Hi bloggers and bloggees. My name is Ken and this is my first ever public blog. It’s a bit different. A bit like realising that you’re at work, sitting at your desk starkers. Aargh.
Up ’till now, I’ve always viewed diaries as private things, that you hide under the mattress to stop the partner/children/dog from finding, but Blogging is more like taking a bit of your soul and throwing it on the ground to be gnawed at by hyaenas! I expect I’ll get over this feeling eventually…
Anyway, my Internet Mentor tells me that blogging is perfectly natural and that I shouldn’t be ashamed to do it, so here we go.
Things are a bit… simplistic here at the moment, but I’ll add new features in the fullness of time…
H’mm. So: where to start. How about “Unaccustomed as I am to public blogging…”? No: it’s been done.
What about “Welcome to my world…”? Well, yes: sort of. At least, “Welcome to one aspect of my world…”
A bit about me. Only a small bit or you’ll quickly get bored… First off: I remember the sixties. They often say that if you remember them, you weren’t there. Well, I was there, and I do remember them. I was just a bit too young to actually do the sixties, if you know what I mean. By the time I was old enough to appreciate it, it had largely gone away. Damn. Another missed opportunity!
I was a child of what we Brits like to call the ‘upper working class’. Luckily, my parents decided that I would not grow up in the same ‘class’ that they did so worked their arses (US tranlations: Butts or Duffs) off to get me to a good school and University. Was I grateful? What do you think! I became so later, of course, but at the time… So, Tip #1: for those parents out there: Don’t expect gratitude until you’re almost too old to appreciate it!
Got a degree (eventually) and into the World Of Work. Nasty shock. Expected to do something rather than laze around having a really cool time. I was an engineer and worked for a variety of leading electronics and aviation businesses until one day they said “Thanks, fella, but we’re going to offer you a career opportunity… With someone else. Bye” Eek. Into IT: hopped around a few firms until they said “Thanks fella…” You can guess the rest.
Became a consultant. Nice job, cool image, some idiot clients. Why do clients pay you a fortune so they can ignore your advice? Some were fine, but others… Words fail me.
Now here’s the rub. Generally, if I think someone’s an idiot, I’m not backward in coming forward, if you know what I mean. Tip #2: In business this is a BAD idea! Bad, bad, BAD!! They tend to say “Go away” or something similar.
So now I only talk to those who listen. I hope I’m going to talk to you. If so, great. If you don’t want to listen to me, that’s fine also. If you think I’m wrong, please say so but keep it clean; keep it polite; keep it friendly. Remember: to learn something, not only must you hear, but you must listen.
HAND…