Potential

I like to use that word for a lot of things in Salem. Last night, I attended the inaugaral Beer and Blog meetup in Salem where maybe 15-20 people showed up in a soon to be art gallery/bar/tv studio. It seemed as if half the folks were serious computer, internet techies and the other half were the creative content creators. The founder of Beer and Blog, Justin Kistner was there to toast the opening of the Salem chapter of the growing social network. He explained why he set it up and what it's purpose is. It's kind of a way to get us away from our computers and meet up face to face. Several folks at the meeting have extensive internet knowledge and experience. I can tell you that I learned a thing or two that I will apply to my sites when I get the chance. Beer and Blog has potential because it allows for face to face communication which is really the best way to share ideas and network. What this needs to succeed is active participation. Salem has a very small blog scene in comparison to other Oregon cities. That indicates to me that there is room for growth. More people are getting faster internet connections around here(I hope) and they will want to create and share their experiences online. This is a way get some help or help others learn the ropes of the internet. I look forward to the next meetup.