I've got a post bouncing around my head, but I can't seem to get the words to come out on the page. Anyone else ever have that problem? I've really been thinking about community perceptions, how important one's personal brand and reputation is today more then ever and the power of friends you only know online. All of them are meshing together into a post that if I find the right way to say what I'm trying to get out perhaps I'll write it.
It stems from two pieces of reality. (what does that word mean anymore really?)
1. Tonight I'm finally going to get together with someone that a mutual friend of ours said "Dudes, you have got to meet!" When Eric said this to me months ago as we left a bar near Yahoo after Podcast Academy I didn't question it. I just said "hell yeah" and couldn't wait to do it. Fast forward 6 months and it still hasn't happened. We've talked, we've crossed paths in Second Life, but finally tonight face to face. I'm looking forward to that.
2. Late last year I put out a sort of call that I was hoping to find someone to help me redo the Dirty U-Turn since my last builder went completely MIA on me. I had someone contact me about it and say that they'd love to help when they found some time but it would probably be a couple of months. I know how busy Giff is and thus didn't think it would happen. But, then this past weekend we chatted and now I have this beautiful new cafe. We barely know each other and yet he took the time to do this.
What I'm getting at I guess is that I wish more people realized that by giving, connecting, helping out, answering questions and just all around working WITH people instead of against them that things could be better all around. There is room for all of us out there. All of our companies can make money, can find our niche and be successful.
Nothing set this off. I'm not pissed or anything like that. I've just always believed in the whole idea of karma and that if I give as much as I can in time, knowledge and everything else that it'll all come back around. It's not something I actively think about. It's just the way I'm wired. Was I raised this way? I don't recall, but my parents obviously did something right.
In this world of new media, virtual worlds and 'net connections that we all take for granted please remember that when someone reaches out or asks a question to help them out and give them the answer.
It all goes around and around and around.
Man, I'm babbling this morning. Still don't think I got that post out of my head. I'll keep trying!
