Notes and Motes from the road

[jjmaccrimmon]

I'm sitting in Colorado on another business trip and have been thinking about a great number of things. Among things in my thoughts:

My friend's list;

My job's new challenges;

My photography activities;

My available free time (or lack of);

Married life.


Friends list
I've been noticing that my friends list is getting less and less active here. In some cases, I know people have moved to Facebook or Twitter or their own blogs. I know some people have simply stopped writing. I recognize that I haven't exactly been terribly involved or responsive either. Work, photo stuff, changes in the family/household situation and more have steadily eaten away at my free time. I guess the best I can offer from my end is an apology. I think that all the efforts I undertook to avoid stalkers and trouble makers, made me less willing or able to talk, write or even muse here. While I'd like to say I'll be better about writing, I see eerie parallels to my returning to regular SCA activities. In other words, it hasn't happened consistently yet.

I've been hesitant to delete or purge the friends list of what I believe are dead, unused or even bogus accounts. Yes, I said bogus accounts. On LJ, MySpace and elsewhere, it's so easy to create accounts and simply hide behind faux friends lists and fake IP addresses. At this point honestly, it doesn't phase me. It was through accounts like this that some people have found it more comfortable (or safer for them) to communicate with me. Even recently someone sent me messages urging me on from a quickly deleted account. I suspect it was Angie or Tracy. If they were going to create mayhem or cause troubles by this time, they already would have.

Since I mentioned her, I suppose I should mention results from my request to my friends a few weeks ago. I asked some questions about whether anyone had taken actions against Angela or did things to fan the fire during the nightmare time. I promised to screen messages about anyone causing mischief for Angie or hate bombing her accounts back then. To the credit of my friends here on LJ, no-one admitted to the terror tactics that I feared might have added fuel to the fire then. Thank you all for your honesty and candor as I preceived it. I'm serious, the silence was thunderous. While silence could count as anything, I tend to hope that people would take me on my word not to retaliate and be honest. In all likelihood, it means that the trouble came from other camps seeking to cause drama for their amusement (and our pain).

Job challenges
As you folks may guess, the job changes I mentioned several weeks ago, have kept me jumping. When I first started almost two years ago, the job I was assigned was, well - boring. This went on till the management started realizing that I was as driven and sharp as I (hopefully) am. When I was shifted under a new branch chief, I suddenly found myself working on more projects, being drawn into more management level activities and increasingly stretching mental muscles I haven't used since my Lockheed days. being drawn into several tests at once and traveling to support them is gratifying. Put simply, I like it.

More of this post tomorrow

Comments

[landverhuizer.livejournal.com]

I've been going through a lot of the same stuff on my f-list here, well... apart from the scary stuff from the past and thank goodness for that!
Seems most people I know have moved onto FaceBook (which some have already seemed to move on from as well) or they are somewhere else where I've hopelessly lost track of them.
--guess I need to be more active in real life lol

Work is sounding good for you... a challenge is a great thing!

[ryokara.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that you're liking your job.
I know I don't post as often as I used to. -_-

[waitingonsunday.livejournal.com]

I've been watching my friends list slowly go dead, as well. I see a lot of people saying they've moved to Facebook and/or Twitter, and I use Facebook and all, but I don't see how it could fill the same role. Of course, I'm long-winded and like writing, but, man. It makes me sad.

[fllnangel17.livejournal.com]

I'm still around, I just don't have anything worthwhile to post, or don't think of posting until my original thoughts are no longer coherent.

Glad that things are working out well for you for the most part!

[naught.livejournal.com]

Best of luck TDY - I really do look forward to your return and being able to sit down and discuss various things with you.

I've noticed my friends list has grown a lot quieter over the past several years and that the same people who usually post on my LJ are the same who normally post on my FB and twitter. heh

I've heard numerous people refer to LJ as being a dinosaur, however, it's still my favorite means of blogging.

Any ways... Have a safe trip!