Hanging Out Laundry

I’ve heard some sort of negative comments about tweets and twittering. It seems silly to some; ‘who cares if you’re making a grilled cheese sandwich or watching re-runs on television?’ It is apparently without merit to share the mundane. But every since I first heard about twitter, my first thought was about laundry. Back in the day, when dryers were a luxury, people would ‘hang out’-literally. It could be a family chore, with the little ones handing out the clothespins. It could become social on some windy days, when everyone and their Aunt Petunia was taking advantage of blustery fluffing. Some greetings or small exchanges about the weather had the potential to become full blown conversations. Sometimes it may be gossip, or swapping helpful household hints or it could be just a neighborly chat. Yes, it was a break in the chores routine. I think it was also a break from the confines of being a solitary housekeeper. In a household of children, no matter how precious they might be, a chat with another parent was well, fresh air.
I don’t remember the last time I ‘hung out’, do you? Everyone is so busy, and even with every technology to make our lives easier, we don’t seem to have time for each other. I think we need companionship on many levels, from the most complicated relationships to the most mundane exchange of pleasantries. So why not use some of that technology to tweet? Quite frankly, the world might be a better place if everyone just said hi to each other. My only problem is (obviously) staying under the character limit. I appear to have something in common with Mark Twain who said, ‘The difference between the right word and almost the right word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug’.