Connectivity - building community
I conduct an animated conversation with “Kev” whilst he is fast asleep in England and I’m wide awake in San Jose.
“So what seems to be the problem now then Madeline?â€
“Well I just thought it would be nice if we could “connect” all the “nice bloggers” together.â€
“Nice! I thought you banned that word?â€
“Oops, true but you know what I mean.â€
“Actually I don’t?â€
“Ah, well as I skip around the blogosphere I come across “like minded” bloggers and it would be good if we could all stay connected.â€
“That’s what the “hub” is for, we’re already connected, you’re a “member” remember?â€
“Indeed, but there are other blogs, “friendly,” “positive” “autism” blogs.â€
“That’s what you have a side bar for.â€
“I know but the Blogger one is all messed up and I just can’t manage it on the Wordpress thingy.â€
“Platform.â€
“Pardon?â€
“Nevermind! So what do you want to do?â€
“I need a button.â€
“Button?â€
“Yes, a little button perhaps with a plus sign on it that I can just click on it and the new blog just gets added.â€
“Why don’t you just use a “reader?â€
“I do, but they don’t show up on my blog do they, so we don’t get really connected.â€
“Alltop?”
“True, they “cement” us together.”
“Aggregator.”
“Yes but I’d prefer it if we could all be elmered.”
“Elmered?”
“Glued.”
“You need to go on a course.”
“Which way?”
“Er…..Blogging for Dummies.”
“Is that a “plug?”
“Never! I”m far to PC.”
“Whatever Mac…… er……. Kev!”
“Peace, love and understanding! Are you really that naive?”
“Yes please! Anyway, I’m only a hop, skip and a jump from Santa Cruz, real granola head land.”
“Granola head?”
“Sorry, it’s just a little American term that we Americans use.”
“Muesli to you! So what happened to your “blogrolling” widget?â€
“I mislaid it.â€
“How?â€
“I’m not entirely sure. I think I clicked on the wrong bit whilst I was cleaning the keyboard.â€
“You didn’t stick it in the dish washer did you?â€
“Ooo I never thought of that.â€
“Well just re-install it.â€
“Good idea. In the meantime a nice big one click button, would do the trick. You know, for people who need font size 24.â€
“Clean your bifocals.”
“I would, if I could find them.”
“It would affect your loading.â€
“Really? I did put on a few pounds in England, but that’s actually good for me.â€
“No I………nevermind. Anyway, there are already forums for that kind of thing like “wrong plant.â€
“Too old.â€
“There’s “Vox” too, “Facebook” and other social networks.â€
“Not the same thing at all, and all those logins and passwords are such a pain.â€
“Not a lot of working memory then?”
“Sad but true. Then if we all had one we could all add nice blogs that we find.â€
“All of us?â€
“Yes, one click fits all!â€
“I’ll give you click missy.â€
“If it quacks like a duck….â€
“Anyway, I thought you were giving up blogging from your “Twitter” comments.”
“I’m exercising my “wimmins” right to “change” my mind.”
“I don’t think you’ve thought this through properly, there could be all sorts of unintended consequences.â€
“No such thing, there’s always an underlying thread of “connectivity.â€
“Er…..? Run that by me again?â€
“You know “band together,” make ourselves “heard,†“everyone!” All over the “place.”
“I thought you were all for peace and “quiet?â€
“I think I’ve fallen off my fence.â€
“That can happen if you’re not careful with your pedestals.â€
“Oh good, so you’ll do it?â€
“It’s not quite as simple as that you know, that’s a lot of work you’re asking for?â€
“Really?â€
“Really.â€
“Why?â€
“I’d have to (&#$% *(#)* the platform, regenerate the %^&*, add some #$%^ and probably &^)#@ just to be on the safe side, to say nothing of the graphics and the interface.â€
“Is that all?â€
“Are you listening?â€
“Verily, in troth I doth listen to every syllable thy uttereth.â€
“So you get my point?â€
“Indeed! Sharp as a tack me.â€
“Anyway I’m much to busy seeing to “Estee” at the moment.â€
“Really! Now that is interesting.â€
“Go to sleep woman!â€
Very well, I shall go and pester “Joe” instead, then I shan’t feel so “useless!”
Ooo look! “Genevieve Hinson’s” already done it!
Always be wary of any helpful item that weighs less than its operating manual.
- Terry Pratchett












July 26th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Oh very cool!
I only recently found out about Wrong Planet and joined up yesterday. Since then I’ve been stumbling across references to it all over Autism Blogs I visit. Think I was blind not to have noticed before.
July 26th, 2008 at 11:34 pm
Or maybe Youse-less………
July 27th, 2008 at 1:51 am
I usedta look in at Wrong Planet, not many people there, so I joined up with Gareth and Amy at AFF, who STILL HAVEN’T GOTTEN BACK TO ME ABOUT MY PASSWORD PROBLEM!
Later, there was the William Freund thing, with murders and suicide. Wrong Planet suddenly got all popular-like after that, and then Alex changed the software so that I can no longer see Wrong Planet, unless I click on View Source and slew the screen left and right.
I swear to God, if I were Dictator, I’d insist that all of the text parts of the Web, at least, would be accessible to anybody who owned a Commodore 64!!
July 27th, 2008 at 2:21 am
Ohhh I remember Elmer!
Great post
July 27th, 2008 at 5:43 am
LOVE Cadbury’s fruit and nut bars! MMM
July 27th, 2008 at 6:35 am
In the words of David Cassidy, I think I love you. Thanks for all the new destinations!
July 27th, 2008 at 6:41 am
Great info, Maddy! Thanks!
July 27th, 2008 at 8:45 am
This is great! Thanks for all the links. I checked a few out already.
July 27th, 2008 at 9:01 am
Maddy that was brilliant! I will have to spend more time on this post to get the full benefit, but any post that makes lol on first run is therapeutic in my book. Wish I could be as funny as you….please drop a whittererism on my site sometime.
July 27th, 2008 at 9:24 am
Psst… your twitter won’t come up in my Reader… and I have another that will… just saying
Will have a good read of the post and follow your links later this week… company coming.. thanks for the links.
PS. Have you ever read Anne Rockwell’s children’s books to your boys. They are little boys new favs.
July 27th, 2008 at 11:16 am
another great post…Maddy, you are all sorts of awesome, I hope you know.
July 27th, 2008 at 3:54 pm
I find ‘isolation’ is the worst to experience as a parent to a child with autism.
I’m so glad you found the blognetnews.com/autism page. Your blog is included on there … it’s OPEN to anyone blogging about autism from all walks of life and viewpoints.
So if you know anyone who’s interested … have visit here http://www.motherofconfusion.com/bloggers-for-autism-awareness/
or email me their info at gchoate@gmail.com.
Also there’s a page for social networking listed here http://www.motherofconfusion.com/bloggers-for-autism-awareness/autism-bloggers-who-twitter/
And there’s a friendfeed room located here: http://friendfeed.com/rooms/autism
~g
July 27th, 2008 at 4:12 pm
I am pretty sure you are not evil, but now I am in trouble. I can’t not read a new link, but I cannot read anymore blogs these days! Trying to get through a stack of business cards from BlogHer and trying to find the autism peeps, too.
If you want to follow me on twitter I am @sendchocolate. Be forewarned, I am verbose.
T.
July 27th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Hi Maddy — So glad you joined in with ‘Finding Courage’ this month! I’m going to have to come back and spend some time going through all these links, because it looks like you have some pretty incredible ones here.
I can’t imagine how long this must have took you to put this all together, but thank you — what a great resource! I’m really looking forward to getting to know you and your blog better
~Michelle @ In The Life Of A Child