adding to the conversation

[Beth Ehrlich Slater]

I was just catching up on David Warlick's blog, 2 Cents Worth, and realizing that there's a conversation going on about people feeling they have nothing to contribute to current conversations (he was speaking regarding the Classroom 2.0 ning, but I've actually heard this comment in a few different places lately), especially with those who have much to say on those topics and who do speak out. I've been thinking that way recently, as well, though I also haven't had the means nor the motivation to really do something about it or well, really WANT to get my voice said... if only I had something to say.

When I was in high school, I taught myself html and made a website. I got a huge response and began communicating with people online - either via my website, irc, mailing lists, message boards (wait - what were they called? Not the "message boards" now where they live on a website and you post and others post, etc, but the ones you actually called into with your modem... why can't I remember this?!). I was really involved and active and met a ton of people and always had a conversation going. In college, I created a web journal before I knew about "weblogs" and then once that terminology started coming around, I realized that's what I had been doing all along. I had friends in Australia I talked to daily and lots more elsewhere in the United States or elsewhere in the world. It was an awesome feeling to know that I was so connected with these individuals and that we had something to talk about! After college, I became more and more disconnected, though I kept my blog going and still had a few key virtual friends.

Now, in a professional position, I feel I don't have much to write about. I don't want to write about what happens at school day-in and day-out. I don't have huge insights, but I do love to explore new ideas and ways of doing things and that's what really has me excited right now. Unfortunately, I haven't put myself out there to converse with anyone else about them. I do understand what people are saying, though, about not having anything new to add to the conversation, and I'm right here with them. I do love me some conversation, though, and wonder sometimes where that person I was fourteen years ago went. How amazing that I experienced what I did and in that time in internet history and to see how far we've come!