The Quiet One

So, those degrees - do they matter?
I think that the most important degree is the first.  Don’t fall into the trap of “knowing someone who knows so-and-so…” because it’s just not good for you - nor will it bring you any kind of fame/fortune.  Hence the danger of complex social networks - they make you feel important, when really you’re just still you.
Stick with the people you know (unless you’ve got a fail-safe way of not falling into the name-dropping trap), and be GOOD at what you want to do.

Segway:  This weird little mental conversation began while I was going through and adding various links along the side of this site.  At first (and even at the time of this writing), I felt that simpler was better, with link sections labeled generically enough “people” and “places”.  But some people just have to make my life difficult by making themselves appear to be a place (example:  Faruk goes by Kurafire Network on his site, so he becomes a place - fair enough?).  Where’s that line that makes it easy to decide?  And do some people prefer to be linked by site name, or by real name?  For now, I’m sticking with real name (with various exceptions), if you see your name up there and would rather go by something else (pleasant things, like “Dickweed” and “Millimeter Boner”), then just speak up.

Back to the thought at hand… (ponder, ponder - where the hell am I going with this…?)

Okay, back to the room…

In that room full of people, you also have boxes of various heights that some have either chosen to stand on, or have been forcefully lifted up onto them by the people around them. 

You also have the general audience, the people that talk endlessly in that low roaring din, hissing through your ears (like in a concert, before anyone has come out on stage).  These are the ones that wish they were on boxes, who push and yell and each claim that they are standing closer to the box-person than anyone else is (you know who you are).

There is also a very interesting alter-class of people.  The one’s that are recognized by nearly everyone else, but quietly slipping through the crowd like ghosts.  They are the Quiet Ones.  They are not famous enough to have a box, nor would they want one should it ever be offered.  They know the languages and skills as well as nearly any of the box-people, but yet they remain anonymous.

Personally, I’ve never wanted fame or fortune (okay, maybe a little fortune).  It just doesn’t appeal to me.  I’m going after a much bigger prize…

Respect.