Sunday, November 4, 2012

Sunday Salon: November 4, 2012

The Sunday Salon.com

Thank you all for you concern and support over the past week as the city and the surrounding areas have dealt with Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath.  I escaped with no damage and only lost power briefly on Monday but I have been saddened to see the city and so many people coping with total devastation.  Please keep these families in your thoughts as they grieve their losses and move on to rebuilding.

Social Media in a Crisis
In many ways, this week in the city resembled the days after 9/11 to me - like then, the city was at a standstill and isolation set in as they "sealed" the city by closing all the bridges and tunnels.  Unlike 9/11, however, both because of the rise of social media and the fact that cellular networks remained largely intact, there was a community to tap into online.

Credit: Outdoor.com
I was home alone on Monday as Sandy bore down on the city and at first wasn't concerned about riding  the storm out alone at home (I was not in evacuation zone).  But as things got worse - power loss, windows shaking mightily from the wind and trees snapping right at their roots outside I started to crave contact with the outside world, information and reassurance.  And I found it in my social media outlets - Twitter and Facebook.  From each, I got invaluable information and felt connected though alone in my apartment.  Twitter provided up to date reports of critical info  -status of the mass transit system, recommendations to stay away from windows in case of breakage due to wind, and information on what to expect next with the storm.  On Facebook, I checked in with friends across the city and tri-state area and had friends near and far reach out to me to make sure I was OK.  One writer referred to social media during the storm as a "virtual campfire" and I think that captures it perfectly.  In the week following the storm, social media has continued to provide critical information about recovery efforts, fundraising and good collections.  And, of course, some humor and the all important "human" connection.  Thank you again to everyone for reaching out during the storm.

On the Blog
In other news, I am trying to finish (or least plot out a path to complete) my 2012 reading challenges.  I think I may come closest this year - finally! Reviews posted in October:


Gilded Age by Clarie McMillan
Bella Fortuna by Rosanna Chiofalo (plus author guest post)
Gold by Chris Cleave
Mrs. Queen Takes the Train by William Kuhn
Lola's Secret by Monica McInerney
Dune Road by Jane Green

I hope everyone has a great week!

15 comments:

  1. I'm so glad to hear that you were spared the brunt of it but I imagine it was quite frightening to face the storm alone. I'm glad that social media rose to the occasion and created a safe haven for you.

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  2. Thanks for the update! happy that you are safe!
    My in laws live on Long Island and just got power yesterday...but my brother in law's house on Long Beach is a disaster.
    All my best!!

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    1. Thanks Melissa! Yes, Long Beach got hit quite badly. I have some friends there and their stories are so sad. I hope you BIL is able to get on the road to recovery and rebuilding soon.

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  3. Colleen,

    I'm glad you're ok and that the Sandy troubles were short-lived for you. All the bloggers and twitterers from NYC are in my mind these few days. All the best to your City in its rebuilding.

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  4. There are certainly problems with the advent of social media cutting off some of our face-to-face contact. But what a tremendous asset in situations like this. Having gotten to know so many East Coasters, I was grateful for your ability to "check in" on Twitter but that pales in comparison to the benefits it provided you.

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    1. I know - we definitely need to maintain the balance between online and F2F connection but they can augment each other. Thanks for keeping tabs on the East Coasters during the storm!

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  5. Colleen, you've been in my thoughts along with so many others I've met via social media and blogging. I'm glad you're doing ok!

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  6. I'm so glad you weathered the storm so well. I do think social media really shows its value during a crisis.

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    1. It was amazing how quickly info got out on twitter and FB. Except for a a few blips where inaccurate info got circulated, I think people were much better informed thanks to social media.

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  7. I'm glad you didn't have to face too much of the devastation. I know it's been heartbreaking for some. Interesting thoughts on social media though. I tend to think of it in more negative terms overall but the image of a reassuring virtual campfire makes me rethink that some.

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  8. I'm really glad to hear you didn't suffer much damage in the hurricane. Social media has been amazing for keeping people in touch and providing that campfire you mentioned, as well as helping people actually coordinate community based relief. I've been so impressed by the willingness of people to reach out!

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  9. I like your image of a virtual campfire. Social media was useful to me too in tracking down loved ones.

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