So I have this little light bulb over my head and just wondering if there's anyone else out there who is in the same boat as me and thinks that it could fly (to mix as many metaphors as possible).
I'm in that age group where I have to make a real effort to stay abreast of the swift changes and developments regarding online tools and programs. (What I mean to say is, I feel that it comes easier and more naturally to those younger than me who immerse themselves in online technology and so their knowledge is constantly renewed.)
I've been fine for the past few years just staying on top of newer better email systems... (starting with Aol Online, then moving to Earthlink, then to Hotmail, then Yahoo, and now Gmail.) Friendster and Myspace were easy enough to be a part of... and having a more individualistic online identity has been made easy with Blogger and Typepad. But now, with so many new things being thrown my way, like Flickr and Twitter, I feel like I'm at the beginning of what may become a losing battle... like I need to get caught up with my tech "know-how" or I'll risk falling further and further behind for the rest of my life.
It's not that I necessarily feel the pull of needing to be a part of every "hip, new thing" that comes along... but it's more like not wanting to suffer the fate of my grandmother who finally agreed to get a VCR when everyone else had already moved on to DVDs. She was so behind in the game, she felt like she could never catch up and, as a result, was stuck watching mid-90's movies until she died a couple years back.
Today's Flickrs and Twitters will become tomorrow's who-knows-what?... and if I don't at least attempt to have a working knowledge of what's going on now, what will happen then?
Anyway, to my point.
I think that I need a catch-up/refresher and I think it might be nice to have a group of people get-together once a week over drinks and food... everyone with their laptop and an online connection, and we could all teach each other what we needed to know at this stage of the game. I'm sure this idea isn't a new one, but I think I'd want to gear my group towards decidedly non-techheads; just others like me with only a cursory knowledge of what's out there. You know who you are. You're out at a party maybe and the computer brainiac in the group says, "Oh, you should try Photobucket (or Flip4Mac, or TextMate, etc., etc.)" and you nod your head and say, "Oh, I think I've heard of that." while you're actually thinking, "O.k. I need to remember that so I can check it out."
In my Tech Luck group, the first week we could all learn about Google Tools and the person with the most experience could lead the rest of us through the various tricks of getting to know it. (Admittedly, we might need a ringer to show up to help out here). Week 2 could be all about Flickr, and everyone could upload their photos... and we all spend a couple of hours going "Oh hey, try THIS out". and so on, and so on.
I suppose this post is just a 'testing of the waters' to see if there's any response. C'mon... you know you need it. Whaddya say?
You bring the beer, I'll make the casserole.
Dude, I would, but the commute is a killer...
Sounds fun.
Posted by: Chuck | May 17, 2007 at 07:30 PM