Test post from new computer.
Well it looks like it worked fine.
Thanks to Lawrence Lee at Radio Userland.
Still busy hooking up other stuff,
back to the usual posting schedule tomorrow.
July 31, 2003
TEST
July 30, 2003
CHANGING COMPUTERS TOMORROW – FINGERS CROSSED
| Tomorrow (Thursday) I trade in my PC for a new one. Lawrence Lee at Radio Userland quickly and expertly (through the Userland Discussion Forum) answered my question about how to ensure my blog remains intact. In short: no need to reinstall as long as the drive\path doesn’t change. Just move the entire \Program Files\Radio Userland folder (software, backup files, www folder and all) to the same place on the new drive. I’m backing up just in case. Probably no post Thursday as I make the transition. See you Friday. |
THE BLOGGING PROCESS
| A pretentious and presumptuous attempt to document what bloggers have learned, without any formal instruction, to do every day.
And then a description of what’s needed to make blogs a medium for real conversation. For some bloggers, just writing is enough. For most of us, though, we’re looking to the blogosphere to provide us with useful and interesting information, education, entertainment and/or inspiration for our writing, and feedback, a critical audience, and help with the creative and publishing process. That process looks (to me at least) something like this:  As we all know, this is a lot of work, and there’s never enough time to do it perfectly. I budget 75 minutes/day for reading (the steps in red), 60 minutes/day for writing (green), 15 minutes/day for promotion (blue), and, on the weekend, 60 minutes/week for blog community activities, focused on Salon Blogs, my chosen community. As an empty-nester and night-owl, I do most of this between 8-11pm, but I try to post during prime blog time (5am-5pm) so my posts show up in the ‘recently updated’ lists when most people are reading. Blogging has taught me to write better (believe it or not), to write faster, and what blog readers like and don’t like of my work. That’s enough to keep me blogging. But I know of several bloggers who gave up because they didn’t discover, or didn’t feel, a sense of community. Or they found blogging too impersonal compared to chat, IM, and the telephone. A blog is a very blunt tool, and provides little context of the writer’s personality, the kind of context that allows the development of real relationships (business or personal). For personal relationship building, some bloggers have added chat, IM or webcam functionality to their blogs. Group blogs, forums and wikis allow collaborative work, which enables some real relationship building. And business networking tools like Ryze and LinkedIn allow bloggers to identify business needs and credentials to forge stronger business connections. But in the absence of these appendages, blogs remain primarily one-way communication media. Comments threads, especially when they get long and divergent, are very clumsy ways of carrying on a communication. As a result, back-channeling (taking a comment thread ‘offline’ and continuing it by private e-mail) deprives the rest of the readers of the benefits of the conversation, and e-mail threads aren’t very good conversational vehicles themselves (compared to face-to-face, telephone, chat or IM). Why can’t we enhance blog software so it allows a discussion, at the author’s discretion, to migrate simply to other, more powerful conversational tools without losing the connection to the initial blog post that provoked it? I could (as lots of bloggers do) add applets and links for chat, IM, voice-over-IP, a webcam, desktop videoconferencing, my forums and groups, and my Ryze and LinkedIn pages. But they still wouldn’t be connected, and I’d expect few readers to comfortably jump to the other ‘channels’ to continue a discussion started by a blog post. Or to use these tools ‘cold’ to communicate with me out of the blue. This probably shows I’m just not used to these other tools and their codes of behaviour, but I’d bet most of us are in the same boat. What’s needed is a seamless migration path between the ‘channels’, and an accepted and intuitive protocol for deciding which ‘channel’ to use when. Not all bloggers will want or use this bi-directional communication functionality, of course. The blogosphere has multiple information cultures, and many bloggers are perfectly content with one-directional communication. Some don’t even turn on their commenting capability, following the historical magazine dictum of only allowing readers to write ‘letters to the editor’. And I respect their right to do so. But I think many of us are aching to enrich the relationships with our readers, to whom we owe a great deal, and would welcome bi-directional, multi-channel communication functionality, tightly linked to our blog posts, to allow us to engage in true conversations and community-building with them. If you know of examples of blogs that have been so enriched (probably by tech-savvy bloggers tweaking their own blogs) please let me know, and I’ll start a list of them on my blogroll. In the meantime, I’m going to try to push the blog envelope in more modest ways, within my very limited technical capability. I’ve put up my picture at right and updated my bio, so I’m not so mysterious. Watch for some peculiar boxes to appear at the end of certain posts that will take you to my IM address, scheduled discussions on my forums and groups, or my Ryze or LinkedIn pages. Yes, I know that figuring out blogs’ peculiar technical foibles is already hard enough for most of us, and that none of us has enough time even for the steps in the chart above. But if we’re going to save the world and stuff we need to really communicate, to make blogs tools to really connect us with like minds, not just to inform and entertain. I’ve ‘met’ a few of my readers in person or by telephone conversation, and let me tell you the sudden jump in medium and connection is psychologically jarring. It shouldn’t have to be. Who knows, maybe by next year the chart above will be so much more complex it’ll look like a plan for extricating Bush from Iraq. |
July 29, 2003
FRAN DARLING
FRAN DARLING I moved away (tragically) from Kelvin and Winnipeg in October of grade 12 when Dad was transferred to his Montreal head office. I did grade 12 at High School of Montreal, an inner city school built in 1862, and shock to my system. Since grade 12 was post-grad in Québec, I never really graduated from high school. In 1972, I left McGill with a B. Arts in English. After 3 years of learning how to dish out bullroar on short notice, I went into advertising ó working in Montreal department stores and radio stations. I married starving medical student Pete Leckie from California in 1975, and in 1977 we moved to Vancouver where he did a residency in general surgery. Daughter Nancy was born in 1978, son Dave in 1981. We moved to the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island in January 1982 and weíve been here ever since. Iíve been writing since then ó stories, poetry, songs, chancel dramas for young people at Duncan United Church, ads and press releases for community groups, a one-act historical play for Chemainus Theatre, and I have a mystery novel on the back burner. Iíve been so involved with worship planning and teaching at church that Iíve started courses at Vancouver Theological School, aiming for a Masterís in something eventually. I do book-keeping and work in admin for a local accounting firm part-time. And my column Valley View appears once a week www.cowichannewsleader.com (hit “Opinion”). So weíre still here in Duncan BC. Nancy lives in Kingston after a year acting in Toronto (meaning lots of jobs in bars and a Molsonís commercial), then returning to Queenís this year for her teacherís ticket. Dave has been at Simon Fraser for computer science but is currently taking a year out, which means heíll probably build more computers in his room. My mum retired in Vancouver and my siblings live across the continent. Peteís still practising in spite of people asking when heís going to retire (he just got his first job 20 years ago), probably because he golfs with passion. We have a house overlooking the Valley and an old cedar-shake logging camp cookhouse on the shore of Cowichan Lake. Come visit anytime: fdarling@island.net. Note on the second picture above: I’m seated flanked by my kids Nancy and David. Standing are Nan’s sailor (Lt in the navy, weapons officer, ironic laughter allowed if you know my history in the peace movement protesting cruise missiles up-Island, which he fires) named Dan Charlebois, brother-in-law Joel Sheldon from Pasadena, Mum, Pete who rarely gets his photo taken, Jil his sister.) |
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ROBERT G. (”CHESTER”) COOKE
ROBERT G. (”CHESTER”) COOKE  Professional work: Psychiatrist, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), and University of Toronto
Wife: Lisa; Kids: Alexander 21, Sarah 16, Robert IV 14, Matthew 11 Bio: I havenít kept in good enough shape to dream of doing a marathon, (Iím not sure I could even repeat my grade 12 440 race with Dave Pybus) but I do regularly ride a bike to work (9 km through downtown Toronto). I also relax by playing guitar, gardening, and watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and make a civic contribution through work with the Green Party. I still regularly attend live theatre, a habit I picked up at Kelvin and MTC. Celebrity sightings: On one flight to Timmins I spoke with Shania Twain (she wanted to trade seats so her girlfriend and she could sit together) and on another I sat behind Alan Thicke. The flight attendant was fussing over him, and I felt like saying ìlisten, lady, he may be richer, better looking and more famous than I am, but hey ñ Iím a real psychiatristÖhe just plays one on TVî. Pictures: In addition to the family photo from 2-3 years ago (left-to-right Rob, Matt, Sarah, ìTedî, and Lisa, with insert of my oldest son Alex). I also scanned my hospital ID photo, my yearbook bio and picture (funny how Dave Pollard, who wrote that blurb, anticipated my later interest in psychiatry – although I donít do psychoanalysis), and a photo of me and Daryl Favor which appears in negative in the yearbook. I wish all the Kelvinites all the best; sorry I canít be there. |
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CONNIE BACKHOUSE
CONNIE BACKHOUSE I graduated from the University of Manitoba with a B.A. in 1972, and worked briefly for Ralph Nader in Washington, DC before obtaining an LL.B. from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1975 and an LL.M. from Harvard in 1979. Directly after that degree, I took a job teaching law at the University of Western Ontario, where I worked until I transferred to the University of Ottawa in 2000.
My partner of 20 years is also a law professor, Bruce Feldthusen, who is now the Dean of Law at Ottawa. We have two children: Diana (age 18 and in first year at Queenís) and Mark (age 16, in high school in Ottawa). One of the best parts of academic life is sabbaticals, and we have managed to take a number of wonderful ones: Berkeley, Tucson, San Diego, and Perth (Western Australia). I have written a number of books: Petticoats and Prejudice: Women and Law in Nineteenth-Century Canada, Colour-Coded: A Legal History of Racism in Canadian Law, 1900-1950; The Secret Oppression: Sexual Harassment of Working Women (co-authored with Leah Cohen); and Challenging Times: The Womenís Movement in Canada and the United States (co-edited with David H. Flaherty). I teach courses on human rights, criminal law, gender and race. I do a great deal of public speaking, as well as some adjudication and mediation for human rights tribunals. One of the most fascinating things I have done was to work as an adjudicator of compensation claims for former residents of the Grandview Training School for Girls. I also am deeply involved with the feminist communities in London, Ontario and Ottawa. |
FRED BROWN
| FRED BROWN Since graduating from Kelvin in June of 1969 completed BComm(H) at University of Manitoba – graduated June 1973. Worked for Inco (Sudbury/Toronto) for 4 years – served as press chief for the sports of Waterpolo and Handball at the Montreal Olympics in 1976. 1976 TO 1988 Standard Steel Toronto-Edmonton-Dallas, TX-Willmington, Delaware and Winnipeg. Married 1984. Currently employed Moffatt Supply, Winnipeg, Project Manager-Rail Products, North America. |
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JANE BOWDEN
| JANE BOWDEN
I have been living in Fredericton N.B. since 1977, where I am a private music teacher; I teach piano and clarinet. I married Doug Vipond in 1972, and he teaches psychology at St. Thomas University. I met Doug in the Mikado orchestra at Kelvin; we now play together in a trio (violin, clarinet (Doug), and piano (Jane).), and in a provincial concert band (Doug plays sax, Jane plays E flat clarinet). Our sons, Nick and Sam, were born in 1979 and 1983. Nick is a jazz guitarist and attends St. Thomas U. Sam is a philosophy major at McGill, and a drummer. I studied English and Philosophy at U. of T., and Early Childhood Education at U. of T.’s Institute of Child Study. I played part-time with the Hamilton Philharmonic Orchestra, and did free-lance work during this time. Before we moved to Fredericton, we lived in Boulder Colorado for a year while Doug did a post-doc. In March 2001 Doug’s dad, Reid, died; his mother, Dorothy, lives in London, Ont., near Doug’s sister Fran. My mother, Joyce, died in June 2001. My dad, Drummond, sold the house on Waverley St. in Nov. 2002, and moved to Fredericton, to a condo overlooking the St. John River. Our family still journeys to Willlard Lake (near Kenora) every summer. |
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MAX BLOUW
MAX BLOUW Iím afraid that I canít attend ñ my sincere regrets! In terms of a very brief bio, a quick version is:
With warm wishes, and hoping that all in attendance have a great time! |
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LAURENCE BROWNELL
LAURENCE BROWNELL Following high school graduation, I took Arts at the U of M, concentrating on Philosophy and English. I loved the university atmosphere and rediscovered the excitement of learning. In the summers I had jobs in the clothing industry and construction where I learned about human behaviour and the value of education. Later I realized that most Philosophy Ph.D.ís were finding employment in the taxi and foodservice sectors, so I took some science courses and was able to enter Medicine in 1972 (where students and teachers were noticeably less ìinterestingì than in Arts). Just before starting medicine I sold my bass guitar and amplifier, and Jill Kernahan and I were married. Jill and I had our first child, Katie, in 1983 (now finished her second year in Politics at Queenís), and our second child, David, in 1986 (now finishing grade XI at SJR). After my MD, I entered the postgraduate Anesthesia program, graduating in 1980. Since then I have practiced anesthesia at St. Boniface (until recently concentrating on cardiac anesthesia). Iíve enjoyed my involvement in anesthesia education at U of M as a clinical teacher as well as seven years directing the training program and five years on the national exam board. Heather Tulloch and I were married in 1995. Our children Signý and Jón were born in 1999 and are entering preschool at Wolseley School this Sept. My sister Alix and my mother Björg live in Calgary, and my father lives in Winnipeg. I most enjoy time with family, and I enjoy cycling (not running), sailboards and sailboats, skiing (only X-C since fractures). I enjoy cooking and eating well. I love to travel and I have especially enjoyed great times with Jim Hillman in Montréal, and Dave Pybus in Barcelona. |
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