I think I finally 'get it' (revisited)

I have often felt that blogging is something I 'should' be doing. Everyone in the edtech community has a link to their blog. That is not why I am back.

Below is a post originally published March 4, 2006 on a former blog of mine. I felt it was a good post to recommit myself to blogging. When I reread this post today, I was intrigued by my thoughts on blogging and wondering why I had stayed away so long. I was also amazed at how much has changed for me and in tech in general since this was originally posted 2 years ago. I have greatly expanded my learning network through Twitter, Nings, and other Web 2.0 tools. I have a new job that I love. The tools of 'then' pale in comparison to what we are using today. I was also struck by a previous post of mine on open source software; boy have I come around on that one! There are also some drafts of post I never published. These might give me a boost as I begin (again) this journey.

So why am I back? In rereading my posts of years past, I realized that my writing doesn't stink and that maybe I really do have something to contribute. I receive so much from my learning network, maybe this is a way I can give back. I have re-entered the blogosphere.

Originally posted on Jetech Ramblings Blog, March 4, 2006:

"If you read my first posting, those many months ago, I wonder what all the fuss is about reading other people's blogs. Are others really that voyeuristic? Do people really want to know that much about the mundane lives of their fellow man/woman? This notion of mine came from a naive view of the nature of blogs and blogging. After some reading, attending some workshops, and reading some blogs, I finally see the importance and addiction of blog reading. Blogging, I have come to understand, is more than merely a public journal or diary of one's life. While that certainly can be the case as my attempts at blogging have shown, to limit it to that one purpose is really selling it short. Blogging is a way to connect your ideas/knowledge/area of expertise with the world. While some ideas may not be of interest or may directly conflict with my own, the ideas are there for those who do find them of interest. Currently, I subscribe to 11 blogs (many more than that now!) that I read daily. Most fall into the educational technology genre since that not only is a personal interest, it is also my job. On a daily basis I am connected to the thoughts of some of the preeminent thinkers (and luckily bloggers) on the subject. I also read the blogs of some "average Joes" like myself who share my interest in ed. tech. Some of these people are accessible other ways as conference speakers, book authors, or through web sites that bear their names. However, without blogs, I would never know about the PowerPoint projects of a 7th grade class in Massachusetts. While this many not hold mass appeal, it gave me a great idea for a project of my own. Blogs are a way of creating personalized learning communities; no matter what your interest. The world really is flat. While I have become a blog junkie, I am still wondering if there is anything I have to say that is of interest to others. What do I want to contribute to this blogging community that is giving me so much?"