language in Chat 2.0.
RAND: Dawn and Pam can talk about any body part they want!
JEN: You know what else I'm excited for? No hard and fast Tuesday morning deadlines. I don't have to stay up Monday nights 'til 1 a.m. editing. I'm excited to continue to celebrate and discuss the facets and voices of our city and its people—on our terms.
TRACY: I want to say I was very surprised and honored to receive my first ever Chester Award this year. So thank you, Jen, for that.
RAND: That is quite an honor, Tracy!
JEN: You deserve it. For our reader-friends who don't know, I've been giving "Chester Awards" annually in my Jen's World column since 2010. They recognize people who show a kindness, generosity of spirit, or plain-old above-and-beyondness that may not make the evening news, but that warms my heart and inspires me.
TRACY: The truth is, I was just trying to help a friend who was in a violent domestic situation and SO MANY people jumped in.
JEN: So many people did jump in. But you LEAD that group. You gathered a tribe of people around someone who needed a tribe.
TRACY: I didn't realize how fiercely women who have violence in their story can band together to help someone who needs to leave it.
JEN: It was powerful to behold, and to be part of.
RAND: And lots of people are still in, keeping track of what is happening and still wanting to help—still posting, still replying, still rooting.
TRACY: The Facebook support group took on a life of it's own. I didn't know many of the people who were encouraging my friend!
JEN: One point for technology. It's an excellent example of how social media can be used—to support someone who needed support. Many of the group had never or would never meet your friend in person. But they were showering her with love.
TRACY: I thought the same thing! A generation ago, where were abused women without the connection of social media and even a cell phone?
JEN: I love that we've morphed into this topic. This is how real, live chats with your friends go.
TRACY: I'll tell you, it has really opened my eyes to the value of resiliency, grace, the Women's Shelter, acceptance.
RAND: When I was going through cancer treatment, I had a huge online support system. Late at night, when I couldn't sleep, I'd read all of the love and encouragement. I hope that y"our" friend does this.
TRACY: I keep waiting for the pivoting "change" moment, so the music can change, the sun can come out, and the ending is happy. But oftentimes life is NOT a Lifetime movie.
JEN: Yes. 100 times, yes.
RAND: Is it EVER? One of the reasons I actually dislike social media is the perception everyone puts out there that life is perfect and happy. My life is NOT Facebook perfect. Ever.
TRACY: And in your mind you know social media life isn't perfect, but when you are dark and down, it's hard to REMEMBER that.
RAND: It is messy and hard and sometimes ugly!
JEN: But on social media, you're getting the highlights, friends. You're getting the laugh track.
RAND: It's Three's Company!
Tracy: Ha! BTW, I don't type "LOL" unless I really DID "LOL"! Am I the only one who shares this tough rule?
JEN: Me, too! I don't trust LOL. Are you REALLY laughing out loud, person on the other side of my screen?
RAND: LOL. Really??
TRACY: Knowing me, you know I DO LOL, but you gotta EARN those three letters.
JEN: I don't even do LOL when I *am* laughing out loud, because it's lost its power! No one believes you really laughed out loud.
TRACY: Maybe ILTLOL? (I'd LIKE to laugh out loud.)
JEN: I write, "I actually really did laugh out loud!"
TRACY: I just LOL'd at that.
TRACY: What's our first topic?
RAND: That we're back, McCray.
TRACY: Ha! I've been so happy to hear from readers who missed us. I had no idea people were really reading us. And I was just having fun chatting with fantastic women!
JEN: Working in print, you miss the immediate (or even eventual) feedback. People read something, like it or don't, but don't often reach out to let you know either way. ...Until you're pulled from the page. And then we heard from LOTS of people!
TRACY: So in The Chat 2.0, comments are encouraged!
JEN: Yes, please. Apparently, there were even a few newspaper cancellations from people who didn't want us to leave.
RAND: I had someone come up to me at a nursing school event and say that after 30-plus years, she cancelled her subscription. She thought we were the only positive thing in the paper!
JEN: The news business is tough! But we've definitely been feeling the love.
TRACY: Well, ONE thing we're going to have to add to The Chat 2.0 is a Swear Jar.
RAND: Damn. Freetly is going to be bankrupt.
JEN: Right?! That's the thing a few of our Chatters are most excited about. (I'm looking at you, Dawn and Missie.) There's no barring, umm, "real" language in Chat 2.0.
RAND: Dawn and Pam can talk about any body part they want!
JEN: You know what else I'm excited for? No hard and fast Tuesday morning deadlines. I don't have to stay up Monday nights 'til 1 a.m. editing. I'm excited to continue to celebrate and discuss the facets and voices of our city and its people—on our terms.
TRACY: I want to say I was very surprised and honored to receive my first ever Chester Award this year. So thank you, Jen, for that.
RAND: That is quite an honor, Tracy!
JEN: You deserve it. For our reader-friends who don't know, I've been giving "Chester Awards" annually in my Jen's World column since 2010. They recognize people who show a kindness, generosity of spirit, or plain-old above-and-beyondness that may not make the evening news, but that warms my heart and inspires me.
TRACY: The truth is, I was just trying to help a friend who was in a violent domestic situation and SO MANY people jumped in.
JEN: So many people did jump in. But you LEAD that group. You gathered a tribe of people around someone who needed a tribe.
TRACY: I didn't realize how fiercely women who have violence in their story can band together to help someone who needs to leave it.
JEN: It was powerful to behold, and to be part of.
RAND: And lots of people are still in, keeping track of what is happening and still wanting to help—still posting, still replying, still rooting.
TRACY: The Facebook support group took on a life of it's own. I didn't know many of the people who were encouraging my friend!
JEN: One point for technology. It's an excellent example of how social media can be used—to support someone who needed support. Many of the group had never or would never meet your friend in person. But they were showering her with love.
TRACY: I thought the same thing! A generation ago, where were abused women without the connection of social media and even a cell phone?
JEN: I love that we've morphed into this topic. This is how real, live chats with your friends go.
TRACY: I'll tell you, it has really opened my eyes to the value of resiliency, grace, the Women's Shelter, acceptance.
RAND: When I was going through cancer treatment, I had a huge online support system. Late at night, when I couldn't sleep, I'd read all of the love and encouragement. I hope that y"our" friend does this.
TRACY: I keep waiting for the pivoting "change" moment, so the music can change, the sun can come out, and the ending is happy. But oftentimes life is NOT a Lifetime movie.
JEN: Yes. 100 times, yes.
RAND: Is it EVER? One of the reasons I actually dislike social media is the perception everyone puts out there that life is perfect and happy. My life is NOT Facebook perfect. Ever.
TRACY: And in your mind you know social media life isn't perfect, but when you are dark and down, it's hard to REMEMBER that.
RAND: It is messy and hard and sometimes ugly!
JEN: But on social media, you're getting the highlights, friends. You're getting the laugh track.
RAND: It's Three's Company!
Tracy: Ha! BTW, I don't type "LOL" unless I really DID "LOL"! Am I the only one who shares this tough rule?
JEN: Me, too! I don't trust LOL. Are you REALLY laughing out loud, person on the other side of my screen?
RAND: LOL. Really??
TRACY: Knowing me, you know I DO LOL, but you gotta EARN those three letters.
JEN: I don't even do LOL when I *am* laughing out loud, because it's lost its power! No one believes you really laughed out loud.
TRACY: Maybe ILTLOL? (I'd LIKE to laugh out loud.)
JEN: I write, "I actually really did laugh out loud!"
TRACY: I just LOL'd at that.