Elsie Knott July 24, 1916 – January 11, 2007

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Last Thursday morning we got the news that Richelle’s Aunt Elsie had passed away in her sleep. I’ve known Aunt Elsie for 16 years. The following picture is of Emma and Aunt Elsie, taken this Christmas. She loved her visits with Emma and would call her my ‘little schatzi”.

Thursday, while the family was dealing with the news, Emma started to walk. I mean really walk. Across the living room. Back across the living room. Down the hallway. Anywhere she had a path to go.

Today is her funeral and memorial. We’re going to miss her.

Mom successfully weaned from intubation tube

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At around 6:30 tonight they removed the tube and mom was breathing regularly under her own strength. It was scary along the way, with fears growing that it wouldn’t be possible.

I’ve been at the hospital the past few days, leaving Richelle alone to take care of Emma, who has a cold (snot everywhere!) which I’ve caught. So none of us have been sleeping well.

It was great to hear my mom’s gravely voice say to me, “see you tomorrow”, with a smile and a happy tear in her eye, when it was time for me to head home.

Placeblogger launches

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Placeblogger, an effort by The Center for Citizen Media, Pressthink, and Lisa William’s H20town launched on New Years. It’s focussed on sharing with you blogs that cover a geographical region. I believe this will grow to be an important service over time. And I gotta admit – it is great to see so many ideas expressed from Philly Future adopted in a national effort. (disclaimer – they might make me an honorary adviser due to influence). Read Pressthink for more.

RawSugar in trouble

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RawSugar, a service that has been compared as a del.icio.us competitor, but in actuality had a number of great differentiating features, is in funding trouble. My friend Bill Lazar has some to say about this, as a do a few folks like Steve Rubel.

RawSugar isn’t dead, nor does it deserve to be. One feature it has – the capability to consume and coalesce your personal content streams and tag them – is one that I feel should be adopted by other social media. I was planning to figure out how to leverage it – finally – when the news broke over the holiday. Notice my experimenting with del.icio.us in my right hand menu.

RawSugar, to me, is a victim of two things: 1. A UI that hides the good stuff. It’s front door is little more than a pitch/splash page when it should surface the activity taking place within. 2. A lack of attention in the online press – grassroots and otherwise. No matter what anyone says – there is only so much attention to go around and only a few people who have direct influence over it. Without their attention influence as a help – it takes a groundswell approach – vast numbers of those with lessor influence – helping spread word. It’s possible. But far more difficult. Hence the demand to get noticed by blogs like Techcrunch. Being labeled too easily as a “del.icio.us” competitor – unfairly since it has a host of differentiators – didn’t help either.

I hope they get some funding. In the meantime, Bill is up for some new opportunities.

Five things I don’t know about myself….

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Not as difficult as you think Dave 🙂 I understand that this is a trick question, but it looks like others beat me to the punch.

Right off the top of my head:

1. I don’t know how or when I’m going to die. Could be tomorrow. Could be when I’m 100.

2. I don’t know what I’ll be doing for work in ten years. Let alone, what I will be when I grow up. Then again, I might be dead.

3. I don’t know what I’ll be wearing next year. Next week is pretty iffy. Shoot, tomorrow morning is as well. Then again, well.. see number one.

4. I don’t know if I’ve been a good friend, a good brother, a good son, or a good husband. Now a good father. We never really know what others think of us. And if I was sure of what I thought of myself – I’d probably be an asshole.

5. I don’t know if the net/net contribution of my life is good or bad. I’m hoping good.

6. I don’t know if I’m spending my time as thoroughly as I can.

7. I don’t know how big my heart can get, because it just grows and grows every day I have with Emma.

(I can go on and on… couldn’t do just five… it’s a great, thought provoking question)

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays

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Reposted from Philly Future:

I wanted to take a moment, at this early hour, to wish you all, the Philadelphia community, a Merry Christmas.

This Christmas will be the most special in my life, the first Christmas for my daughter Emma. And I can’t help but share with you my love and excitement.

And I can’t help but share how blessed I feel to be part of the great team of volunteers that run this service, or to be a fellow member of our online community.

But I feel hesitant. Because in the presence of so much personal joy, outside my window, there are countless families struggling with loss. From Star’s family to the the 400 souls who have been murdered this year, to the 1,100 children who are homeless and on the streets, times are hard for all too many.

So let me take this moment, and join Carol Towarnicky at the Daily News and share my liberal Christian faith and ask you all for a prayer.

That we may all be instruments of peace, love, faith, hope, joy and understanding in this coming year. No matter what religion we may follow. No matter what label we divide ourselves by.

Merry Christmas.


Sarah McLachlan via Susie Madrak