thinking about networking

Having lots of time to think results in lots of stray thoughts being gathered in, thoughts that I probably wouldn't think about otherwise.

So I came round to the business of social networking. Facebook has brought back to me friends from times long past and family I'd lost touch with. Then there are all those I've known for years because of the very much missed urp. Happily several of them are now on Facebook, but there are others I remember only as long out of-date-email addresses.

And I'd like to be in touch with a wider circle of those who share my esoteric interests.

So what to do about it?

I do what I usually do - because I'm of that generation. I go and look for a book. It's much easier than in pre-online days. (Gosh! Am I really that old? Surely it can't be more than 40 years since I was first introduced to JANET. ) I log on to the County Library site and browse through the catalogue. Half an hour later I have a list of a dozen authors and their Dewey numbers.

The next morning I'm in the Central Library. I'm digging round the 302/303 shelves. It's doesn't take long to make the cut. Two or three texts with 'possible' titles are like Alice's sister's book : page after page of unattractive prose - and no pictures. Those go back. Straight back. One or two are pre-entry-level. The opposite end of the scale. But quite soon I have two softbacks in my hand and I'm sitting in a comfortable armchair in a good light. And as I leave on the way out, I use the self-service checkout which prints a little ticket to remind me of the date due back and the one other title I still have at home.

Deckers and Lacy [2011] is exactly what you'd expect from an American publication. Full of the Good News of winsome objectives and the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. There's just a background tinge of the American Dream and the joys and rewards of the Protestant Work Ethic. Strive hard and all this shall be added unto you. But I'm under no obligation to follow literally every step, every injunction, every helping hand held out. I sample the bits that attract me. Entice me. I make a list. Their daily and weekly schedules fit nicely onto an Excel worksheet. I'll do it a little bit at a time. I must leave myself enough time to think ..

francis cameron, oxford, 24 august 2011

Posted via email from franciscameron's posterous