Things have been a bit quiet around here over the last few months, for which I must apologise. It wasn’t my intention to “go dark” for a spell, but neither have I had the time – or, frankly, energy – to update with anything approaching the velocity of things in my head. There’s so much to talk about and think about at the moment, from community design to open news, from riots and social networks to patterns of protest. There are so many conversations to be had and links to be shared about all this, but unfortunately, as is often the case, life got in the way.

And what’s the life that’s got in the way for updating here? Well, a hectic work life, as ever. But also a new life. A baby.

Excitingly, Paul and I are expecting a baby (our first), due in early March 2012. Feeling completely appalling for several months plus the constant soul-draining exhaustion that has accompanied it has made doing anything interesting somewhat challenging, and though I’m now feeling a bit better, I’m still being careful not to overpromise or overcommit (after several years of doing both, which came to a juddering halt in the middle of the summer with this marvellous news).

I don’t talk about personal things much here at all, but this is worth mentioning and celebrating, especially if you’ve been with me on this blog journey for much of the nearly dozen years I’ve been at it. We’re naturally over the moon about the incoming addition to our little family, as well as somewhat overwhelmed with the prospect of all the changes and challenges that will bring. But what an adventure.

So that may explain – or excuse? – my recent absence from bloglandia, and (if you have been trying to engage with me in a professional context) why I have been maddeningly difficult to pin down to speaking commitments and the like at the end of 2011 and through into 2012. I’m doing one more overseas trip this year (Brazil, in a few weeks, for MediaON) and then I’m hanging up my passport and carry-on bag for a while, not least because the airlines won’t let you fly after a certain point in the pregnancy.

Anyway, I won’t promise to update more, because I don’t want to raise expectations. But I will promise to try and find time to share some of the stuff I’ve been thinking, doing and working on over the last few months, and the months to come.

As to what happens next year, clearly that’s still being worked out. I’ll be on maternity leave for a bit, obviously, and following that, back to the exciting world of media, social & community development/engagement. But I’m not gone yet. And even when I am, I’ll be back soon enough.

In the meantime – hello! I’m still here.