"So...why this blogging thing?"

So there are a lot of topics that are running through my mind that I would love to talk about next:  the ideal contents of a makerspace, monetization, business plans or floor layouts.  These conversations  swirl around in my head.  Not to mention, how do I start up a Kickstarter? (and is it two words or just one ;)

  That's the function of a blog, eventually I can talk about whatever I want.  And trust me, I will. But that isn't my reason to blog.  I think of blogging as being authentic, a reflection of a core value.  This is a chance to speak to the idea of community.  

   Day after day I bring my dish to the proverbial potluck.  And it's only one dish among many.  It's not the best dish...at times it may be the worst.  And it will only make a great meal when I am willing to let others show me what they can create.  And not simply because there are a lot of fine cooks invited.  Rather, the conversation and acceptance of good friends transcends the gourmet (and covers a multitude of recipe disasters).  

   This is the fundamental belief that undergirds everything we do at Maker's Edge.  There is no good thing that we can accomplish that wouldn't be made better by the input and reflection of a friend.  Community drives this blog, and it drives our desire for this space.  A shared experience where every person feels the value he or she brings to the creative moment just by being present.  This is collaboration from inspiration to design, from conception to prototype.  And how can we cultivate this paradigm in the room if we are unwilling to embrace it as people? 

   I felt the need for this value to be clearly said before we ask people to invest in us or our vision.  We are open source to the core, and we embrace collaboration as a way of being, not just a business plan.