What is Knowledge?

Before I started actually writing posts for this blog, I had a list of topics to write about for the first month. The goal was to have several posts ready to go ahead of time so I wouldn’t be sitting at the keyboard looking at a blank screen and wondering what to write. That has yet to come to fruition. So when I was contemplating what to write about this week, nothing seemed to motivate me enough to actually sit down and start writing. It’s been a busy week with disrupted nap times and lots of running, not knowing if it’s actually accomplishing anything. So now it’s Wednesday and time is running out to get a post out this week. On top of that, today was dentist day for three cavities.

What does that have to do with a blog, you may ask. Good question, and when I figure it out, I’ll let you know. For now, consider this stream of consciousness writing. Not the best for getting information across, but adequate for sharing thoughts. Right now I am taking in so much information that if I don’t start sharing it or doing something with it, it will stagnate and become meaningless. In a blog post on zettelkasten.de on October 27, 2020, Sascha wrote “You should always translate information to knowledge by adding context and relevance.” (https://zettelkasten.de/introduction/) Yet how do we add context and relevance. We are taught how to memorize information and regurgitate facts and data. Very little of that information becomes knowledge according to the previous definition. I remember a 7th grade social studies test where I had to memorize 100 places on the globe and then draw and label them on a blank map. I got 99 things correct on that exam, but what does it mean to me today? Not much. I’ve forgotten most of what was on that test, and beyond random geography facts, found very little application for most of it to everyday life.

I’m hoping that in writing this blog I am able to add context and relevance to the information I have been collecting through sharing it with others. There are varying forms of the saying “you don’t know something until you can explain it to someone else”. We shall see if that’s true. I’m beginning my own Zettelkasten in earnest now, in an effort to make sense of this plethora of information and how it all may relate or interconnect. As I make those connections, and convert my gathered information into knowledge, I will share my progress. And to make sure I truly understand these connections, I’ll share them here. Don’t expect anything earthshattering, but hopefully it will provide perspective and a starting point for your own knowledge.

What to Expect…

Consider this a continuation of the introduction. I'm still sorting out how long of a read I want to make these posts. Of course, content will determine length to some extent. And availability.

Speaking of content, I wanted to detail some of the topic specifics you can expect.

First, book reviews. These will most likely be children’s literature or non-fiction. I am currently reading The Wingfeather Saga book 1 On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness by Andrew Peterson, Habits of the Household by Justin Whitmel Earley, and When Children Love to Learn edited by Elaine Cooper.

Some current topics of interest include Journaling, note taking, Zettelkasten, and memory keeping. Other topics may include child specific topics such as learning and child development. Or education philosophies such as Montessori and Charlotte Mason. Maybe I'll even throw in some general life musings.

I also plan on including posts on some of my favorite podcasts, YouTube channels, and other content. And maybe even some products and services that my family and I are enjoying.

Finally, projects and creativity. I have dozens of projects in the to-make pile, and maybe this is a way to commit to tackling them.

That should be enough content to carry the blog for quite a while. I'm interested to see where this will go and I hope you are, too.

Until next time.

A Post

It all has to start somewhere. For me, it starts with a post. And then another, and another, and another. Until there is a blog. And a history.

So where will it go from here, and what can you expect?

In the next post, I’ll cover in more detail the type of content I plan to share, at least at first. For a quick sample, expect book reviews, thoughts on ideas I find interesting or relevant, and entries on my creative outlets. While this may brush on topics that may be uncomfortable, my goal is not to share my opinions, but to share my attempts to approach each topic with respect, fairness, openness, and compassion while reserving judgement.

Being human, I will phrase things poorly, or straight up get them wrong. So I ask that you correct my understanding or expression with respect. If I neglect to credit ideas or content appropriately, please point that out and I will acknowledge and correct it. Ideas should be shared, but also credited.

I don’t have any earth shattering revelations. Or flashy advice. What I can offer is a desire to learn more and share what I’ve learned in order to cultivate conversation and solidify my understanding.

So farewell until next week’s introduction part 2.