Author: Shelley Powers

Categories
Writing

Morality

Yes, I said I was taking a few days off from the weblog, and I am. However, I have these words banging at the top of mouth screaming “Let me out! Let me out!”, pulling at my tongue, digging into the roots of my teeth. I know I will get no peace until I let the little bastards out.

William Bennett wrote an article, Moral Clarity isn’t Simplistic.

I’m not going to argue about this article eloquently – I leave that to AKMA. And I’m not going to argue about it beautifully – I leave that to Steve.

What I am going to say is that those who use moral arguments as axes to chop the world into finer and finer bits, cutting away all who disagree with them, will soon find themselves surrounded only by like minds and like voices. And I wish them joy of it.

 

Categories
Weblogging Writing

Essential blogging

BTW, since Dave Winer only pointed to the Radio chapters (?) when he mentioned the Essential Blogging book from O’Reilly, note that the book covers Movable Type, Blogger, and Blosxon weblogging tools, as well as other material.

If you’re a Blogger user, I wouldn’t mind your input into my chapters — what should I cover in more detail? What should I leave out?

And the other authors would appreciate your feedback on their chapters.

Categories
Weblogging

The debates

In debate, when your opponent is reduced to attacking your character rather than your words, you know you’ve won.

I should have remembered this yesterday when I became so angry. Blame my reaction a bit on the move. And the fact that I’m not called Burningbird because I coo like a dove.

I had a note from Sheila Lennon from projo.com, who wrote up a nice summary of the realtime blogging phenomena. I particularly like:

An image arises of tourists who photograph everything but experience little of what they record. They collect the present, rather than create it.

I do not like using technology just to use it. I don’t like seeing good technology being badly or inappropriately used. And I don’t approve of mediocre technology given prominance because a group of people dance up and down, clapping their little techie hands together in abandoned glee over a new toy.

And when I write about the technology and its use or misuse, and you respond by writing about me, I will always win, and you will always lose.

Coo. Coo.

Categories
Just Shelley

Pearly nights

I’m sitting here in my living room with the lights off, looking out on to the Bay. The moon must be nearly full because its light combines with the fog to cast a pearly quality over the water. In the Bay one of the dinner boats is floating by, bright golden lights marking its outline.

I lean my head on my hands, elbows on the table next to a bouquet of flowers I got at the Market last week. My favorites, daisies and sweet william.

I call these moments “found gifts” because they can’t be bought, you can’t plan them, they just happen — unexpected gifts from the cosmos. Just smile sweetly and say thank you to the air, spill a drop of wine to the spirits.

Tomorrow is the start of Memorial Day weekend in the States and I’m taking a few days off. Time to smell the flowers. Look out the window. Dream.

Categories
Technology Weblogging

More important stuff

After phone call with friend, I am calmer. Sort of. Enough to spend time on more important things. Such as wishing Mark Pilgrim half-a-Happy Birthday!. He’s 29.5 today.

(Mark, I have a clue for you — when you hit 40, you start celebrating birthdays biennially, rather than semiannually.)

Secondly, Jeneane asked folks to link to her co-worker’s weblog. He’s a techie, and the first line I read at his weblog was:

What ever happened to VRML?

I’m partial to VRML – I created a VRML animated lava lamp. Great idea that just never lived up to its potential. Shame that.

Say hi to another VRML fan, Anthurian.

BTW — thanks to you, my weblogging buddies, for your support.