MommyGeek & the iGeneration

This post was originally published on my first blog, which shall be taken down at the end of this month, as my very first blog post. I just realized that I never celebrated my 1-year blog anniversary, so today I’ll bring you back to the beginning, when I had no readers, and somehow managed to post 30 times in July.  I’ll be periodically recycling content from ye old blog, both to add that content here for posterity’s sake as well as to provide what is, likely, still fresh content to you, as I had about 1.5 readers when I started (didn’t we all?)

As another note, if you are still subscribed to this blog via the old link (I KNOW that some of you are, I see it on your sidebars!) I urge you, PLEASE, delete that subscription and add this. It will update the blog title (important for the non-googleability of the old identity with the new!) and will ensure that when I take down the other blog, I don’t accidentally lose you. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 or email!

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As the name of this blog may imply, I enjoy technology. In fact, I adore technology. I lust after technology. Technology and I have a tumultuous, relationship – the kind of relationship that Sheryl Crow was singing about when she recorded “My Favorite Mistake.” That’s right. Technology and I are lovers.

I’m a relatively young person (and I believe that all things are relative); I’ll be 24 years old this year, just days after my second child is due to arrive, and I grew up with the internet. These facts are important simply because they define who / what I am — an iGeneration mother, daughter, friend, sister, blogger, wife.

Many of you may have heard of the iGeneration. Signaling the largest generation gap since Rock & Roll burst onto the scene, the iGeneration, or Generation Now, is comprised of those of us who do not remember life without computers, the internet and the associated technology. Growing up, my mother taught me not to talk to strangers. One of the first lessons that my daughter will learn will be “Don’t provide personal information unless it’s a secure internet connection. Don’t participate in chat rooms, forums are better. If you do participate in chat rooms, don’t provide any personal identifiers, such as time zone, town, pictures, descriptions, jobs, anything. Remember to clear your personal information from Firefox at the end of your browser session. Don’t ever date a guy you met on Facebook or (God Forbid!) MySpace.” If you’re raising children now, then I imagine you’re composing a similar admonition yourself.

The New York Times published a great article about the iGeneration and what it means to be part of it. If you’re part of the iGeneration, read it. It’s interesting and insightful, in my opinion. If you aren’t part of the iGeneration, then read it because your children are.

Parenting in the age of technology is different, scary and vast. No longer is the village that raises your child found right outside your back door – the village is online at Parent Hacks, Babble, and in the comments of thousands of Mommy & Daddy blogs.

Well, I’m joining the ranks. As a young mother, a bonified iGeneration member, and a techno-geek, I’d be lax if I didn’t start a Mommy Blog! Not to mention that I hope you’ll find what I have to say here interesting, poignant, valuable, witty and entertaining. I hope that my blog provides you an opportunity to hit that “I’m not alone” epiphany that I feel every time I point my mouse to Cynical Dad, MotherBumper, Bad Parent (via Babble) and countless others (see sidebar) who have inspired me to get up, try again, and (most importantly) develop and stand by my parenting philosophies.

Editor’s note: While these were the blogs that inspired my jump into the blogger pool, I’ve found that a new identity — simply, blogger, rather than Mommy Blogger, has emerged here, I believe. Further, I read over 100 personal blogs at this point, ALL which have heavily influenced my life and my sense of self-esteem both as an individual and a mother.  So thank you.