One of my own projects I’ve started is to transfer all the 1498 blogpost onto a Word document (well, to be exact Apple Pages as I don’t use any Microsoft programs anymore). My intention is to print them out into Volumes of Books so in the near future I can archive and pull down this website. (It’s expensive to run it so I’ll be on the lookout for cheaper alternatives – or just not publish anything publicly anymore).

It’s been an interesting if not, mind numbing process to do this. I’m copying and pasting all the text and images one-by-one. I’ve also got a lot of embedded audio and video which have long since made private which will not be in the book but I’ll still have access to them.

While I’m copying and pasting, I’m also reading my posts and recalling the work I did.

I can’t believe how much the world has changed with regards to social media and its use in learning and education.

I wonder if it’s of any use anymore?

Are subjects like communities of practice; social learning and personal learning networks still relevant?

Are the people who used to espouse and work in these areas still in these?

My instinct tells me that those days are long gone.

Most of all, I can’t believe how excited and curious I was about it all.

How I spent an inordinate amount of time learning different programs and platforms and thinking of ways for organisations to build the skills of learning and community with their employees.

In some way, reading my past “work self” on the screen and the ENORMOUS amount of projects, ideas and reflections I gave away (for free) made me sound naive and also, let’s admit it, a bit preachy.

I see now why people would have hesitated using this stuff back then. However, back then it was a different time.

Our social media platforms weren’t inundated with vile spam, bots or trolls; we didn’t have the vindictive hate that spewed from comments and there seemed to be a genuine excitement when exchanging ideas in conversations with people all around the world.

Reading my posts makes me realise that it isn’t just the world being a different place just a few years ago – it is me too. I’ve changed from the person who started this blog in 2014 to the person I am now in 2025.

I’m surprised at how openly I wrote about a lot of things in particular, the difficulty of working as an independent consultant.

There’s a lot of things I would do differently if I had my time over again. If anything, I’m so glad I did write it all down because I see how much I’ve changed and matured over these last twelve years of having this blog. I’ve captured my professional life – with all its ups and downs – but also all the skills, courses, experiences I’ve had that has made me realise just how much I have learned and done in my life.

It was a wake up call for me to not ever think negatively about what I have achieved and accomplished. I’m grateful to have had it all.