Life and the elements, outside of social networks.

Found this image interesting before reading its article (which I now have read) and thought I'd share.
I may not be the most avid FB user, but cannot simply ignore the power and connectivity of the social platforms out there.


Here in San Francisco we are exposed and breathe technology like no other place in the States, and the globe.
The best in hardware and software is within miles and once you leave the Bay Area, you know how cutting edge the bubble is. The newest kids in the block such as Hipstamatic, Instagram, Path, Square and now Pinterest -just to name a few- are all located within a mile.


Keeping this post between work interaction and getting outside, we recently learned about a non-tech, well food product per se, Bay Area local +well-established company rewarding its employees (every single one) with a Public Bicycle: Clif Bar Bike Benefits. You may have had more than a few bites in the past, Clif bars are great.


At any rate, weaving through Yahoo's Flickr and Google's gmail+blogger, is how the 3 of us here (CTX, Ade +I) initially met here in San Francisco a few years ago. Mainly, because we were probably not at home clicking away, but we rode our bikes for work and play most of the time. And for example the Calitexican and I first met interacting randomly and chatting it up quickly thanks to Duby's awesome tie, on a Friday many Critical Mass years ago.

via bear bicycles

"You’re outside on the streets, not locked into a car and can easily interact with other cyclists or pedestrians. That can be by chatting, or just a friendly smile. If you see us cycling around on our Facebook bike, please say hello!"

Well, no kidding.
On the flip side, great to see an Amsterdam company involved and encouraging people to realize there is life outside Facebook. A friendly smile and a chat is far cooler than a LIKE.


I think more companies should encourage not only the bicycle and social use, but the fact that there is something very crucial to the mental wellness and that is the IRL: in real life.


Having worked for a highly desirable company, which I shall refrain from naming, my team was AMAZED that I actually walked to the food market or cafeteria during my lunch break. And this was an unwritten issue, and I certainly felt the friction. For an hour, I decided that during my lunch I was not to answer emails (how dare I not have lunch on my desk) but I was ok answering the phone, you know just in case of an 'emergency'.


Well that job is far behind me, and the point here is that with the accessibility to connectivity, many companies and jobs do expect a 24-hour devotion. In my personal opinion this is very wrong. I am a firm believer of a being passionate about your job and working very hard for success, but many of these expectations seem quite unreal.


To wrap-up a short thought here about the importance of being outside and interacting with other real humans other than your keyboard, or smart phone -- how do you integrate your bike/social life around your dedicated time of work/parenting/daily duties?Does your work schedule change the ways or the time you dedicate to it? What efforts or challenges have you faced?Do tell. 

ps. Bear bicycles post here:

How social is your cycle?

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xxo♥ la meligrosa