At the EYC unConference, held on a glorious spring Saturday, the worry wasn’t so much would people come. But would participants dive into the process of setting the agenda for the day together. Or would people be stand-offish, shuffle awkwardly, avoid eye contact.

I didn’t have to worry. The empty agenda board was almost filled by 10.15 am, with five minutes to go until the first session. The first nine slots were taken, dismissing the rumour that kiwis can be shy about sitting in the first row.

The recipe worked: throw people together, with some priming, then turn it over to the participants. During the day I picked up on several comments about how people were effectively self-moderating the sessions. People were genuinely able to raise questions, queries and concerns.

When we held a casual wrap-up session at 3.50pm, energy levels were still high. The conversation flowed, and there was lots of good natured banter.

Our impromptu Wordle - co-created during the closing session to reflect what people had got out of the day - really demonstrated in my mind the good match between community, voluntary people and the unConference format. We’d achieved both a lot of sharing and participation.

It was obvious during the day that people also rose to our scene setting speaker Alexandra Lutyens’ challenge to have fun. Don’t take yourself too seriously she urged.

As the day closed, although weary from facilitating (and being a horn honking shepherd) I was already talking about organising a future event and more networking. Whatever the pre-event nerves, I’ve no qualms about being involved in another unConference.

The lists are my ones. I got to thinking about lists to see if it might help explain why I’m failing to blog as often as I’d like.

My lists come in all shapes, sizes and forms. And I keep trying new ways of keeping lists.

The latest is simple: take a blank piece of paper, rule lines to create 6-8 segments, add reminders of what to do. Normally I have about three projects I’m being paid for in varying stages of completion, then there are proposals, get rich slow schemes my own business ideas to investigate, and then my volunteer webmaster duties. Add stuff, tick it off, repeat daily.

Also on paper, I’ve many lists in the spiral-bound, A-5 notebooks you’ll see me clutching as I go from meeting to meeting. I’m vacillating between marbig’s version with a plastic cover (bad from a greenie point of view) and Esselte’s version, with cardboard cover, which doesn’t last as long. Inside are notes from meetings, interview accounts, lists of links, and of course lists for specific projects.

In yet another book I keep business ideas. Currently I’m using a very chunky spiral bound notebook from Webstock 2009, plus have some spares ready to go (including a gorgeous felt covered Clairefontaine notebook made by VIA Werkstatten gGmbH, a gift from Roz). In my Kiwi diary I keep lists of when bills and invoices are due and other (exciting) financial info.

Hmmm, I’m at about four ways of keeping lists already.

Online I’ve been fairly profligate, trying a few pieces of software or online services before settling on Evernote.

I liked Google Notebook, now discontinued, as it slotted into my iGoogle page. Before that was xPad with it’s neat colour coding of entries. I must have deleted the software at some point, for a very well thought out reason I’m sure. Exactly why alludes me right now.

And of course, I’ve got at my fingertips the beautifully simple Stickies software built into Mac OS, plus a private notes widget installed in the dashboard where I store passwords. 

Evernote is becoming very ingrained in my work habits. Not only for the neat “to-do” checkbox I can add to lists, but also because the desktop software syncs with a web-based tool so I can access my notes, and make them, anywhere. The snippet tool in my browser toolbar means I can store selected text or a whole page from within Firefox. With it’s ease of use, non-demanding feel and bright green branding mean this one is still near and dear after 12 months use.   

Until I started writing this, I wasn’t aware of just quite how dissipated my listmaking mania is. Perhaps this is clue to why blog posts do not runneth over. Perhaps some ideas are lost, or a sign of too much to do?

Amidst all the means and ways of writing lists are about three attempts at keeping track of blog post ideas, plus there are the half constructed fragments. My most active list is stored on Evernote is woebegone. Forlornly, last updated on 18 July, spliced by a mighty interregnum of silence. A list of failed deadlines, and acknowledgments of weeks gone by without a word written.   

This confessional tone is in part about putting the past behind me, and part a public commitment to trying to stick to my goal of blogging weekly. Perhaps the beginning of a new list focusing on learning and inspiring myself to be a more active blogger. Or maybe no list at all - decide on the spot. Set a time and blog, come what may.

I am, of course in good company, as Gregory McNamme writes “On lists and listmaking” for the Britannica blog: “I have yet to master the cardinal rule of effective listmaking—which is to say, keep just one of the things.”

Today a new topic suggestion arrived on the wiki: a question about whether Google Apps will help a residents association consolidate its large list of online tools. Amongst the other topics suggested, some of them are equally as big.

We’re envisaging that whoever turns up on the day will shine some light on the topics people are suggesting.

The format is classic barcamp (which I first wrote excitedly about in May 2007, see “Fogged in after the Govis 2007 conference”): everyone attending generates the programme on the day, filling available sessions with topics that are important to them.

However, we’ve changed the name. We don’t think barcamp (or it’s siblings cloudcamp, wordcamp, etc) means anything amongst the volunteer webmasters and others working in community and voluntary organisations using the web we’re aiming to attract.

As well as half a dozen topics, 25 have people signed up. We’ve got room for 100 more so feel free to register now.

As I’ve subscribed to get updates in my RSS reader from the unConference wikispace, I’ll be the first to know if a new topics is listed. Time to go now to feed my addiction.

EYC unConference details: Saturday 21 August 2010, Wellington Whanganui-a-tara. Hosted by Wellinton ICT, charitable trust.

I’m about to find out.

Next Monday 26 April at 1.30pm we need 200 people to join an online event. There’s not much to it: just login in, watch what’s going on, maybe make a comment in the chat box and answer a question or two.

The online system being tested hasn’t been used with a big crowd so we want to test it out before a proper launch event in May. It’s for a good cause: a launch of a web resource for young people worried about their drinking.

If we reach 200, we’ll run a prize draw: $100 for the winner, and $400 for a charity registered on Give a little.

At this stage I’m relying on the miraculous power of networks to do their thing. I’m waiting to see if people tell people who tell other people and so on. So far, I’ve sent out a few tweets, created a Facebook event and emailed a handful of people. There’s been a mention in the ComVoices daily e-news. And more coming.

I even know more is required. So far the response has been low - participants are sitting at just 2.5% of the audience we need to run a proper test.

I’m wondering if I’ve got all the ingredients for the network effect to come into play. An appeal to both altruism and self-interest is there, but that’s not enough. Instant name recognition, snappy words (which I’ll refine through trial and error), a large personal network to call on and a direct ask might be missing elements.

All will be answered very, very soon.

RSVP here if you can help.

Of course, I use much more than search. There is Analytics for monitoring traffic on my blog, Docs for working on or sharing documents with others and Alerts in my inbox on a couple of topics I closely follow. Looking at my Google Account page I notice the list of Google products I’ve used at least one now stretches to 20.

Concerns about privacy and the market power of the behemoth seldom register. This changed when I attended the NZ Google Barcamp on 25 March. This free-spirited unconference followed the standard Barcamp approach with the program designed by participants on the day.

The degree to which privacy is being compromised and the near monopoly behaviour of Google received a lot of air time. It was all rather inconclusive, with views ranging from paranoid to pragmatic. People mulled on the extent to which Google is driving new notions of public/ private, or whether it just reflects the prevailing ethos on the Internet.

A session on Google Analytics pointed to one of the drawbacks of barcamps. The person who initiated the session, and may well have known something about the statistics programme, didn’t come along. Nor was there with anyone particular expertise in the room. Round we went with our own small slices of knowledge about how to make sense of the powerful webstats application. The session definitely confirmed we were all in the same boat, knowing enough to get in trouble.

At 3.00pm, live from Australia, two Google staff politely rebuffed questions about secret information they knew about but couldn’t share, and shed light on the vast array of products offered. The contradictions in the vast, sprawling company were obvious after they talked about software development processes. Take the Google Wave, which attracted such attention last year, now seems to be on the backburner: it was described as an application looking for a solution. With 20,000 software engineers it’s no wonder Google’s arms are reaching in every direction.

After a day of Googling the sponsors shouted participants a round at the nearest bar - very generous considering the event was free. I didn’t get anything particularly practical out of the event, but I did enjoy the conversation. For now my Google habits probably won’t change, but I’m much more wary of an entity which I can let track my every mouse click (and that of hundreds of millions of other people).

PS Fortunately, earlier in the week I learned one very useful new thing about Google. Speaking at the first e-rider learning lunch in 2010 Alan Royal, from SeniorNet Wellington, told us about a relatively recent extension of Google Docs service: you can now store and share any document. Not just text documents and spreadsheets, but also pdfs, jpgs, ods, etc. If you want more than the 1GB of free storage, you can purchase additional at the rate of $5 USD per year for 20 GB.

These trends led the researchers to conclude the ‘digital divide’ is disappearing in New Zealand, with differences in who uses the Internet shrinking by the year. The notion of “Digital Differentiation” is put forward instead - it’s not just a matter of being connected or not, but how much people use the Internet and what for.

While the number of people who can access the internet is growing, a wide gulf separates those who rated their ability to use the Internet at a high level and those with low ability. This gulf maps onto a high versus low income divide. It’s a reminder the ‘digital divide’ is as much about confidence and content, as it is connectivity.

The rise and rise of participation in social networking websites is also evident. Facebook is the dominant platform for those over 20 years old, and with an increasing proportion of older age groups belonging to social networks (as high as 44% of all users in the 40s use social networks).

Other key findings include:

• The number of Internet users rose from 79% in 2007 to 83% in 2009.
• Broadband usage jumped to 82% compared with 67% in 2007. Conversely, dial-up access decreased.
• The proportion of people accessing the Internet via mobile phones more than doubled from 7% in 2007 to 18% in 2009.
• Nearly half of all users are members of social networking sites and three quarters of these report that Facebook is the site they use most often.

AUT ran the first WIP survey of internet usage in 2007 and with the second round of surveying conducted late last year.  About half of the questions are shared with surveys conducted in other countries. The next international comparative report will be released in early 2011.

Also released this month is the second Survey of Community and Voluntary Organisations’ Use of Information & Communication Technologies (ICT) report. Run by the Waikato Management School, findings from a survey of 757 community groups conducted in November 2008. It follows an earlier survey conducted in 2005.

Broadly speaking groups are using the internet more, with a faster connection and feeling more confident doing so. The area of highest and growing need is assistance with website enhancement: 61.1% overall said they would find this helpful in 2008 compared with 53% overall in 2005. There has been a slight drop in access to high or very high levels of technical support available.

Next month Statistics New Zealand household ICT usage statistics will be released. The results are from a sample of approximately 16,000 households, compared with the 1,250 people surveyed through the WIP research. Figures will update those released in 2006.

My detour was for aesthetic reasons. I took the long way so I could bike through a glade of trees and duck across a wooded park. This was far more pleasant than sticking to the tarmac even if I could get to my destination quicker.

I was reminded of this the other day when looking up a route to walk to a meeting when I was in Auckland.

The mighty Google maps now suggests walking routes, as well as giving directions for cars. I printed out the map but ignored the route suggested.

Why would I want to walk along busy, congested roads even if it was the most direct route?

Instead I ducked and dived through the inner city. Along tree-lined Greys Avenue, through the underpass beneath Mayoral Drive to Aotea Square, passed the art gallery, then an amble along Lorne Street gazing at fashion and books. Under the towering Metropolis, then through a wedge of Albert Park.

This wasn’t efficient nor direct, but it was enjoyable.

Sure, search parameters can calculate distances with astonishing accuracy. This isn’t really enough. Relying on what some programmers think is most important reduces how the world is portrayed to a narrow and incomplete picture.

I’m all for finding room for art, nature, spontaneity and taking the long route. Suggesting this could be avoided by using a “I feel lucky button” is a cute idea - but actually, I think it’s best to follow your nose.

Job losses? Shrinking incomes? Not in start-up land.

Indeed we heard about the almost near miraculous opportunities on the web to sweep people from humble obscurity to being super software stars (and still be nice, humble guys).  The pattern of exponential growth on the internet was unchallenged. Reverence for the market is undimmed.

Not wishing to dwell on the downside, these start-up dudes couldn’t really give me the magic answer to how much comes down to hard work, and how much to sheer luck.

The talks didn’t stay on the prosaic level of tips and advice for wannabe software giants or examples of excellent websites/ design/ online community (eg Brooklyn Museum). Once again this year’s crop of thinkers swept us into the future, or somewhere.

I’m not sure what Regine deBatty’s job title is, but her major occupation is reporting on art galleries and installations. Loads of them by the looks from the we make money not art website. Her lateral challenge to participants was to don’t assume you really know what interaction is for everyone. Look again.

Someday virtually everything will be part of the a networked environment, so Adam Greenfield told us. Today we might just have Snapper cards, CTV cameras, eft-pos machines parking meters, displays, cellphone towers, weather gauges and other assorted devices hooked to the network in our urban areas, but in the future many more things will be connected. The chair you’re sitting in perhaps?

Doubtless this will have implications for civil society and the public sphere. This will likely creep up on us whether we choose or not. (Read more “Cheap as chips - your networked chair” from the NZ Herald.)

If all this sounds rather grave, thank goodness for the bright yellow yoyos shared with everyone by conference sponsors Intergen. Tactile, non-networked, something my children can play with, without breaking (so far).

Once again, Webstock was a revved-up, idea fest. Not sure where all the web stuff is taking us, but I still want to be a part of it as long as we turn it to social good.

Update (14 March 2010): I spoke too soon. Yesterday Elsa broken the yoyo.

I couldn’t really tell. I was sitting 23 rows back from the stage at the Paramount Theatre when he played back-up man to Gillian Welch.

The concert, in October 2004, was memorable not only for Rawlings’ playing but also the sweet harmonies, and the smitten crowd.

Thanks to a Tiny Desk Concert aired on NPR last week, I saw the twosome again playing their folk-country tunes with heartbreaking intensity. Only this time in close-up. The 22 minute concert zooms in on the pair squeezed behind the desk of Bob Boilen, host of the weekly All Songs Considered program.

Rawlings stoops, winces and squeezes his eyes tight shut as his hands flash across the fretboard. Pain, joy and immense concentration flashes across their faces.

Just as spirited and beautiful as all those years ago.

NB This is my 150 word entry in the Stuff Blog Idol 2 competition. Encouraged by my friend Nicola I’m submitting an entry. Fame and glory await?

Also there are excellent live recordings of both Rawlings and Welch from the 2009 Newport Folk Festival available to download on NPR.

A small offering helps pass the time during any dull bits and it makes people feel valued as you’ve gone to some effort to think of their needs. Offering sweets or peppermints is easy. This is perhaps why all the corporate venues have the hard, little white rocks.

When I was walking from Grey Lynn to the NGO I was working with on Thursday I wanted to get some plums. A generous big bag.

Being seasonal fruit was really appropriate for the group I was working with, not to mention the health benefits. A colourful addition to the setting I hoped.

At this time of the year plums are falling off the trees. But not so on my route along Karangahape Road. Not a plum tree, nor did the shops stock them.

I stopped looking in little dairies after number five. The fruit on offer was, well, totally insipid. One shop, whose owner had the audacity to list on its signage the promise of fruit and vegetables for sale, stocked a desultory bag of yellowing oranges in a fridge. About seven bananas, 20 apples and a few more oranges was all I saw.

Nor did I see a greengrocer on K Road, though there are plenty of stodgy bakers and greasy take away outlets. Makes sense I guess. Who is going to opt for a peach or plum when they’re out on the town.

Packaged foods with long shelf lives (ie crisps, sweets, nuts, etc), starch and fatty foods make money, but fruit obvioulsy doesn’t. How can it be that the market provides all this, but ready access to plentiful, fresh and healthy fruit is scarce. No wonder we’re facing an obesity epidemic.

Fortunately, even without a bowl of elusive plums the workshop went well.

And in the end I summoned up a gift for the participants. The night before the workshop I stumbled on the replica of the labyrinth in Chartres Cathedral, created in 1200, at St Columba Church in Surrey Crescent. It’s “a quiet place so that we, who are unable to make long retreats from our busy lives may find refreshment in these small havens of peace.” I thought storing away the idea of a place to step back from the hurly burly of the project (and work as usual) might come in useful.

No plums but maybe something more lasting.

Photo credit: Anushruti RK’s photostream