Notesgirl.com

I was looking for a picture of my dad recently that I knew I'd posted a long time ago, and so, for the first time in a long time, went to Notesgirl.com.

Boy, do I miss that site and all it stood for in my life.

I started Notesgirl.com sometime during the life of the first two books (fairly early on) -- it was a way of helping the book, of establishing myself in the Lotus community. I started the blog with the help and encouragement of my friends Ed and Chris, and boy did I have fun with it.

And, of course, I had fun with the folks who read, commented upon, and interacted with the blog, and with me.

It was where I really learned about engagement over the web --- and how powerful it could be to be friends with people all over the world, even if you hardly saw them in person.

I learned the importance of keeping conversations going, of publishing regularly -- and the benefits to your thinking and writing skills of doing so.

I learned the difficulty of deciding what to put online, sometimes. And how thinking through the implications of what you write and share helps you tell your story, to yourself and the world.

I didn't just write Notesgirl - I was Notesgirl. And while I've done some great things since then -- things I've enjoyed and am proud of -- there's still a bit of nostalgia for the Notesgirl days: for my friends, for my work, for the travel, for the technology and my skills with it...

Yep. I miss the Notesgirl days -- looking back with rose-colored glasses at that Lotus-yellow-tinged life.