Blogging

A Photo I took earlier today in the Men’s Restroom at Jumbalaya in Danvers, Massachusetts near my office is the Lead Editor’s Pick today on Text America.

And how cool is that!

My good friend Eric now has a blog as well. Check him out at Wide Eyed Insolence.

Eric’s got some good stuff up already!

Dooce has had her daughter:

Some women say that their babies look like opossum, gerbil or other type of lovable rodent. Ours looks like a frog.

[…]

Leta has had a pretty remarkable life full of poopy diapers and several successful attempts at feeding at The Trough of Mama.

Your Movable Type Must Die – too funny.

In my early days on the internet, back at The Indiana Academy and at Indiana University, I used to write.

I mean, really write. Not the sort of posting that I do on my weblog here, I mean deep meaningful writings about things that were happening in my life. Some were outrageous, some were self-righteous, some were deep, others just whimsical.

I remember writing when I was in the deep throes of major depression during my last semester at the Academy – I remember writing sitting at a New Year’s Party in 1995 in Bloomington, Indiana watching my world change yet again during my lifetime. I remember writing about the tough times you find as a teenager when you’re moving from being a child towards becoming an adult.

I remember reflecting on the death of my grandmother, on the Oklahoma City Bombing, on the first gulf war, on abortion, on civil rights, on the early mission of the Electronic Frontier Foundation, on pondering what to do with life.

I’m not sure why I don’t write like that anymore… Or why I haven’t taken the time to write on my blog the way that I used to write in those old clunky .plan files that were around with tools like ‘finger’ that no one uses anymore.

Here, let me ‘finger’ you 😉

Sometimes when I think about it, I can come up with reasons why I don’t write like I used to.. Some is just time related.. I have a very time consuming job with a long commute (I chose it, not them), so often when I get home, I just want to vegetate and do things at home.. It’s also knowing that many people from my employer read this weblog, and perhaps it would be better not to write the way that I used to write.

Then I ponder the simple fact that I am who I am – writing is a reflection of that – how I lead and my thoughts about leadership often spring from simple thoughts and self-reflections.. And in that vein I should write about what I choose and not feel fear or apprehension about doing so…

I guess I’m torn on this…

I could have started my weblog anonymously as one of my friends does – she writes on a domain that’s registered in my name and nothing on her weblog identifies her as who she is.. And she writes some of the most heartfelt authentic things I’ve ever seen on a weblog… But like Emile Zola said a long time ago, “I am here to live my life out loud”, and I refuse to do this… I am going to be who I am… Hiding isn’t my strong suit…

Many of my writings from Indiana University are sitting on one of my machines here, I am going to dig them out and repost them.. Because I should.. And because they reflect truly who I am.. Or who I was.. I know I’ve grown since then, but sometimes it’s hard to tell.

My writings from the academy are mostly lost to me.. I had a tape backup on one of those old reel to reel tape machines that VAX/VMS machines used.. And I left it at BSU when I left.. And that was more than twelve years ago now.. So it’s not coming back to me.. But I do remember some of what I wrote….

The Story of Nemen Wulawachtopin
A different WWW
Ponderings about Richard Bach
I died to become the person that I am today, was it worth it?
Arguments about academic and electronic freedom

For some of these, I remember what I wrote.. For others, I do not.. And those are lost forever, and for that I’m eternally sad. It would be a treat to read the things I wrote thirteen years ago as a wide eyed sixteen year old living on the campus of Ball State University and remember those experiences.. But it’s not to be..

I’m resolved to do a better job of taking the time to write meaningfully.. Kerri’s encouraged me to debate and argue more.. And I can certainly do that through my writings.. But often I just want to share, even if I tend to do it cryptically sometimes, the thoughts that are running through my head.. Or the things that I see and feel in my heart…

But more importantly, writing about the things I see, feel, experience, and think provides an outlet for me to connect with myself.. It’s a chance to reflect on how I’ve chosen to live my life, a chance to express the perceptions of events and people that I see..

I choose to write again. I hope you will help me hold myself to this.

I’m tired of watching and reading about the very public disagreements between Dave Winer and Mark Pilgrim.

I have never met either of them – but I have been a long time reader and admirer of them both. They both bring enormous talent, leadership, and influence to the blogging world every day. They command a great deal of respect from myself and others.

I don’t know the original nature of their disagreements and not sure that I really care. But I am quite tired of hearing about it.

I’m just a simple guy ya know.

Most Anticipated Moment of 2003: When the ultrasound technician pointed at the monitor and said, “See that cheeseburger? That means it’s a girl.”

My husband’s most memorable quote of 2003: “You’re going to have to teach our daughter about her cheeseburger.”

If you’re getting your daily dose of Dooce – well, then, you’re just missing out on life.