The progressive Google Forms as a substrate, carrier of the dialogue and our responses is a creative interactive way that many are familiar with when filling out a survey or poll with Google Forms and providing an interest in an event or information, sign up. The conversation happening between me and the form cerates this responsive letter with only two multiple choices lines of dialogue to choose in the beginning, but eventually evolves to checking multiple boxes, from a drop down selection arrow, and additional multiple choice selections available to choose from that carries the conversation along making you realize it doesn’t matter what you choose you will be back where you stated eventually. Depending on each response, the interaction finds a way to show empathy towards what selection I chose related to the question. I tend to forget about what question was asked prior as now I am focused on the present. Each response does have an effect on the following though as I move forward with. It was clever to provide a list for me to choose from of what I brought with me in my “small bag” going to the Tower which made me mindful of the lines provided. I enjoy being given the option of seeing my previous responses once I have submitted my current form. The biggest part of this work was the Pie and Bar graphs that were provided of all the responses with percentages of choices made. This made me feel like I am part of a larger anonymous group but somehow affecting the whole together with our choices. This is similar to how our society is here in America, we tend to think of our choices as being singular and not affecting the whole or our surroundings, but they do. If we were provided with a visual of how our choices do change or affect others. Then I think we might be deterred to make certain choices and rethink others having the opportunity to look back at the previous ones selected. Just being mindful and aware.
Reading the Editorial Statement before accessing the work of Hana Feels knowing that it is related to mental health crisis and I would be mediating what is said to her from the 4 role dialogue responses made me interested as a Veteran who has faced many “rough patches” on my own without support or having an outside perspective on its effects to the body, mind. The words of “allied purpose” are substantial and having a role to make a difference with Hana’s situation depending on what is said to her. I chose the work website version, instead of the arrive to interact as a participant, now a digital friend of Hana’s here to support her through this mental health challenge. The type of support is extremely important, and what and how we say something to someone having a mental health crisis needs to be thought through and have empathy not sympathy. Sometimes we think we know the best things to say to someone in a time of need, but they don’t always have the effect of making the person in need of support feeling any better from what was said or advice. In a way you are playing an active menta health negotiator and trying to help a friend. Peer, coworker, family member out of a situation that has overtaken their mind, feelings, thinking and get them into a more level, stable way of thinking and reacting to what is happening. We must be aware of the mental health part of the formula when trying to share care; understanding there is an imbalance. In my experience as Will the Volunteer I asked the question “what is your name” it seems that there was pause in any responses to be made after that, the selections became limited. There was quiet breathing then click. I thought by asking the name of the caller would create a more personal feeling, showing I understand another human being is on the other side needing help. So I decided to interact again, clicking the refresh button bringing up the same helpline scenario page and responses to what I could ask the caller, Hana. This time I asked, “Is there something you’re worried about?” Once again some gaps in the responses boxes and quiet breathing resulted making me feel like I asked the wrong question to her. It’s interesting that when I clicked on Will the volunteers profile it mentioned that he is “worried of saying the wrong thing” to the caller. I also felt this anxiousness or weight on my consciousness while interacting with Hana. Realizing that Hana actually hung up during the previous call not because I asked the wrong question, but because she was concerned that I would think she was a “heavy breather” caller doing it as a prank, or for one’s own enjoyment. This made the interaction even real for me and created a responsibility in me to continue speaking to Hana. Hana’s Journal was insightful reading her feelings calling up the help line and understanding her thoughts or reasoning. The discussion playing the role of Christine, Hana’s boss created a entirely new feeling towards my role. I assumed that this would be about how Hana’s mental health was effecting her productivity at the Casino. I selected responses back to Hana that were from a understanding nature of one who has dealt with mental health getting in the way of my job performance, instead of other responses that were cold and not caring, but focused on assertiveness and putting Hana’s mistakes in front of her not really understanding first what was going on with her. I learned ones role, title, responsibility towards a individual whether a boss, friend, co worker, family member would require a different level of concern and empathy felt with something so delicate and quiet as mental health.
