New to blogging

Hi, my name is Alan Mark Baljeu. Hence my blog's title. I've been employed as a computer programmer for many years, but two weeks ago my employer ceased operations. I'm now considering going back to school (studying AI), creating a business, or finding another job.

I've used computers since 1981, email since 1990, and the web since 1993. I've edited wikis, posted in forums, participated in mailing lists. But until now I've never had a personal space. This post is the start of something new.

Just this week I'm reading an interesting book called Wikinomics, which talks about how mass-collaboration is changing the world. In today's internet, everyone can contribute just by clicking links and typing. Ordinary people have together created the world's largest encyclopedia, an enormous repository of video clips, and have created communities around every conceivable interest area. It seems like something big is happening every other week.

Me, although I'm immersed in computers through my job, am relatively ignorant of this new networking extravaganza. I hope to learn more about this stuff.
Blogging, I guess, is my first step. What's next?