Bear Blog is a Delight
I miss the good old days of the early web. Before I'd heard of the internet, I would dream of using a computer to find information at the click of a button. Perhaps I'd tapped into the ether. At 30, that dream came true for me.
The first device I used to access the internet was a Psion organiser! I had it set up on a small table where it connected to my router. I loved hearing that chirping sound of dial up, as it meant that email was incoming.
I can't remember how I found all my initial correspondents - I suspect from forums about TE Lawrence or Ernest Shackleton, my big fascinations back then. I was a fan of derring do and adventure.
A long standing email friend was Ray who lived in Colorado. He had met TEL's brother and had firsthand stories to tell. Back then I think I was using Hotmail. Later, I would try nearly every email app out there. It wasn't long before I discovered that I could purchase a domain name and create my own personalised email addresses. This was the beginning of a domain name fascination that has never abated.
The next step was creating my own blogs. First with tools like Blogger and later with WordPress. I dabbled with other sites like Posterous (which I really liked), Tumblr, and so many others whose names I've forgotten.
Eventually the Psion was replaced - I bought a Blueberry iBook which I adored. So tactile and gorgeous looking. It opened up a whole new world. Every night I would search for the latest blog posts from my favourite bloggers. I'd check my blogroll for updates.
It was a great time. A sense that anything was possible. So much creativity and inspiration. And connection. The world had shrunk.
I didn't think we would experience that again, and perhaps we never will. But the current PKM tools and blogs bring us very close.
There came a point when blogging evolved. Some of the writers and creators saw the potential to use their blog as a marketing tool, to sell their art or their services. eCourses became big. Some of the personal blogs disappeared, bloggers became more circumspect about what they shared, and we moved on.
It feels as though we've come full circle. I'm loving being a blogger again. Bear Blog enables me to tinker with my theme, personalise my look and feel, curate a blogroll and invite visitors to sign my guestbook.
Blogging seems to be having a resurgence. A return to the days of random jottings and quirky observations, which plays right into my wheelhouse.
This is all part of my plan for 2025. More writing, documenting my life, publishing consistently, and being part of a thriving, eclectic community.