Keep up the habit

Spent a few days in the Lake District at a repository conference.  Repository managers are often keen social networkers - so the tweet backchannel was lively.  When I started using Twitter,  I found it quite tiring to keep focused on speakers, making my own notes, and adding comments to Twitter that might be of use to others.  I now find it second nature.  I must admit I am sometimes rather flippant in my comments, the backchannel can get a bit bitchy, but it also cements together participants both attending an event, and those watching the twitter feed, so I think it's a welcome addition.

Things are feeling good in my world.  Looking forward to longer days, spring activity from the birds, insects & flowers.  And spending time with special people.

The wider world is not so good.  The government seems determined to wreck some of the things that make this country great - free health care, (relatively) accessible countryside,  public libraries that promote culture and learning, a postal service that does so much more than deliver letters.

Anyone who cares about these things, please do something, stand up and be counted eg on  March 26th in London.

Keeping the faith

I find that using the internet to support causes and find like-minded people is something of an antidote to the depressing effects of the daily news. My glass half-empty approach means that despair is never far away when I hear about bank bonuses (full stop, when pay is frozen for most people), oil companies dumping toxic waste, developed world stalling on climate change yada yada yada. But little bits of engagement with this, talking to others, supporting web campaigns etc helps keep me sane.