Hello Clubhouse!

My week on Clubhouse.

In case you haven't heard it through the grapevine, there's a new social media app in beta testing resembling a podcast platform, called Clubhouse. You have to be invited, or, if someone in your contacts list is already on the app., they have to let you in... Secret society vibes much? I signed up via Twitter and my friend who already used it, "let me in" after which Clubhouse informed me via text that I had been moved to the top of the line thanks to my friend's referral. Once on the app, you create a profile and your friend owns the honorable badge of being the one who "nominated" you. Six degrees of separation guys, this app is here to stay!

At first, I joined the expert groups with public figures, celebrity speakers and guests which were quite informative. Conversations surrounding bitcoin and social media were super relevant to me. Before you access the rooms, while setting up your account, you get to choose topics of interests that you like. Your timeline then showcases Rooms that match your interests. Once your profile is made then you can see who is already using the app from your contact list and through mutual friends. Once you follow each other you grow, not just your network on the app, but your other social media accounts like twitter and instagram also grow in numbers. You get to join the Rooms your friends are following, listening to or speaking in. If you're on the app., and in a room but your friends aren't, you both can ping each other into the room to engage or just absorb the current conversation. I didn't sign up for notifications at first but I have as of 2-3 days ago. The notifications aren't annoying. Sometimes I click on them accidentally while using my phone and find myself entering a room discussion. Both times it's happened, I've been pleasantly surprised so I'm all for synchronized accidents that result in stimulating conversations. Behold all sapiosexuals, this app's for you!

How many devices do you need to properly Clubhouse?

The one downfall so far is that you can't multitask any audible apps on your phone will using the app! If you receive a call or want to listen to anything on your phone, you basically get bumped off the app since you practically have to give it your undivided attention. You can't mute the conversation, you have to actually leave the room discussion to tend to other things on your phone. If you're speaking in a Room and your phone suddenly rings, no one can hear you and often times in mid-sentence. There's also a hand raising feature that I'm not too fond of, just because in some Rooms, you can raise your hand forever and still not be brought onto the audible stage to voice your opinion. Oh, but when you do get to add your 2-10 cents, it's all copacetic! Oh and no matter what, don't record any of the conversations without everyone in the room's permission.

What Has Changed in Week Two?

My sleeping pattern for one. There have been 96-hour marathons of keeping a room open, meaning 4 days of uninterrupted conversation. Who are these humans that can talk for 96 hours? They're called the Moderators of the room and some of them play tag you're up next while I go to sleep for a few hours. Distraction much? Or, groups will schedule continuous Rooms sequentially to keep various conversations going back to back. Did I mention that this app., is audible only? Yeah, you can't see each other live, just your profile picture. If you want to share a picture in the app you have to "PTR" it, aka add it to your profile picture. My twitter and instagram followers and dm's have increased because that's the only way to directly speak to someone, unless you open a closed, audible room for the both of you to chat. If you like to talk, this is the app for you! If you like to listen, it's also the app for you! If you like to network, yup, also the app for you. I love when people follow me after I've spoken in a room. I'm in my second week and I'm already up 212 followers. Do I prefer writing to speaking? Well, I'm here aren't I?

Interpersonal Growth.

Paying attention to how you listen is fascinating and this app definitely helps with that. My awareness has been on high and my mind has definitely expanded within my first 7 days on Clubhouse. Now I frequent the same spiritual groups with love coaches, energy healers and educated urban brothers and sisters on the east coast mainly. You have to allow your mind to go there and really get the sense of what they're saying because no one wants to just say something completely irrelevant and add no value to the conversation. The Moderators can also mute you or return you to the audience if you stray off topic or hog the audio space. Some groups have upwards of 900 plus, people from all over the world, in different time zones chatting at the same time.

There is one unlikely room that has completely swept me off my feet, enter the "Conspiracy Theories Real or Fake With the Facts" room. Seven days of addictive conversation, which is so unlike me. 8pm-4am, a 7-hour discussion with people from different cultural backgrounds to mine made me realize how different we are yet how a like we are when it comes to ideals. So many different voices breaking down alternate realities, ancestral planes, conspiracies of big government, ancient civilizations, aliens, reptilians, oh and the FBI coverups which aren't really theory but fact, "allegedly." There's one Flat-Earth Moderator too! Why the earth being flat rather than round matters so much is beyond me but in the almost two weeks of hearing the argument, I've gotten one named benefit from a flat earth- free energy. (allegedly) Elon Musk's name was thrown around a bit, is he a Flat Earther? Last time I checked he was trying to get into outer space to vacation on Mars and according to the Flat Earth theory, that's impossible since no man has ever been to the moon. In fact, the moon is also flat that's why we only ever see the same side of it staring right back at us. Man in the moon much? What is spherical is the dome that we live under, enter The Truman Show. Fun. Now back to reality.

What Has Not Changed.

My noncommittal approach to conspiracy theories. My depth of knowledge regarding the English language being the dumbest language and at the same time, a spell-bounding language capable of casting spells and hypnotizing those who read or speak the words just doesn't quite do it for me. Also, not all Black American people want BLM speaking for them. In fact, black men in particular do not feel well represented by the social justice group. You know how I feel about BLM and M4BL... (see my How To Fight article)

At the end of the day, spanning different groups of mostly educated, empowered, entrepreneurial, urban men and women from the east coast, what I hear is an overall skepticism which I do not possess. Don't get me wrong, I can be cynical but that is because I'm solution oriented. If you don't ask questions, you'll never find answers or invent new ways of doing things, but skeptical? Not really me. I trust and give people the benefit of the doubt more so than distrusting and judging based on a hunch and I try to ascertain perceptions over realities. I believe in truth. If you can't find it, create it... Truth being relative to your experience is a thing but there are also some things that just are... Not everyone has an agenda, at least, that's what I would like to believe. Call it naïve, I call it optimistic and idealistic, which is me in a nutshell so help me God, if that changes, then I don't know who I'll become! Trust yourself, start there.

What I love about Clubhouse.

The sense of community is strong and can feel overwhelming at times especially for a sensitive empath like me. Some people share a lot, after all, you have been chatting everyday for 7 hours and that energy can be hard to shake. This is something I deal with regardless of whether it's on an app or in real time with friends and family. You can join as many groups that appeal to whatever journey of life you find yourself on. You will find others on the same journey, or. who have already traveled a similar one there to offer up their wisdom and advice. Any questions you've ever wanted answered best believe someone on Clubhouse has the answers, ten or a few hundred people have researched in depth, scrutinized and answered those questions already. I've gotten so many new book recommendations! Some Rooms just host book readings. Most discussions aren't debates but rather an exchange of information referred to as, "adding a block to the pyramid." These words and sayings are so beautiful, intentional and spiritual and I'm always down to add more spell-binding words to my vocabulary. (I digress) My next step is making my own Room and hosting my own discussions with topics I propose. Everyone's also pondering how the makers will monetize the app. I'm guessing a monthly subscription? Pay to play, download a Room, or pay to join a group? We'll see! I also forgot to mention that I can't invite anyone else until I've participated and hosted enough rooms. I used my 5 invitations already but if I do get more invites, you'll be the first to know.