STOP having a good time: I need to take a picture!
By Gary Tilkin
CEO and Founder of Gary Tilkin Consultants, Inc.
Author of the “Professional For Life” Sales and Management Development Series
Many years ago, a friend had to have a procedure done at the hospital. It was serious, but not life threatening. The hospital stay would be two nights. On the night after the operation he was sleeping soundly, having a sweet dream of enjoying the beach on some far-away island.
Then, the unthinkable happened. The door to his semi-private room swung abruptly open and an overly zealous nurse turned on the light, walked over to him, and woke him up. Her next words send me into a state of confusion every time I re-tell the story. The nurse said, “Wake up, I have to give you a sleeping pill!” If you have a smile on your face, it’s because you have probably heard of such craziness. I am pretty sure you can see where I am coming from. Please, continue to read, and tell me if the outline I am about to give you also strikes a chord.
Wake up, I have to give you a sleeping pill!
I thought events like this were one of life’s little jokes. However, I was wrong. Today, we all live in a world that has become less private, less personal, and more like we are ALL movie stars with photographers in our face every moment. The difference is, we have never been in any movies (except for that one that I don’t talk about anymore and deleted the file, I was young). Apparently, we seem to log daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly pictorial portfolios of all aspects of our lives.
We are all movie stars with photographers in our face every moment!
Let me put this into perspective. A while ago, I took my family to a very nice and expensive restaurant. We don’t do this very often, but the kids are getting older and my wife and I are starting to feel OLD. We all got dressed up – even my son, which was a miracle in itself. My wife and daughter went through their painful two hour pre-departure ritual of activities, events, sounds, and emotions. Any man who has a female counter-part understands this very emotional female rite of passage. When we were all ready to go – mind you, 15 minutes late for the reservations and stressed to the max – instead of heading out the door, it was now time for what I lovingly call “Four Minutes of Pictorial Torture”.
Four Minutes of Pictorial Torture
Out came the digital camera, the iPhones™ and the Smartphones. Digital pictures of the pre-event must be taken and retaken. We must capture this moment instantly so it can be saved forever more. My son’s happy jovial mood changed instantly. My eyes rolled back into my head as the ladies of my life started to select the perfect back drop, as well as lighting, for this momentous occasion of simply leaving the house. Once the exact location was finally carefully selected, the hair and makeup touch-ups to perfection, and the men finally coaxed off of the couch, it was time to take these extremely important pictures.
We were all instructed to put smiles on our faces and to look natural. “Too much teeth dad, Alex look at the camera, mom remember to take it from the waist up – my butt looks too big.” For a few seconds we took all of our frustrations, discomfort, and emotions and put them aside to present ourselves as the happiest family in the world, about to go out and enjoy each other’s company for a few rare moments in time.
“Too much teeth dad, Alex look at the camera,
mom remember to take it from the waist up – my butt looks too big.”
SNAP, SNAP, and SNAP. You would think the pain would be over but you would be wrong. Now the pictures need to be Photo Shopped, cropped and then uploaded to FaceBook™ and/or other social media sites. Before we even hit the SUV to leave, now 25 minutes late to our reservations, we have “four Likes” and “two Comments” of how great and happy we look as a family. Wow, this situation is insane, but it is over now. NOT by a long-shot.
We get to the restaurant and have to wait because we missed our scheduled reservation. Finally, we sit down. The table is lovely, the wait staff is professional, and finally we can relax and engage in a warm respectful family conversation. We quickly order adult beverages. Before they hit the table, pictures are taken of the table settings and we have to pose yet again. The world must know how our table setting looks to survive the day. Texting of how much fun we are having is being broadcast internationally. Words are used like: Awesome, Incredible, Fabulous and Not Real.
I am fielding business texts, emails, and phone calls from clients who think that Saturday evening is an acceptable time to communicate trivial selfish needs that could wait until Monday. My son is entranced with something he is reading on his iPhone™. Online timelines are updated and FaceBook™ is being reviewed to see if anyone else is having more fun than us, and where we stand on digital “likes” and “comments”. The drinks arrive and I immediately order another round, because I need it. This is going to be one really long evening. I can just feel it.
The drinks arrive and I immediately order another round!
My daughter, and to be fair, my entire family are Foodies. We love GREAT food. When my appetizer shows up of five HUGE shrimp on ice, with the most incredible cocktail sauce known to mankind, I am ready to attack. But, instead, I am told to STOP. It was now time to take pictures of my food so the world can now see how much fun we were having and how great our meal was. MY FOOD!!!! Every course was captured and shared. The pictures are as if to say; Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah, Nah. Look at us; we are having a great time eating great food. I simple don’t understand this digital cultural activity.
About that time, I drifted off into my special place in my mind, and had an incredible day dream. I was sitting in front of my big screen TV, on my leather couch that my bulldog just ate the corner of, watching professional wrestling, eating a Swanson’s Hungry-Man™ Salisbury Steak dinner (super-sized of course), with a Diet Coke to my right. It was utopia, until my thoughts were interrupted by my lovely wife saying “What are you thinking about honey?”
“What are you thinking about honey?”
Then I did what any self-respecting husband and father would say. I told my wife and family “I was thinking about how wonderful it was to be together, engaging with great conversation, wonderful food, and enjoying a few special moments in time with the entire family”. At that moment my wife asked the waiter to come over and take a family picture. Did I lay it on too thick and stimulate this request?
Well, there you have it. Did it remind you of your life? Probably so. Thank you Apple™ for the iPhone, Samsung™ for the Android, AT&T for the Digital 4G Wireless Network, and let’s not forget FaceBook™ for the platform to let the world know my life. Listen, I have to run. My 41lb English Bulldog named Cooper (who is the only person that truly loves me unconditionally) is outside on the front lawn taking a dump. I have to take a picture and post it on FaceBook™ so everyone can be envious of this grand act. His is so perfect, or better known to my FaceBook™ friends, “PERF”.