I had planned this post earlier, but Lee Hopkins‘ words in his FIR-segment on Monday reminded me to finally write it.
I started blogging in 2005. I am a PR consultant and needed to see what this blog stuff was all about – the best way to do this was to join in, which I did. I didn’t aim to become a “blog consultant” or something like that, but the more I got immersed, the less I minded being online, engaged, and listening.
What I have experienced in the time since can best be described by the dilemma we face when joining one of the new services: You have friends you would like to share the service with, or you would like to be in the same space as they are. Sure, there may be different kinds of friends, the closer ones, the ones you’ve met, the ones you have corresponded with, enjoyed their content or those you only know because they listen to the same show as you do. Some of them you know really well, because you read their blog, and if they read yours too, you end up having lots of conversations and often making things happen to meet in person.
Why am I writing this?
During what used to be my day job I have to deal with journalists and I learned early on that there is no such thing as off-the-record. And although I could be perceived as coming out of that corner – and have a publishing tool at my hands – I was part of some conversations lately which dealt with confidential information.
What I am trying to say is that I just feel humble that people who in some cases have never met me in person tell me details with the addendum “but please don’t tell anybody yet”. I do the same, but the fact that it actually works – that during the last 2 years we (you and I) have been able to establish a relationship we value and in which we trust each other, just by being in the same community, is inspiringly awesome.
PS. And by the way, this also shows that hanging in front of the computer does not necessarily mean one is isolated, lonesome, or depressed 🙂
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