Digigran

Title chosen to record rush of rain pouring down outside water spout. Rain so pelting that Edward, the dog, refused to step footoutside and had to be dragged from the comfort of the mat in front of the log stove to do what a dog has to do in the morning. Began blogging on Apple so links were difficult to do but found associated activities for grans
Have been thinking a lot about consumerism and digital culture. As Giroux, now Global Television Network Chair in Communication Studies (WOW!) at McMasters, did when he found himself watching large numbers of Disney films with his three sons. He writes very interestingly on consumerism- an issue I think needs to be referred back to Letsgetdigitalplay to be considered at more length.
The easy access from shop to shop, web site to site and country to country make it tempting to accumulate more and more stuff. I once had a cleaner who said to me in desperation at the amount of dusting I generated, " The trouble with you, E*****, is you have too much stuff," and I had to admit I did and still do, despite all tmy attempts at decluttering. I own too many skirts, too many jumpers, too much crockery, many too many books, postcards, journals, papers etc. and perhaps even one too many houses; though it would take a reawakening of very very strong socialist conscience to winkle me out of this lovely little cottage in Winster which seem built to be written from.


All this stuff accumulation is now accelerating through the simplicities of on-line access, particularly to books, though shopping sites are also very very tempting. I'd make a good case study for the inestimable Dr Kate whose Arty Stuff and academic work is much concerned with the life of objects and who constantly So the thing I must seek to avoid as Digigran is investing in too much digital baby stuff, or other nursery stuff acquired digitally, and think of the most creative ways of using my digipower to inform what is, in fact, one of the most lovely of human relationships when managed well.

The latter perfection of loveliness seems however very hard to achieve though, especially with the first born. The Guardian advice page this Saturday (Family Forum 05.11.05) had a cry for help from a new mum who felt suffocated by a voracious new gran's desire for contact with her infant. Perhaps a new gran needs to earn the respect and trust of a new mum and wait to be called upon or invited to visit. It is certainly my intention not to criticise even if I think I know better on occasions- such a dangerous temptation, that of giving advice. I failed to make the grade in the Samaritans because I did so itch to tell the not so good folk on my line what to do. This was especially true of the men who, attracted to the softness of my voice, wanted to confess how bad they had been(for purposes that I do not wish to describe here, though they seemed to involve a good deal of heavy breathing). Still that's another story altogether and although Tristram Shandy is my favourite 18th century novel, I must also avoid these digressive tendencies and return to the matter in hand- how to be an effective and loveable digitalgran.
I think, perhaps, I could follow the example provided was yesterday on Michael Rosen's version of Home Truths. On this, I heard a bloke explainng how he was archiving the documentary detritus of his whole life so that it would help future generations understand our present. A huge task indeed. But I can at least record the beginnnings of this babe's life digitally, so that s/he will have a record of how looked for s/he was and the preparations made for her/his arrival.
What do you think, any of you who are mums or dads of babies?
This Blogging project will produce less material stuff- though, having also consulted Personal Shopper in the Guardian and knowing that my d-in-law favours non-disposable nappies, I probably do need to purchase this recommended stainless steel nappy bucket and investigate this rather fascinating site where I ponder the relative values of Tots Bots, Motherease, Nature Babies or Fuzzi Bunz as the source of acceptable gifts.