Online Activities
It’s easy and convenient to be drawn into online activities (including social media) and it can take a concerted effort to constrain this trend. Some might say, why? The ease of obtaining information and keeping abreast of things is far more important …
Sure, there is that but, of course, our online activities provide a plethora of data that can be analysed by companies wanting to target audiences and increase their product sales. We all know this (or should), and for me and my online activities, it’s just too easy to shrug and not care about ‘Big Brother’ recording—through our financial transactions and mobile phone location trackers—our behaviours.
Of course, our relaxed attitude (about our online activities) can make us more prone to scams; we have to be constantly vigilant and that is annoying! However, we also have a responsibility to protect ourselves; who else is going to do that?
And then there’s the other side of online activities. Have you ever looked up your name or email address? It can be a bit of a shock or a humorous anecdote—as thankfully resulted for me. I wish I had thought to check my name as an author before I went ahead and published my two award-winning books. I would have thought about using my initials or added one of my middle names … and then, I couldn’t be mistaken for the other Marisa Parker, an author of a prolific quantity of German erotica novels!! I’ve provided a notated photo to clearly define the difference between me and my literary doppelgänger … if anyone out there can read German I’d be interested to hear if those erotica novels are any good although a few of them have more than four stars so that is a fair indication.
Back in the 1950-60s when my Italian parents were making their name in the Rhodesian business world, and further afield, there weren’t many online activities; certainly not in Africa! Instead, it was all about networking and putting yourself out there, in person, as well as writing letters, making phone calls, etc. It was so much harder to find out about things and be ‘found’. The extract below is from Ciao! We’re in Africa and this is just one such occasion when my parents had only had their Italian fashion boutique for a year in Salisbury, Rhodesia, so any promotion was still exciting and welcome. #online #writing #Rhodesia #Italian #fashion
The next day, the event is reported in the newspapers. The guest list includes our names, stating that we are an exciting addition to Salisbury’s entrepreneurs.
"Guarda, Iucci. Look, Iucci!" Eugenio thrusts 'La Stampina' in front of my face. It’s an Italian news bulletin that we look forward to reading fortnightly. There is the photograph of Eugenio kneeling at the feet of one of our models as if deliberating about the length and finish of her garment.
"Gius said it was going to be published in the next magazine and here it is.” Eugenio beams at me, and then, before I've had a chance to finish reading the article, he's whisked it away to show Esther, who has just come through to the front of the shop.
Gius pronounced Juice, is short for Giuseppe. He’s an Italian journalist and freelance writer for 'La Stampina'. Paid by the Italian newspaper, Gius' news would be read avidly by Italians, eager to hear about expatriate Italians and the happenings in and around Salisbury and outlying areas.
Gius is a strapping man with a big head of wavy, black hair. For an Italian fellow of his stature, he’s surprisingly unattractive. Personally, I feel it has something to do with his personality. He is what one would call a shifty newspaper person, always on the lookout for a story.
