"A wave tossed in the ocean, a vapour in the wind" (aka the one where I try to explain who I am)

Having got woefully behind with CPD23 (my excuses are here), I've been reading each new thing that appeared with increasing trepidation, thinking I might never catch up! However, by some backwards, turning the trousers of time inside out logic, being behind has allowed me to get ahead of the game for this post and tackle a few things together.

When I search for my name online, I don't find myself. There's someone with my name doing an excellent job of marketing herself as a leadership coach, but that's not me. There used to be a lot of attention given to someone who died from a brain tumour (although she's not in the top results nowadays) and that's not me either. I'm invisible and that's exactly how I want it. I'm aware that this makes me somewhat of an old school renegade online, but in terms of Thing 3, I am achieving my goals, even if they're not the ones expected of me!

Recognisably unique

I'm happy with the idea of having a recognisable presence online and I want it to look right. This is because my online presence is an extension of my 'real life' presence and I am always intent on things being well designed (apparently this can sometimes be an annoying trait, but it means I get to make posters and displays at work which I love!) So setting up this blog I have the same background as I use on Twitter (and I created it myself, so no-one else will be using it), I messed around for a while making sure the boxes were right, I meticulously change font every post. I've tended to use variations on my name to sign in to things which usually works well as I have a versatile name. My twitter name is just pronounceable enough (at least by me!) and I now use it in most library things online for continuity.

While I'm not so naive as to think that anything done online is anonymous, I don't yet see the need for my online presence to be blatantly linked to my presence in real life. This means that my life is compartmentalised in terms of online networking. Thing 6 has three advantages to online networking: becoming better known, better connected and better equipped. From a professional point of view, Twitter is the network I use most sucessfully (Thing 4!), to become better connected and better equipped (and possibly better known, although I'm not pushing for it). I find Twitter really useful for keeping up with what's going on in the world (library or otherwise), and have felt the benefit of this while studying this year. It's been nice to hear things talked about in lectures as news from the library world and have known about them weeks before because of Twitter. However, it can be infuriating at times as lots of interesting conversations go on during work time (when I can't look at Twitter, let alone join in) and it's difficult to follow conversations and join in later. I use my first name and a picture of myself because I want people to know I'm a real person, but I don't want it to be terribly easy to trace me.

Sometimes I don't want to stand out

As far as other online networks go, I use Facebook (with my personal details, kept private as it can be!) for keeping in touch with friends (or people I've met in real life at any rate*) and because various organisations I'm a member of use it for keeping in touch, organising events, etc, but not at all for professional reasons. I don't use LinkedIn, and although I've had a look at the example profiles given for thing 6, I've not been tempted to try. This is in no way a reflection on the people who bravely put their profiles forward for inspection, I just don't like the idea of having my details on show and, as there's no need at the moment for me to do so, my reticence has not yet been overcome by practicality. 

I seem to come across as a contradictory character. I want to be a recognisable person online, but not recognisable in real life from it. I want people online to see me as a real person, but I don't want people who already know me as a real person to see me online. This is partly to do with my job/studying situation at the moment and I suspect that I will end up making a decision either way at some point in the future, but for now you'll have to live with my contradictions.

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*Contemplative moment: This is an interesting definition because there's people I would consider friends who I first met through a forum (in about 2001), who were then on LiveJournal with me, who I subsequently found on Facebook, and now on Twitter but who I have never met in real life.

"Who Am I?" - Casting Crowns

Not CPD23: "The breaking down of everything, a bitter pill to take" (aka the one where I am poorly)

Normal service has been suspended due to illness. I will get back to CPD23 when I have the brainpower for extensive coherent thought.

Too many of these...

However, here are some observations on more than a week off work:

1. It's very dull being ill for more than a few days. Do not attempt to watch daytime television if you're not used to it, this will make you feel worse. 

2. Instead, make sure you are provided with a number of dvd boxsets and work your way through them. For minimal annoyance make sure you've got at least a whole season of whatever you want to watch otherwise this may also make you feel worse.

2. Some people you think wouldn't really care if you were ill will surprise you by being sympathetic and helpful and offering to visit. Conversely, some other people will appear to ignore your illness completely. You may never understand why.

3. The traditional list of items to take to an invalid (fruit, sweets, puzzle book, etc.) will turn out to be exactly what you want. Make sure there is space on your table for a jigsaw.

...not enough of these.

4. Although a pineapple might seem a nice gift when it's given to you, it will seem less so when your visitor has gone home and you've realise you now have to cut up the aforementioned fruit.

5. Having a power cut is bad news. A sudden drop in water pressure is also bad news. Try to avoid these household emergencies if you can.

6. Since you're not going out of the house and may be lacking in concentration, your conversational repertoire will be limited (even with the internet, see aforementioned lack of concentration). This will lead you to feel you're annoying people on twitter with your ramblings or worry that you're giving the impression that you're just trying to get attention and sympathy. To counteract this you could write a blog post to entertain yourself when you're feeling more cheerful and then feel extra worried about the same thing!

Hopefully I'll be back at work soon...

"Static on the line" - Tom Palmer

"The bridges grow strong with the passing of time" (aka the one where I see what everyone else is up to)

"For words, like nature, half reveal and half conceal the soul within." - Tennyson

I can see both advantages and disadvantages to communicating online. I used to be all in favour; I'm not a terribly forward person and getting to know people online gives a certain amount of distance which makes it easier. There's no pressure to think of what to say instantly, it's easy to reread and adapt what you say before you say it and it's often easier to be forthcoming with someone you've never met. However, I'm beginning to realise that some years of working with the public have produced in me an easy smile/speak reaction to meeting people face to face which mean it's not as hard as I expect. (This probably means I'm always talking to people with a professional distance and it's only when I know someone really well that I let myself be unsure of what I'm saying.) At the same time, I can see how difficult it is to accurately convey the subtleties of tone and meaning online, whereas in a face to face conversation you automatically check the other person for clues to their understanding and can try to correct a misinterpretation instantly. 

In the name of CPD23 Thing 2, I've skipped around a few participants' blogposts (from the big list and from people I follow on twitter) and commented a few times. Although it can feel a bit like walking unannounced into someone's living room and telling them what you think of what they've done with the place (especially since lots of these first CPD23 posts were about setting up a blog/layout etc), I do find it encouraging when people interact with things I do online so it's only polite to extend others the same courtesy! I think as the 'Things' go on, posts will be more full of content which will provoke discussion and it will be easier to comment usefully.

"Somewhere between your heart and mine" - Paul Field

"When you think it's all over it's just begun" (aka the one where blogging starts again)

I'm not a natural writer, I'm a perfectionist. To my mind the two don't go together, I'm never satisfied with what I've written so I never finish it. There's a reason I'm such a last minute person in terms of essay writing; give me a hand-in date and I will be forced into completion!

I've had various blogging spaces at various times over the years, but this one is started so I can participate in CPD23, a development programme for library and information professionals which involves doing various tasks (I'm led to believe the in word is 'things') and blogging about them. Finally, a blog with deadlines!


I'm currently working as a library assistant (full-time) and completing an MA in Library and Information Management (part-time!), and CPD23 seems a good thing to do to keep my mind busy during my uni 'holidays'. It will also be a good way for me to get into reflection and professional development in the library world (and to articulate my views on who is a professional, because the subject makes me quite cross!).


So, this is it. Thing 1. 22 more to come...

"When you think it's all over it's just begun" - Miranda Sykes