When I was in high school, I used to AIM and MSN Messenger with my friends all the time. I used to write a lot. Man oh man, I’d come home in the evening, after a whole day of learning, reading, processing, and just chat chat chat on the keyboard about silly nothingness until late late late.

I used to message good friends, acquaintances, and people I’d never met in real life. With my good friends, folks like Juli(a), we’d just go on and on about music, Barenaked Ladies, concerts and songwriting. We used to write songs. We used to write in complete sentences. I had a dictionary on the desk next to my computer. I used to write a lot.

I’d hit up any leisurely contact on my list and have a debate. We’d discuss Toronto, we’d discuss the Leafs and the Senators. I would tell them all about how the drummer Tyler Stewart threw a couple of Typhoon drumsticks into the crowd at a show and I caught one. We’d argue song meanings, song titles and chords.

I don’t think I’m nearly as articulate I was then. I don’t have those kinds of written debates anymore. I’ve given up on conversation out on Reddit — that gigantic forum is notorious for having harsh response. Sometimes I’ll have a good conversation about veganism or two.

People like to fuss about egomania in social media. I like attention just as much as the next person — in order to converse. I like to deliberate. I’ve been trained to argue my work. I put up a picture, and I expect critique. Please tell me why my Macbook-selfie sucks.