Congratulations to Connie Crosby and Eden Spodek on launching a great new podcast, Community Divas. The show explores the role and dynamics of community with an apparent focus on social media.
Connie and Eden jumped off the ropes swinging by releasing a great two-part discussion with Jay Moonah. How they limited him to just two episodes is beyond me, and I mean that positively — because Jay has a million insightful ideas, he’s energetic and most importantly, speaks eloquently — not because there’s a running joke that Jay talks a lot.
There was a fleeting moment during which Connie and Eden recognized that some people refer to web services and their verbifed names such as Twitter, Facebook, Ning, MySpace, etc… as community.
Consider that web communication services are tools just like a telephone; they’re widgets that enable people to connect. And like widgets, their appeal cycle is far less permanent than their purpose cycle. That is, if a new tool emerges with a fresh look, improved interface and simpler API, people will flock, en-masse, to the new tool. The constant migration of the community from one tool to the next, and the effort to re-establish itself in a new location is more like changing your bank account to start fresh than flying south to avoid the cold of winter (although, now that I’ve written that I realize there are strong parallels with both).
If the tool really was the community, we would no longer have any connection or way to connect with others in that community when the tool collapsed.
Be sure to follow the discussion over at Community Divas.
Open Letter to Dr. Jack Kitts, President of the Ottawa Hospital
Dear Dr. Kitts:
My wife, Andrea, was diagnosed with breast cancer on October 6. We discovered how quickly life changes and yesterday, as a volunteer showed us around the brand new chemotherapy section of the General Campus, we realized that this building is about to become a central part of our life for the next while. On some levels this knocked the wind out of us; on many more we feel like real people that matter.
Being real people that matter has been a central feeling throughout the last two months. For a health care system that’s regularly criticized for waits and standard of care, we’ve been “blown away” by how quickly our treatment has been moving along, the great care we’re getting and the personalities and passion of the people taking care of us. It’s overwhelming. I’ve been telling people that when the health care system wants to knock your socks off, have a few pair handy.
You have a top notch team and I’d be happy to talk specifics with you about the people that have made this ordeal easy. There are many. I’d also be happy to share the stories that don’t line up with the rest of our experience. There are only two.
I can tell that it will be just as hard for us when we leave the Cancer Centre with the all clear when this process is complete as it was for us when we first arrived at the Breast Health Centre on October 7. That’s a day of mixed emotions we’re looking forward to.
Thank you very much for running a fantastic hospital and having great people around you.
Gratefully,
Mark Blevis
[UPDATE - FULL DISCLOSURE: I learned several hours after posting this letter that The Ottawa Hospital is a client of my employer, Fleishman Hillard.]