Panic and the PC (Breathe in the Bizarre Bazaar)

Ever get completely confused and frustrated by tech issues? Ever feel bewildered and not know wihch way to turn? Ever clench your first fists in frustration at the mad mad world? Ever want to chuck the computer out the window? Me too! But alas, the Internet is an ever growing organism (let it live free!) that has a mind of its own (I think).

The Internet is like the Bazaar of Life and we will all have a booth (if you’re online that is).

What does your booth look like?  Who’s in it?  Is anyone there?  What are you preaching, teaching, sharing, comparing, giving away??  Can I have one?  Is there a live person there or are you automated?  Are you giving back or taking something and if so what do you offer and what do you want?

Today I was sitting at my booth attempting to do a live event with my friends, fans and passerbys from Twitter and FB.  Then tech issues made it an hour late after a battle with the invisible online fairies.  To bring it back to the Bazaar, it was like the front gates didn’t open on time and the entrances and exits weren’t clearly marked and everyone is wandering around with a ticket wondering when and where the show is.  There I sat, working every possible angle (and angel) to go LIVE!  It reminded me of the reason the Survivor Manual and why it exists.  As I could not load any site, this one page kept popping up like one of those one-man-band carts with all kinds of gizmos and flashy things.  It kept passing by the booth, getting my attention despite myself.  It was the dealing with panic video.  That made me giggle which reminded me of Giggle Therapy. So there was I giggling and holding my breath while I watched the spinning ball of “still loading.”  Ah the bizarre things that happen while in the booths in the Bazaar of life are getting loaded.

Just like in the wild Bazaar, you may be looking for me and think I’m lost.  Just breathe.  It’s like the tag on the dog that comes and hangs out at my house all day says, “I’m not lost, please leave me here.”

This is my booth and I’ll be back.  I may be just around the corner or gone for a weee break, or out at the entrance myself.  If you see me wave!  I may be under the table rewiring the system of contraptions I have running.  Feel free to push food and water under the table. I may have forgotten the “be back later” sign. I may be having an epiphany on another lane or I may be on a bike ride or learning to unicycle.  I might be sitting behind that poster you’re looking at banging away on my latest script.  Whatever the case may be, please don’t hold it against me, check out the booth, read something, listen, have a giggle, hold your breath and repeat after me, I love you, squish.  Okay, just one more giggle.

Please enjoy the videos and music while we see if we can locate Angela Shelton.

Here’s what I recorded once I came back to life.

Hang out, have a seat, talk to your neighbor.  If you both know me, you’re probably both pretty awesome and will get along. I’m just saying.  I have great friends – and most of them are on Facebook!   As far as the booth and my friends go, to make sure everyone can visit (and not just 5000) I have the fan page.  Jeff Pulver puts the reasons for that perfectly on his blog. Thank you, Jeff Pulver.  OK, putting up the “nap time” sign.  Angela Shelton has left the building.

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1. Dealing with Panic