I launched this site exactly one year ago today. At the time I wrote that my goal for this blog was to present topics of interest and through audience participation extend the discussion. My catch phrase that followed was that maybe this exchange would lead to a new “what if” or “why not” that would make the current day more informed than those before it.
Since then I’ve written on a variety of topics ranging from marshmallows to memorials to movie theaters. We explored stories of persistence and character in victory and defeat. This is a K-12 blog but politics, poverty, pro sports, and natural disasters all made their way into the conversation. Because our state legislators were in session this past year we spent time discussing school finance and property tax reform. We followed change agents in different industries, technology as a global topic (particularly its impact on today’s youth), and the will of individual communities both near and far. We tackled human capital and the spirit of entrepreneurship, and what that means for school leaders and teachers. And most discussions were framed around kids, all kids, even my own from time to time.
So, what have I learned as a novice narrator to online journaling? People don’t care nearly as much about your written word as you do. If you’re writing for immediate affirmation then you will be sorely disappointed. I admit at first the online space can tinge on self-aggrandizing but you get over yourself pretty quickly when you monitor the slow-drip statistics on site views. Once I realized I was writing for me (though I hoped others would find some value) I really enjoyed this medium. I found the independence of it all reconnected and recommitted me to advocating for public education. This business is certainly imperfect and rightly and wrongly criticized, but for many students it is their best option for long-term quality of life opportunities.
Having said that, words matter. This isn’t a new concept and has been covered extensively in areas such as psychology and religion, among other disciplines. But I’ve always been of the opinion there are no absolute take-backs so we should always be mindful of what we say (and write). This lesson proves to be especially difficult for children and adolescents, and they can blame physiology to some extent. Adults not so much and because of the permanence of today’s modern advancements we all need to think twice and act once. I found blogging gave me the opportunity to argue with myself and debate with myself before posting (and my staff will attest that I often talk out loud when no one is in the room – and ironically talk less when people are in the room). If you don’t mean something, don’t say it (or write it) – nothing good will come of it.
Finally, Aesop paved the way for blogs back in the 6th century. Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch but for those that know a little bit about his fables (or whomever was the real author if there was such), words can inspire. If you are not familiar with the lesser known The Astrologer, I would encourage you to check it out. I’m not a fabulist (albeit what a really cool job title) but I was struck by the randomness in which folks would share we me that they followed my site. The idea when I began all this was to broaden discussions of importance and that is what has been the most encouraging. I’ve always related more to the tortoise in self-discipline and deliberateness and believed quick wins were low-hanging fruit. After a year of writing with less than 10 comments, I’m pretty excited about year 2!
What if? Why Not? 