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I've encouraged all BookTalk members to create personal introductory threads in this forum, yet I have neglected to practice what I preach. Prior to tonight I was of the opinion that my About Chris O'Connor page should suffice and provide enough information about me to quench anyone's curiosity. But upon further consideration I am realizing that having a journal thread is more personal, dynamic and naturally interactive. Who knows who will read my posts, but it is probably therapeutic and healthy to keep them flowing.
BookTalk will have reached its second year of existence in May of 2004, and I'm rather pleased with things. The books we've read have helped shape my personal worldview into one that is more rational, open-minded, and hopefully compassionate. The relationships I've developed with fellow members have made all the hard work of creating and maintaining this community worthwhile. We have great members - really good people. So I'm happy with BookTalk. I'd like to see us grow and offer more to a greater audience, but should this never occur I could still be pleased with what we have attained.
Since our creation back in May of 2002 we've had the great privilege of having some of the worlds most well-respected authors and scientists as guests in the BookTalk chat room. Sometimes I am amazed at how things have unfolded. Richard Dawkins, one of my favorite authors, actually accepted our invitation and chatted with us. Would he have been so gracious had I not met him personally at the 2003 Atheist Alliance International Convention and asked him to spend some time with some of his fans? I just don't know. But the list is growing and I didn't have such a luxury with any of the other guests. Howard Bloom, Stephen Pinker, Massimo Pigliucci, Matt Ridley, and soon Antonio Damasio...they all said "yes." We have been lucky and I know this. I just hope our guests are cognizant of how much we appreciate their generosity with their time.
What does 2004 hold for BookTalk?
My mind races and I have to control my passion for humanism and the freethinker worldview - lest it consume me. Our core mission is an important one, but it must be tempered with a healthy dose of balance in my own personal life. Often I get so fired up I dive into things and bite off more than I can chew. BookTalk unfortunately doesn't pay the bills, and I have to resist the urge to sink more and more time and money into this community. I'll always devote considerable resources to this endeavor, but in the event I win the lottery or suddenly have more free time I really will take this to the next level. There is so much that needs to be done. I've got so many ideas and I really wish I could run with them. But the clock keeps ticking and life beckons me away for other things.
It is about 2:30 in the morning and I should be asleep, but I just watched part of a PBS special about the life of Ben Franklin. What a fascinating and brilliant man he was. I know of nobody that has contributed more to this world than Franklin, but that could be a long debate. The point is...the show made me think. What really matters in life? Surely it is not the acquisition of material items, because you aren't taking them with you when you die.
So what matters? Is it the pursuit of knowledge? I personally find this extremely important, but not as important as the relationships we develop with other people. To me life is made worth living because of relationships. Learning everything you can is a good thing, in that it enables you to give more to this world. Giving is good. Being selfish and egocentric sucks. I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Actually, I know where I'm going. I'm going to bed.
Me
"The man who does not read good books has no advantage over the man who cannot read them"-- Mark Twain
I've encouraged all BookTalk members to create personal introductory threads in this forum, yet I have neglected to practice what I preach. Prior to tonight I was of the opinion that my About Chris O'Connor page should suffice and provide enough information about me to quench anyone's curiosity. But upon further consideration I am realizing that having a journal thread is more personal, dynamic and naturally interactive. Who knows who will read my posts, but it is probably therapeutic and healthy to keep them flowing.
BookTalk will have reached its second year of existence in May of 2004, and I'm rather pleased with things. The books we've read have helped shape my personal worldview into one that is more rational, open-minded, and hopefully compassionate. The relationships I've developed with fellow members have made all the hard work of creating and maintaining this community worthwhile. We have great members - really good people. So I'm happy with BookTalk. I'd like to see us grow and offer more to a greater audience, but should this never occur I could still be pleased with what we have attained.
Since our creation back in May of 2002 we've had the great privilege of having some of the worlds most well-respected authors and scientists as guests in the BookTalk chat room. Sometimes I am amazed at how things have unfolded. Richard Dawkins, one of my favorite authors, actually accepted our invitation and chatted with us. Would he have been so gracious had I not met him personally at the 2003 Atheist Alliance International Convention and asked him to spend some time with some of his fans? I just don't know. But the list is growing and I didn't have such a luxury with any of the other guests. Howard Bloom, Stephen Pinker, Massimo Pigliucci, Matt Ridley, and soon Antonio Damasio...they all said "yes." We have been lucky and I know this. I just hope our guests are cognizant of how much we appreciate their generosity with their time.
What does 2004 hold for BookTalk?
My mind races and I have to control my passion for humanism and the freethinker worldview - lest it consume me. Our core mission is an important one, but it must be tempered with a healthy dose of balance in my own personal life. Often I get so fired up I dive into things and bite off more than I can chew. BookTalk unfortunately doesn't pay the bills, and I have to resist the urge to sink more and more time and money into this community. I'll always devote considerable resources to this endeavor, but in the event I win the lottery or suddenly have more free time I really will take this to the next level. There is so much that needs to be done. I've got so many ideas and I really wish I could run with them. But the clock keeps ticking and life beckons me away for other things.
It is about 2:30 in the morning and I should be asleep, but I just watched part of a PBS special about the life of Ben Franklin. What a fascinating and brilliant man he was. I know of nobody that has contributed more to this world than Franklin, but that could be a long debate. The point is...the show made me think. What really matters in life? Surely it is not the acquisition of material items, because you aren't taking them with you when you die.
So what matters? Is it the pursuit of knowledge? I personally find this extremely important, but not as important as the relationships we develop with other people. To me life is made worth living because of relationships. Learning everything you can is a good thing, in that it enables you to give more to this world. Giving is good. Being selfish and egocentric sucks. I'm not sure where I'm going with this. Actually, I know where I'm going. I'm going to bed.
Me
Some days we all need to hear such things, and this is one of them for me. I appreciate it guys.
Some people really used these threads and will be missing dozens or more of posts. Personally, I stand to lose only about 10 total posts. But even 10 is too many.
You just don't know how good you have it till you see how people in other parts of the world live. Interesting stories will follow!
