This is weblog post number one. This weblog is in honor of Suz Dodd who passed away last week. Suz was a member of the mooville network of web loggers. Mooville is an online community where a number of previous and current Simutronics employees post web logs about what is happening in their lives. When reading Suz's web log, and others, I have found that I maintain a sense of 'connection' to friends who have long since moved away. No, we don't see each other every day any more, nor do we hardly ever make a phone call, but simply by browsing their web logs I feel like I 'know' what's happening in their lives.
We are all saddened by Suz's passing. It has been especially hard on Bruce Ferguson who was so very close to Suz. So, you see, this weblog is not just in honor of Suz, but also for those of us who continue on and remember her fondly.
Will I continue to post to my weblog? I certainly hope so. I doubt I will be one of those 'once a day' guys, but I hope I can do better than some of our 'once a year' friends. When I speak to others who once had very active weblogs and then, slowly, stopped posting, I learn the challenges a weblog can present. While a weblog is a great way to feel 'connected' to your friends across the country, they present one major difficulty. They are public. Of course there are ways to make weblogs private, putting them behind virtual iron gates requiring a keycard to pass through, it doesn't seem to be in the spirit of the original enterprise. Sharing your thoughts and feelings with an extended family can, and should, include casual friends and potential new friends as well.
The biggest difficulty we face is that often our common bonds are rooted in work; friends made at the work place who later moved on to other jobs. Much of what we might wish to share is related to our jobs. However, for most of us that is simply not an option. Due to the competitive nature of our industry and tight control over public information about internal development projects, we simply cannot discuss these matters publically.
So, what does that leave?
In my mind it leaves primarily trivia. What new material possessions and toys have I aquired? Where did I go out to play and what other social activities have I engaged in? How is the health of my family? What's going on with my children at school and at play?
Is this trivia enough to justify a weblog, and promote the kind of sharing we hope to achieve?
I say, yes. It doesn't take that much information to feel the touch of connection. And the trivia counts. Maybe once we learn to stop defining our lives by our 'work' and refocus our energies on friends, family, and community, we may all benefit. So, I encourage you all, post the trivia, share your interests and social calender. It serves well enough among friends and is of little interest to intruders.
That sums up my first weblog post. Tomorrow I will post trivia about my life. If it bores you to tears, well, at least you know I'm still alive.
John
We are all saddened by Suz's passing. It has been especially hard on Bruce Ferguson who was so very close to Suz. So, you see, this weblog is not just in honor of Suz, but also for those of us who continue on and remember her fondly.
Will I continue to post to my weblog? I certainly hope so. I doubt I will be one of those 'once a day' guys, but I hope I can do better than some of our 'once a year' friends. When I speak to others who once had very active weblogs and then, slowly, stopped posting, I learn the challenges a weblog can present. While a weblog is a great way to feel 'connected' to your friends across the country, they present one major difficulty. They are public. Of course there are ways to make weblogs private, putting them behind virtual iron gates requiring a keycard to pass through, it doesn't seem to be in the spirit of the original enterprise. Sharing your thoughts and feelings with an extended family can, and should, include casual friends and potential new friends as well.
The biggest difficulty we face is that often our common bonds are rooted in work; friends made at the work place who later moved on to other jobs. Much of what we might wish to share is related to our jobs. However, for most of us that is simply not an option. Due to the competitive nature of our industry and tight control over public information about internal development projects, we simply cannot discuss these matters publically.
So, what does that leave?
In my mind it leaves primarily trivia. What new material possessions and toys have I aquired? Where did I go out to play and what other social activities have I engaged in? How is the health of my family? What's going on with my children at school and at play?
Is this trivia enough to justify a weblog, and promote the kind of sharing we hope to achieve?
I say, yes. It doesn't take that much information to feel the touch of connection. And the trivia counts. Maybe once we learn to stop defining our lives by our 'work' and refocus our energies on friends, family, and community, we may all benefit. So, I encourage you all, post the trivia, share your interests and social calender. It serves well enough among friends and is of little interest to intruders.
That sums up my first weblog post. Tomorrow I will post trivia about my life. If it bores you to tears, well, at least you know I'm still alive.
John
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