Looking out the window to the back yard, we were amazed one afternoon to see several deer feeding on our plants. It was quite marvelous to watch them and to watch as they looked at us and then casually continued to graze. Even without the deer, it is wonderful to sit and look towards the woods, listen to the birds and other critters, and just enjoy being. And then there are times when "just being" doesn't seem quite enough. It is also important to be doing.

With that in mind, I've been wrestling with how I want to use my "social media." Am I interested in just being, in having a place for personal expressions, a personal journal that I post for the world? Or do I want to be more purposeful about focusing on some area of interest and/or expertise. Presently, I have accounts active with Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, YouTube, Picasa and Blogger, and probably a few more. FB seems to be more about "friends" and casual connections. I also use it for information, with pages related to religion, politics, technology, music, and such. LinkedIn is more professionally focused and I am still seeking to understand how it works and how it might be a useful tool. Twitter . . . what can I say about Twitter? I will often use it for links to news, information and inspiration. And my blogs . . . I actually have three of them. One where I have been posting my sermons, another for reflections on pictures that I have taken or found along the way, and the original blog (this one) I have used for general essays on a variety of topics . . . no real focus besides what may be on my mind. What I am considering is to redesign this blog to make it more focused, more purposed. Some potential areas of interest include Spirituality, Process Theology, Not For Profit Organizations, Use of technology from the view of a non-tech professional, Perhaps blending the use of technology with Spirituality and not for profits . . . . So, what would be of interest to you?

MLiBB 1 -- My First Break in Life

When I was in the first grade I experienced my first broken bone. It all started out innocently, enough, but isn’t that usually the case. A group of us kids from the street were at my next door neighbor’s house playing Cannon Ball. Cannon Ball is a simple, imaginative game. One person, usually a bigger one in the group, lays down with his back on the ground to be the Cannon. He draws his legs up to his chest, with feet positioned for the Ball. The Ball is a lighter kid who simply sits on the feet of the Cannon. The Cannon then launches the Ball for a squealing flight in the air, landing safely several feet away.