Semi-inspired by a similar project by Kev Quirk, I’ve got a project I want to run on my blog in 2024.
I want you to be my pen pal for a month. Get in touch by emailing penpals@danq.me or any other way you like and let’s do this!
I don’t know much about the people who read my blog, whether they’re ad-hoc visitors or regular followers1.
So here’s the plan: I’m looking to do is to fill a “dance card” of interesting people each of with whom I’ll “pen pal” for a month.
The following month, I’ll blog about the experience: who I met, what I learned about them, what I learned about myself. Have a look below and see if there’s a slot for you: I’d love to chat to you about, well – anything!
My goals:
-
- Get inspired to blog about new/different things (and hopefully help inspire others to do the same).
- Connect with a dozen folks on a more-interpersonal level than I normally do via my blog.
- Maybe even make, or deepen, some friendships!
The “rules”:
- Aiming for at least 3 email exchanges over a month. Maybe more.2
- Email is the medium.3
- There’s no specific agenda: I promise to bring what I’ve been thinking about and working on, and possibly a spicy conversation-starter from LetsLifeChat.com. You bring whatever you like. No topic is explicitly off the table unless somebody says it is (which anybody can do at any time, for any or no reason).
- I’ll blog a summary of my experience the month afterwards, but I won’t share anything without permission. I’ll happily share an unpublished draft with each penpal first so they can veto any bits they don’t like. I’ll refer to you by whatever name, link etc. suits you best.
- If you have a blog/digital garden/social presence of any kind, you’re welcome to blog about it too. Or not: entirely up to you!
Who’s in so far?
Want in? Leave a
comment, at-me on the Fediverse @dan@danq.me, fill my
contact form, or just email penpals@danq.me. Okay; looks like I’ve got a full year of people
to meet! Awesome!
| Penpal with… | …during… | …and blog in: | Notes: |
|---|---|---|---|
| Colin Walker | December 2023 | January 2024 | Colin’s announcement |
| Thom Denholm | January 2024 | February 2024 | |
| Ru | February 2024 | March 2024 | |
| Dr. Alex Bowyer | March 2024 | April 2024 | Agreement via LinkedIn |
| Roslyn Cook | April 2024 | May 2024 | |
| Garrett Coakley | May 2024 | June 2024 | |
| Derek Kedziora | June 2024 | July 2024 | |
| Aarón Fas | July 2024 | August 2024 | |
| Cal Desmond-Pearson | August 2024 | September 2024 | |
| Tyoma | September 2024 | October 2024 | |
| Farai | October 2024 | November 2024 | |
| Katie | November 2024 | December 2024 | Katie’s comment |
I’ll update this table as people get in touch.
Who do I want to meet?
You! If you’re reading this, you’re probably somebody I want to meet! But I’d be especially interested in penpalling with people who tick one or more of the following boxes:
- Personal bloggers at the edges of or just outside my usual social circles. Maybe you’re an IndieWeb, RSS Club, or Geminispace explorer?
- Regular readers, whether you just skim the post titles and dive in once in a blue moon or read every post and comment on the things you care about.
- Automatticians from parts of the company I don’t get to interact with. Let’s build some bridges!
- People whose interests overlap with mine in any way, large or small. That overlap might be technology (web standards, accessibility, security, blogging, open source…), hobbies (GPS sports, board games, magic, murder mysteries, science fiction, getting lost on Wikipedia…), volunteering (third sector support, tech for good, diversity in tech…), social (queer issues, polyamory, socialism…), or something else entirely.
- Missed connections. Did we meet briefly or in-passing (conferences, meetups, friends-of-friends, overlapping volunteering circles) but not develop anything further? I’d love to pick up where we left off!
- Distant- and nearly-friends. Did we drift apart long ago, or never quite move into one another’s orbit in the first place? This could be your excuse to touch bases!
If you read this far and didn’t email penpals@danq.me yet, go do that. I’m looking forward to hearing from you!
Footnotes
1 Not-knowing who reads my blog might come at least in part from the fact that I actively sabotage any plugin that might give me any analytics! One might say I’ve shot myself in the foot, there.
2 If we stay in touch afterwards that’s fine too, but it’s not essential.
3 I’m looking for longer-form, but slower, communication than you get via e.g. instant messengers and whatnot: a more “penpal” experience.