How do we listen on the internet?

I have recently been coming to grips with the interweb and particularly twitter. I have been listening to the 140conference today and right now Stacey Monk (left) is talking (her twitter avatar is @staceymonk ) about the twitter kids and she said one of the expression's she hates is 'Voice to the voiceless' - "Bullshit" she says "They have voices. The question is are they being heard?". You can get lost on social media, your health can get lost when you're on social media, your priorities can get lost when you're on social media. I know this from personal experience when I helped look after two kids who really needed looking after - they were being beaten by their grandmother, and neglected by their mother because she was always in a chatroom; I eventually convinced their other grandmother to take over their care.

The consequences of social media is far reaching. The question is 'What is the potential of social media?' and how can we make sure that it doesn't get lost in a long string of impersonal advertsing?

The potential is clear; in an instant you can talk to anyone all over the world. Doctors puzzling over diagnosis can get in touch another doctor on the other side of the world who knows what's wrong. You can say 'Help' but will you get heard? SAMHSA's National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is now on Twitter here @800273TALK SAMHSA are the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration in the US.

The question is if you get heard there what about everywhere else. What about if you don't know about it? Twitter co-founder Evan Williams said that 'Twitter is not an alert system' which is a shame because there ought to be a Twitter 911, policed like all 911 telephone lines are. Because sometimes in an emergency - you cannot talk - but you can type.

What do you think about this? How else can we 'listen' in social media, and how can we respond? Let's lend an ear to Stacey and see if we can't make social media more responsive; faster, better and more reliable, so that if one day, all you can do is Twitter 'Help911' and your location. Someone comes...

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Ways out of Trauma: -The Survivor Warrior Workbook

This powerful workbook is used as a teaching tool with therapists, support groups and community education programs. It was inspired by Angela's Removing the Sword of Trauma events. It is for survivors, warriors,advocates, loved ones and supporters ready to move past pain and suffering and reclaim joy and happiness. You can use the workbook in a group, on your own or with your therapist.

List for having fun

- Wash up like you did as a kid - playing with the bubbles and getting water everywhere...

- A practical joke - my friend once sealed up a crisp packet he'd filled half with screwed up newspaper. It looked like a new pack - until I opened it... :) I was like 'Why'd they do this? - this is terrible...' LOL

- Dance while you're standing on your partner's feet and take turns - this is as fun as it was when you did it as a kid I swear...

- Play that 'trust' game where you fall back and are caught, or the one where you are in a race but before you start it you're spun round and round till your dizzy. This is best done on sand or soft grass as everyone inevitable runs off in the wrong direction and falls over. Great FUN!

- Ah fingerpainting, using bits of sponge to paint with and playdough - remind me why did we stop doing these things?

- Bake cakes with kids - take them round to old folk stuck on their own. Get them to tell stories about their life.

- Roll down a hill then go back up and do it again

- Get rid of your chairs and sit on the floor - live like Okinawans who live until 100yrs plus

- Build a camp out of sheets and chairs.

- Tell stories on youtube

- Paint murals on your wall

- Play that game where you start drawing a picture of a person - like their feet then you fold the paper just showing the very top of your bit so they cant see exactly what you've done. Then pass the picture and each person does a section and folds it. At the end you have usually an alien or some such... Do a group poem in the same way, except you do alternate lines and can see what other folk write.

- If you live by the sea go rock pooling.

- If you live in the country practise fox-walking like an indian - totally silently.

- Put up a tent inside your house. Put up a hammock. Have a fire in your yard and pretend your on an expedition, cook dinner on it. Aha, aha, your neighbours will want to come round.

- Leave positive messages in books in libraries/schools.

- Grow useful plants and take them round to your neighbours. Try growing Wolf Berry (or goji berry) plants. Learn to identify them...

- Make toffee.

- Grow a Forest Garden in your yard.

- Set up a campaign - doesn't matter what kind so long as it makes you're neighbourhood a happier healthier place and you want to stay there forever.

- Draw something, get a pad and a pencil and go out and draw things.

- Get an instrument; a drum, a guitar, a penny whistle and learn to make nice noises on it.

- Pay for someone else's food in the drive thru.

- Give money, things, help to charity, learn how to be helpful - this can be so much fun.

- Have a house concert

- Start a raw juice bar - it tastes amazing!

- Eat superfoods; raw cocoa nibs, lucuma, goji berries, purple corn.

- Decide to have a festival. Plan it, set it up, have it.

- Do someone else's shopping for them and deliver it, maybe a single mum, or old folk, or your best friend.

- Send parcels to everyone you know - getting parcels is so much fun.

- Make a point of buying folks things on their Amazon wishlist mine is here;- http://www.amazon.co.uk/wishlist/362AQUES2W0CK Link back here in the comments below with your Amazon wishlist url and maybe one day you'll get a surprise from a complete stranger who expects nothing in return...

Thanks and have a GREAT day having FUN :)

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