"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