I've decided that I need to better understand the information age I live in --- to catch up on all this digital stuff that has me confused many of my working hours.
I want to rely less on my husband (who is wired like an engineer) and to build a Web site, to learn how to "digg" articles (post them on Digg.com) and to venture to the million-channel people's network You-Tube and the online MySpace.
I better get used to trekking the trails of the World Wide Web, because the Internet is the most effective way of reaching the younger generations.
Today's Web --- which forms communities and collaborations on sites like YouTube and MySpace --- "is a tool for bringing together the small contributions of millions of people and making them matter," says Lev Grossman in the Dec. 25 issue of Time magazine.
Grossman asks readers to look at 2006 not for the painful and disturbing things that happened in Iraq, but for the story about what is happening online --- "about the many wrestling power from the few, and helping one another for nothing, and how that will not only change the world but also change the way the world changes."
In other words, we can't afford to be technologically ignorant. Not if we want to contribute to the world of today and tomorrow. Moreover, as a writer I have no option but to communicate my message via new media like blogs and podcasts.
Two weeks ago when Beliefnet.com launched my blog on depression and spirituality, "Beyond Blue," I survived a crash course on how to use the software Blogger to publish weekday posts. I had to figure out how to link terms in my blogs, like "Our Lady of Guadalupe," to appropriate Web sites, how to link titles of books to Amazon.com, how to post some of the entries on Technorati.com (much like Digg.com) and how to read comments by others.
I discovered Wikipedia, what Grossman calls "the cosmic compendium of knowledge." And I had to learn about "podcasts." According to Wikipedia, a podcast is "a media file that is distributed by subscription (paid or unpaid) over the Internet using syndication feeds for playback on mobile devices and personal computers." People can download these small talking files into their iPods so that they can jog, walk or drive while listening to a brief commentary.
A few archbishops beat me to the blog. Cardinal Sean P. O'Malley of Boston launched his blog (www.cardinalseansblog.org) in September 2006. "Viewpoints" (http://ovc.blogspot.com), the personal blog of Archbishop Oscar Cruz of the Philippines, has archives as far back as December 2004.
As of Oct. 20, 2006, there were 867 Catholic blogs listed under the Catholic Blog Directory (http://catholicblogs.blogspot.com). Some of the better-known ones are "All Things Catholic" (http:// ncrcafe.org/blog/2682) by National Catholic Reporter consultant John Allen, "People of the Book" (http:// peopleofthebook.us) by veteran Catholic publisher Jim Manney, "The Pope Blog" (feed://thepopeblog.blogspot.com) by students at the University of Notre Dame, "Relapsed Catholic" (http:// relapsedcatholic.blogspot.com) by Canadian journalist Kathy Shaidle, "Catholic Mom Moments" (http://lisacatholicmom.blogspot.com) by Lisa Hendey and "Open Book" (http://amywelborn.typepad.com/ openbook) by Catholic writer Amy Welborn.
It's worth a few hours to check out all the Catholic Web sites, blogs and podcasts online. My first reaction reminded me of my maiden voyage to Babies-R-Us. After two minutes in the store, my overwhelmed self turned around and walked out.
"Another day," I said to myself.
But with the Internet and virtual world, I can't procrastinate any longer. I have to face my fear of the online giant. Because it's here to stay. Therese J. Borchard is a columnist with Catholic News Service. |