Get Involved today - Your time is now to make a difference

The publishing of the news, blogging of stories, posting of videos and the use of today’s communication tools has really changed the landscape of our world. 30 years ago television as we know it today did not even exist. The real means of communication was radio. To ‘old school’ media individuals the understanding of a news release was a typed up headline that was sent out over the Associated Press News Wire. I am glad I had the opportunity from my early years of employment to tear the headlines from the teletype of the old news room of Ken-Ten Broadcasting studios. I remember so well standing around the AP machine to see what was happening around the world so I could broadcast it to listeners as “breaking news” here at home. Times have certainly changed. Today I write type this column to be released to the editor for publishing. Once it is published with the touch of the keyboard and a few key strokes this column will be shared via the world wide web, posted to websites, tagged on Facebook, Tweeted to followers and then shared by folks some whom I will never have met personally, who are just friends of friends or followers who are re-tweeting or quoting. The process started with no agenda at all actually. I began writing to share with local folks, the local community about events, people, thoughts and experiences. Long before we knew what a website was and long before our local paper even had a website. Honestly, websites are so common today, that if you don’t have one you are really w A y b e H i n d the times. Modern means of communication have changed the way in which we do thing and it has certainly changed the timing in which we must respond to situations. Local newspapers use video to tell their stories and video we once thought was just for television stations. Who would have figured right? Well, someone did, it just wasn’t me and I am a figuring it wasn’t you either. Attempting to be up-to-date takes a lot of work. Being aware and informed of situations requires a lot of commitment and dedication. In school I enjoyed reading. I loved history and so a lot of what I read as a student involved subjects of that matter. My base of interest has certainly changed over the years. I read many different articles, blogs and columns on an array of subjects. Some I have no interest in at all, but I have discovered it necessary to read to be informed. I have also learned how to read with an open mind. When you read something because you want to, then as you read you are looking for those key words or phrases that confirm your interest or point. My discovery and learning from the practice of reading from a variety of sources has been simply that, I have learned because of that activity. I have learned as much about myself as I have subject matters addressed or positions shared by others. My discovery has included my learning that I can be closed minded and yet just as broadminded on any given day. My biggest learning involves what I have learned about topics, and themed writings. I have learned that all things involve people. It is easy to brush something off until you realize you are brushing someone off. I can laugh at a statement and believe it has no value what-so-ever until I realize that there is someone behind the sentence that has taken it very much to heart and find no humor in my dismissal of their opinion. It is easy to do a lot of things in life if we don’t think. If we never look outside the box of our world we may discover ourselves still standing around what once was the fastest and best tool for news, scores and information even though that piece of equipment and her time has passed as we knew it back in the day. Life is too short to stand around as an observer forever. The time is now to be involved and make a difference as a participating party. Today is the day, now is the time, and tomorrow you may never have. Until then