My Blogging Experience Thus Far..

I've been blogging on water issues (focusing most on groundwater) since June, 2009.  To date I've posted 237 items (this is my 238th).  These posts range far and wide - probably farther and wider than just about any blog I know of thus far (in terms of water that is).  However, it's time to stand back and assess what this experience has meant to me and the GMD I work for. 

On one hand, the creation of our blog has caused me to follow other water-related blogs from around the world.  I follow 30 such blogs from all around the world - well, mostly from the US with one each from Australia, Netherlands and New Zealand.  The world-wide perspective has been very much worth all the effort.  I'm amazed that while we call them different things, the problems are pretty much universal.

I've also become casual acquaintances with a half a dozen of these fellow bloggers.  While we've never met, I have conversed with several of them and have been able to get more informed on both their issues and mine through this dialog.  While most of these people are also involved in Twitter, blog to blog discussion and comments are far more complete and effective - a real plus.  However, even this medium is constrained by the amount of time each player decides to invest in the discourse.  I can tell most of the discussion is still abbreviated, but it rarely shuts the door after a single response.

My biggest disappointment thus far has been the ability to discuss sensitive issues within the blogsphere.  I had hoped - actually initially designed this blog - to be a public bellwether of our developing "enhanced management" effort here in GMD 4.  Since a few involved in this effort have stated their intent to file suit if the GMD tries to implement it, all such discussion is ill advised.  In fact, all the early posts I did on this topic I have removed.  Not only that, but I'm finding very few of the local GMD 4 members are involved in either Twitter or the blogsphere. As such, these discussions would never involve them anyway.  While I'd appreciate the viewpoints of many water-related perspectives if I continued posting on this topic, it was the local public perspective that I had hoped to involve directly. 

All in all, the benefits I think are enough to continue for a while longer.  While my stats accounting appears to be sufficient (and even growing a bit over time) the followers I am amassing is a bit embarrassing.  Take away my family and personal friends, I have two followers. HA!  Seems everyone is strapped for time.

Anyway, If you read my blog at all, you may have noticed the change in my profile - to an effort toward my own learning experience.  If anyone wants to tag along with me, they are welcome, but from now on I think I'm going to do this more for myself than for anyone else.  Maybe that's the way it should have been all along.