I thought your talk was wonderful and as someone who writes pretty openly (not as much as you) and is still coming to terms with what to say and what expose, it was very moving. If we remain complacent & do nothing & continue to hide & be ashamed, nothing will ever get done & we will never move forward.

I thought it was an extremely thoughtful and thought-provoking talk, and there was more in there germane to my interests than I’d expected. Sorry that the places where I had criticism of the talk rubbed you the wrong way. I was very glad to have the chance to hear you speak and enjoyed the talk a great deal.

Best,
-Ethan

I pretty much agreed or came to believe what you were dropping (much of it I just hadn’t given thought to before) after having read it.

As a transgender person, I really became more aware of what I was doing and why I was doing it regarding my own internet presence some years ago when I was still trying to figure myself and my sexuality out. Like I said, it wasn’t something I had thought of before, something that I always vaguely felt guilty and awkward about, but having read your talk, it made a lot more sense to me, and took a little bit of angst out of the choices I’ve made online. So, thanks for that.

You’re a star, don’t let that cranky Tim O’Reilly talk shit. And as for the money, well you gotta do what you gotta do. But I’ll tell you this much…I started working a “normal” job, pay is quite fantastic, and I’m on my way to getting benefits and the whole package…but you know…It’s hell. I don’t have time or energy to do what I should be doing, and so I get about 3 hours sleep a night because I hate my career choice. Maybe you’ll sleep easier knowing you have health insurance or a bank account you can fall back on…but do weigh whether or not you can keep doing what you’re doing, what makes you happy, while you work a “real” job.

In either case, thanks for a fantastic talk!

He thinks that success in one area means that he’s an expert on everything else too.

That said, I’m glad your talk went well.

also, having been on both sides of the paycheck, each has its benefits and sacrifices. right now i have $27 in my checking account and no health insurance, but i no longer have to deal with the red-tape bullshit and the soul-sucking drain of a steady job.

i think a happy medium may exist, though, and i bet you could track it down if you put your mind to it.

In any case, I am not sure if the debt is worth it. I don’t know your specifics (nor do I need to) and I am not saying get a day job. But maybe you need to access your expenses and what offers you what results (financially, emotionally, etc…).

Given the state of the American dollar I have had to change how I do things. I have had to figure out what expenses offer which results. Somethings got cut. Travel was one of them. Is there an area for you that does not offer back a sufficient return on investment (or debt). I say this as someone who has decided to cut back rather than carry debt. Maybe it is a mistake on my part but when I have debt I have made myself most unhappy.

doesn’t reflect well on the nerds, now, does it?

I’m also now remembering that for my talk, the entire first two rows were covered with “reserved” signs; seats which of course no one sat in.

This is Mr. “Blogger’s Code of Ethics after-all” which just shows you how out of touch he is.

I wonder if he’d have been as snarky if you’d had a penis…

Don’t let him get you down, Vi. Keep rocking out and doing your thing!