Carly Findlay

Writer, speaker, appearance activist. Loving life!

  • About
  • Hire me!
  • Contact
  • Shop
  • Support Me
  • What is Ichthyosis?
  • Ichthyosis + appearance diversity resources
  • Disclaimer
  • Guest post contribution guidelines

The Masters graduation and the three year blogiversary. Online life is real life.

December 16, 2012 Carly Findlay

Last week I graduated from my Masters degree. It was a very hot, long evening and I thank RMIT staff for allowing me to sit in the air conditioning for most of the ceremony.

I have a Master of Communication, majoring in journalism and new media. It was my childhood dream to study journalism and become a journalist (now I’ve studied it I don’t want to be a true journalist, but so glad I have the skills), and the new media component complements (the good bits of) my Bachelor of eCommerce perfectly. I enjoyed every subject of the Master of Communication degree and found it very practical. I recommend the RMIT degree.

I took a long time to complete it. But I did it! And so proud. I was counting the things that have happened in my life since I commenced it in 2005. A little writing career, two seasons of No Limits, a Yooralla Media Award, a Layne Beachley Aim for the Stars grant (and surfing!), an Australia Day Award, mentoring at the hospital, about five hospital stays and countless visits to the outpatients and emergency departments, two human deaths and two dog deaths in the family, three boys I have loved, finding out a past love lied about his whole life (and that situation being perfect for a journalism assignment), one brief return home to Albury to live, speaking at a range of functions, four meetings of Darren hayes, an invitation to speak in England, a lot of friends made and a few lost, and this blog.

I have had a six month break from study (if you don’t count the short course I did through the Sydney Writers Centre in September) and already I am looking at what I could study next. I am thinking Health Promotion or a PhD in storytelling through blogging. But I am also enjoying not studying, having my weekends free, and not pressuring myself to achieve a high distinction.

Yesterday this blog turned three years old. I put so many of those events and achievements down to this blog. Even including the completion of my degree (and it probably distracted me from it too). I became more confident, developed a portfolio of writing, and finally identified with being a member of the disability community. I have been able to share my story, and have it heard – it matters. I was able to use this blog as the topic and references for my thesis. The most important thing though, is how this blog has allowed me to form so many friendships.

Lots of people I know don’t get blogging and social media. Twitter seems the most complex to figure out – why share every thought, who really cares? Why do you have to upload another photo of your breakfast? What is your opinion so important that you have to let the whole world know? How can you discuss a TV show that you are watching with strangers online? Won’t you miss out on living life? They can’t understand the sharing of often intimate thoughts to the wide world. They can’t understand that someone out there may be listening, when there is sometimes no one physically around us to listen. They can’t understand how someone you talk to via a keyboard and an Internet connection can make for a deep, trusting and loving friendship.

Before I started this blog – when I had my other blogs – I never really connected with my readers. Our conversations never strayed from the blog. Meeting someone from the Internet was taboo, and me, being the outcast, always seemed to be meeting boys from the internet. Well not that many, just a few. Meeting people from the internet was considered a little bit daggy – even five years ago. There was an assumption you are lonely and without social skills.

I met this guy once, Chameleon was his ICQ name. I was 17, he was the same age. I guess I had a crush on him. When I came to Melbourne for a hospital trip, my (adult) friends brought me into the city to meet him. I had to give my friends his number, you know, just in case he murdered me. We met at Flinders Street station, under the clocks on the steps. He’d been up all night at a party, and was rather disheveled, with the faint smell of beer and pot on his clothes. My friends were freaking out, calling me on his mobile phone two hours in, to see if they needed to pick me up. He and I walked around the city, we went to see American Pie, and talked. The time spent with each other in person was no where near as interesting as time spent talking on ICQ. There seemed to be an online/offline disconnect. Very different to the way I connect online/offline now.

This past weekend I hung out with three people I met on the Internet. It’s the done thing for me. I had lunch with a guy I’ve been talking with on Twitter – its a small world, we work in buildings next to each other. I saw a concert with Tash – we met via blogging and tweeting, and Camille and I had a cake feast/present exchange yesterday – I joked that I had to stalk her after I read an article she had written about illness that resonated with me, and found out she too was a blogger. Since starting this blog, I have met so many people that I may not have necessarily crossed paths with. Some bloggers, others tweeters. Some are online friends only – the distance keeps us apart, and others are online-come-offline friends. Too many to mention, but I can proudly call some of these online-come-offline friends some of my best friends. I’ve formed twitter friendships with people I admire – musicians, media personalities and writers – including Charlotte Dawson, Bob Evans, Patience Hodgson and Chrissie Swan. And then there’s keeping in touch with old friends and those who have moved away (and even friends that never were my friends back at school) plus relatives I have never met until getting in touch online. We are connected more than ever. And if we allow it – like I have – our social lives can increase considerably.

Even my parents are embracing the Internet. For so many years, I felt they didn’t understand my love of connecting online. They’d tell me to get off the internet, and joke about going outside to see what’s happening in the real world. Now they are avid Facebook users, Mum has an iPad and Dad writes for an online publication called Think Tasmania. Just recently he declared that the best thing about writing for Think Tasmania was the great people he has met in his travels. It made my heart sing. They get it! They get why I’m so passionate about online connection. And though I am 31, it still feels good to have my parents’ approval.

So to close, happy birthday Tune into Radio Carly! Thank you for the outlet to vent, clarify my thoughts, share my achievements, develop a writing portfolio, be the basis of my thesis, and for connecting me with so many wonderful people. And thank you for reading, commenting and sharing. My online life is my real life, and I’m ok with that. I’m not missing out on anything – in fact I’m living life more than ever.

And here’s some celebration cake. Because my blog is an extension of me and it too likes cake.

 

Share this:

  • Click to print (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Google+ (Opens in new window)

Related

Uncategorized

Comments

  1. Kattie says

    December 17, 2012 at 9:14 am

    Congratulations on your graduation.

    I haven't been reading your blog long but I do enjoy reading. Congratulations on the 3 years too.

  2. Sydney Shop Girl says

    December 17, 2012 at 9:29 am

    Congratulations on your graduation and Masters, Carly.

    It's an honour to know you through both your blog and as a wonderful friend.

    Best wishes

    SSG xxx

  3. bigwords is... says

    December 17, 2012 at 9:33 am

    Congrats on your graduation! Happy third bday. I agree, the friendships we've all made blogging are amazing. so supportive, funny and like-minded x

  4. Lisa @ Blithe Moments says

    December 17, 2012 at 12:57 pm

    Congratulations on your graduation, such a fantastic achievement.

    I know what you mean about people not understanding this online world. A friend recently told me that I spend too much time online. She can't understand what draws me here. She said this to me as I was posting a story of my travels from London which not only was fun for others to read, it was keeping friends and family at home in the loop on our trip. I find my time spent interacting online so very worthwhile, but it is very hard to explain to those people who refuse to participate.

    I also love that my parents are online. Dad has been involved in IT since the 70's so it is hardly surprising that he is an early adopter but until about 2 years ago Mum was terrified of all things computer. We got her an iPad and now she is on Facebook, Twitter and has her own blog. It is awesome.

  5. CurlyPops says

    December 17, 2012 at 4:23 pm

    Happy Bloggiversary! Can you imagine if we'd never met?

  6. River says

    December 17, 2012 at 6:53 pm

    Woo-hoo! You graduated! Well done.

  7. Bright Precious says

    December 17, 2012 at 9:27 pm

    Congratulations on 3 years blogging, Carly. And well done on your Masters too. Both huge achievements. I look forward to seeing what more you have in store for this world. xx

  8. Marz says

    December 17, 2012 at 10:30 pm

    Congratulations Carly on all accounts! You've achieved so much and you should be proud of yourself!

    I don't often comment but I love your blog and I thought you should know 🙂

  9. kell says

    December 18, 2012 at 11:39 am

    Carly, a huge congrats on your Masters and graduation! You must be so proud of yourself and deservedly so, it's a great achievement. Have a great week x

Socials

  • View tune.into.radio.carly’s profile on Facebook
  • View @carlyfindlay’s profile on Twitter
  • View carlyfindlay’s profile on Instagram
  • View sqoggle’s profile on YouTube

Archives

Sign up for some love in your inbox

Popular Posts

  • The Greatest Showman - upliftspirational exploitation and the able gaze
  • A death in the Ichthyosis community. When we lose one of our own.
  • Creamoata: a much loved, yet lost food of my childhood. Help me find it.
  • Talking microaggressions with Jon Faine on ABC Radio
  • My concerns about Wonder the film (and how to talk to your kids about Wonder)
  • The death of Offspring's Dr Patrick Reid. The TV death that stopped a nation.
  • My highlights from the 2018 Melbourne International Comedy Festival - Natalie Palamides, Loyiso Gola, Wil Anderson, Emma J Hawkins and Kirsty Webeck

As read/heard on

Carly FIndlay media appearances

Listen to my podcast

Tune in

Enter your email address to receive new posts by email.

Copyright

The material on Tune into Radio Carly is copyright. The writing in this blog is by Carly Findlay unless otherwise stated. Most photos in this blog are by Carly Findlay unless otherwise stated. Please do not reproduce without permission from Carly Findlay. This blog represents my personal opinions and experiences. It does not reflect those of my employers'. The information I provide about ichthyosis is mostly based on personal experiences. Please seek medical advice or counseling before trying any new treatments I've written about.

Copyright © 2018 · Daily Dish Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.