Topical Takes around Tweets and Toots

Coming after the actions of a certain individual, i.e. he with the initials “E.M.”, Twitter has really been on shaky grounds. But I have to say that the mainstream’s (possibly temporary) interest in decentralised web apps and departure to (or loitering about) the Fediverse has been kind of exciting for me.

I am not leaving Twitter just yet, but I’m hoping to settle in to the Fediverse more comfortably than when I first signed up to Mastadon in 2018 – I managed only 4 toots back then!

2022 was also a year that I tried to lock down my specific interests in the web. I’ve struggled to articulate it.

I’m very interested in Bruneian user-generated content on the web

This sat in my sidebar for a few years.

I think my values lie somewhere in the IndieWeb principles. Particularly resonating with Document and Plurality:

documenting what you create

Encouraging a plurality of projects with a self-motivated incentive to interoperate

Peeking at the Previous Period of Projects

I wasn’t sure if I could say there was much progress in my personal, individual projects in 2022.

But while there were no big launches, there were clean-ups behind the scenes and attempts to be consistent.

Yet to be launched: Panel Wanita

I spent a lot of time on my project Panel Wanita, It’s meant to be a database of women (and non-male) panelists in Brunei. This was relevant back during Brunei’s Covid-19 lockdowns, but especially in the run-up to March 2022, when we were had a deluge of virtual panel discussions around International Women’s Day.

Along with my re-done Projects site, I am still waiting to “soft-launch” this project. I planned to do this last year in April, but didn’t manage it, due to…

  1. Letting perfectionism lead me
  2. Laptop crash 🙁

Microsites

I tried to consolidate some of my microsites and mini-projects, and in the process, probably created more, haha. Perhaps I just really like trying different technologies. 🙂

I am pretty pleased about them – trying different CSS frameworks and moving towards cleaner, responsive designs. Those that I worked on last year:

  • Brunei Cabinet List: A microsite based off (and pulling data from) my Brunei Cabinet Database, this site is meant to be a quick reference list of the Brunei Council of Cabinet Ministers.
  • Qotaq: A collection site of collections. Landing page only, so far.
  • Brunei Wiki Sources: Archival site for a 2017 project.

While we’re on that, a list of microsites that I should probably update (with thanks to lists.sh):

possiblyzebra.lists.sh

Talks

I did two talks in the past 3 months:

  • Better online habits: Online etiquette and media literacy for Just Bruneians‘ Creative Professionals Career Day 2023
  • From base to website: Using Airtable for personal, public collections for GDG Brunei‘s Road to DevFest 2022

I don’t know if it’s surprising, but I kind of like giving talks. I have something to share with others, and I enjoy the process of creating slides and thinking of the presentation format as a delivery medium. It challenges me to think about how best to create a talk that balances the visual (the slides) and the verbal (the speaker’s spoken delivery).

But yes, I know no one’s going to invite me to speak if I don’t offer up more of myself. That’s for a different day to dive into. 🙂 (A sort of resume for myself: here and here)

The two talks were pretty different, in terms of content and audience. “From base to website” unfortunately had a very low attendance rate, and left me somewhat unsatisfied. I have been thinking of re-doing the talk. But for what?

Maybe I’m thinking of turning my talks into the “evergreen” type? (references: in journalism, in community business, as content) I feel compelled to refine my talks and bring them closer to that best possible balance of visual and verbal.

A thought to earmark for future speaking opportunities.

A post for Bring Back Blogging, January 2023