Second, my name is, somewhat awkwardly, Lisan. I know, it looks like it should have more letters, or fewer letters, or something, but there it is: five awkward letters.

I agree with some of what you say here. We do bring ourselves into the light, in a sense, when we use the net as a platform. And there is something lovely about it. I’d be a liar if I said I didn’t bask in the sense of connection to humanity it provides.

Also, what you say about Streetview is true: it’s the feeling of being *noticed* that we find validating. But it still seems strange to me that we cling to this particular notion of validity, when our houses are on display (“part of the public world”) to anyone who cares to pass by them every day. But yes, someone now in France can look at my house on Google — for what it’s worth. And really what is it worth, beyond the significance we ourselves bring to it? However, if that is what it takes to make someone feel like they exist more (if such a thing is possible), who am I to argue with the contentment it gives them?

But I think it’s illusory to imagine we put our whole selves online. We present a version of ourselves. We hide a whole lot from the blogosphere. And the question is, are we better off for it? Stay tuned for the next column…

My cousins’ have produced multiple babies within a very short frame of time. At my aunts house the other afternoon all their kids (total 7) were in the basement playing. They are between 2 – 8 years old. The eldest was born with a hearing problem that was not discovered for quite some time, and as a result he has a speech impediment and is delayed linguistically. He is also physically awkward and socially shy and I feel it has something to do with his early difficulties with language.

The basement of my aunts house has two areas, one is full of foam blocks and cushions. That is where the other 6 boys play, they like to climb up on the blocks and fling themselves onto the cushions.

In the other room, there is my aunt’s computer. This is where the 8 year old and I sit and he shows me all the stuff he is learning and doing on the internet which he adores. So far he plays mad libs, he collects links, he checks his email, and we are going to start building his website next time I visit.

I love him dearly probably because he reminds me of myself, and I find it fascinating that he is too uncomfortable to go into the foam room and start brawling with his brothers and cousins, but then again, he doesn’t really want to either. His process of self-definition which is completely social, will not happen in the same way it does for the other kids.

I think if someone suggested his desire to see himself reflected in a website under his own name was wispy it would make his already kind of difficult life seem even more non-legitimate, so I would never say that to him.

That is all.