Thursday, August 30, 2007

Reach Out, Reach Out and Touch Someone... but not literally.

Ever since our class reunion this past weekend, I've been thinking about what a crappy job I do at staying in touch with people. Yes, our family is crazy busy with a million little things... but it makes me really sad that there are so many people I've just "lost." Even worse, many of those people live relatively close to me.

I pride myself at how well I manage email, how quickly I respond to people at work... but my personal email is turning into nothing but adverts and subscriptions. BORING. But why would I expect to RECEIVE emails if I rarely INITIATE them?

So here is my August resolution (I can have a resolution in August... I don't have to wait for New Year's, because I'm just cool that way!):

* I resolve to keep in contact with friends via email, via blog, whatever it takes. There's no excuse for me to go for more than a week without blogging.

* For my truly, close friends, I resolve to call at least once a week.

* For my friends who are separated by distance, I resolve to email at least once a month.

That should be a good start, don't you think?

What about you? Do you have a knack for staying in touch with your friends, old and new?

7 comments:

Nessa said...

I have a hard time staying in touch with the people that live in the same house as I do.

3carnations said...

I'm awful at it. Then I begin to think that I am the only one who initiates contact, so I lapse. When they never contact me, I assume they just don't give a hoot, thus the demise of another friendship. I'm trying to do better, though.

Alyssa said...

And once the TV season starts, you'll listen to your imaginary internets friend's podcast once a month.

:-)

don't call me MA'AM said...

goldennib: I hear that!!!

3car: it's a vicious cycle, isn't it? I'm the same way.

alyssa: are you imaginary? I never thought so. Great. Now I'm imagining blog friends, too. ;-)

stinkypaw said...

I must say that I'm good at keeping in touch, in writing. I'm not a caller, not at all, not even my mom!

I've always loved to write letters, so I still do, using nice paper and 2-3 times/year I'll send an "update" email to friends overseas. I don't care if I'm always the one making the first move as long as I get an answer back, if I don't then I stop.

I think it's a great resolution and that you "are" a cool ma'am!

lizgwiz said...

I have exactly the same problem, and I think I might have to copy your resolutions. I miss some of those old friends I unintentionally let slide!

M.Amanda said...

I generally have an "if I see them, I see them" kind of approach to keeping in touch with most people. Other than that, I have to have a real reason for contacting people - I have an extra ticket to something she'd like, she can answer a question I have, I'm inviting her to our party, etc.

Most of the time, I'm so caught up in my own life and comfortable with my own company that it just doesn't occur to me to call people just to catch up or hang out. I guess that's why my closest friends are family and my boyfriend; I see them all the time in the course of my everyday life, no effort required.