So I’m finding it really, really difficult to read much of the edblogloshpere these days. I’ve gotten out of synch…too much traveling. Too much to do at work. Too much of everything.
But here’s the kind of weird thing which is scary at the same time. I’m kind of liking the silence. And I’m not sure if that’s just because I was simply getting overwhelmed or because I was just tiring of the discussion a bit. If it is the latter, that would be an interesting development, I think, one that I’d really want to deconstruct. Am I bored with it? Is it moving beyond me? Is it fruitless? Am I not learning? Is it just too much to take on?
I dunno…
I’ve been thinking seriously about where I want to take this space when my new life starts in a couple of weeks. I’m just feeling like lately it’s become too repetetive, too echo-y. It doesn’t feel fresh. I’ve been lucky to develop a pretty wide readership, but I’m wondering if that’s affecting my work here, pulling it in a direction it doesn’t want to go. It feels like I need to retool somehow. I’m looking for that next step, I think. Blog enlightenment. And I don’t think it’s in writing more or trying harder. I think, as with all enlightenment, it’s about letting go.
But of what?
UPDATE:
Kathy Sierra’s post from yesterday turns out to be extremely, incredibly, wildly relevant and helpful. It’s titled “The Myth of Keeping Up,” and my takeaway is to get focused and figure out how to best use the time I do have to read and write. And this is the one part that really resonated:
Finally, are WE part of the problem? Are we overwhelming our users with documentation? Or are we part of the solution to their info anxiety? We’re the ones that should be helping our users really focus on the things they need at any stage. While we all recognize that we are stressed for time and on info overload, we tend to think our users have all the time in the world to figure it all out (RTFM).
I know she’s writing about a bit of a different context, but I think it’s a great point. I’m very fortunate to have built a pretty wide readership here. The last thing I want to do is add to the deluge. Less reading may lead to less knowing and less writing, but it may also lead to deeper knowing and deeper writing. And that’s really where I want to get, I think.
You and I sound like we are in the same boat. I posted a few weeks ago about expanding my reading, and looking around a bit more. I wonder if the blogosphere is changing and floating away from me, or I from it? I feel like I’m investigating a million little incremental improvements rather then getting over the wall to something new.
So…….?
After the initial enthusiasm for any new online communication tools – then there must be a specific purpose and a personal connection to continue investing the time. I enjoy learnign about innovations and projects but I simply don’t have time to read all my bloglines every day. I have been thinking about MySpace and other similiar blogging journals…I think it is the personal connection that keeps people coming back.
I’m still in learning mode. And Clarence, I hear you. I’m floating too…but I’m not sure the direction either. I think I’m just going to have to sit with it for a while…
This entry struck a chord with me. I’ve been reading quite a few blogs for months, but just left it behind (including my own blog) for the last few weeks. I left the classroom two years ago and I think I miss the “very immediate” of days in the classroom with kids. Seems like without direct work with the kids, it grows a bit abstract. I followed your lead to Bob Sprankle’s podcasting link. It was quite a kick to watch and made me want to dive back in-something about the direct, visible example of what we say is possible. It’s hard to talk about things you don’t see.
The next few months will give you a natural breaking point and some time for reflection. Use it to experiment a bit. Let go. Try something new.
It will drive you nuts. You and I have identical personalities. Guilt will set in and you will feel very uncomfortable. Let it teach you.
I also feel like the blogging community is a bit impersonal. It’ s a bit like sifting through a sandbox to find an interest grain, and when you find it you put it in a box until you can think of something usefull to do with it. I recently started my own edtech blog and I am wondering if it is worth doing. I feel like I am just adding to the information overload we all suffer.
Finally, are WE part of the problem? Are we overwhelming our users with documentation? Or are we part of the solution to their info anxiety?
Yes and No, in my opinion. Blogs are still very much bleeding edge to most teachers -as the web was a very few years ago. As such those who blog, and even people like me who read them, are a rarity and are probably ignored much of the time by most of the profession. On the other hand, if we have patience, when they do catch on we should be there to gently lead them forward. Unfortunately, by then, we’ll have moved on to the next big thing and won’t have the time or worse, we’ll shun them because they are so out of touch with “the real world”.