Saturday, July 5, 2008

Abi's Copyright Notice

I have seen a number of folks who have copyright notices on their blogs. These are people whose ideas are fresh and really valuable, so that totally makes sense to me. I have, however, continued to run across suggestions that I should copyright my blog.

So here is what I want you to know:

Most of the stuff I write is processing that grows from lots of different sources collected over a lifetime of reading, watching and living -- what J.R.R. Tolkien would call intellectual "mould." It is stuff that grows out of stuff that I have "ingested" and whose nutrients I have extracted. And even those portions considered "ruffiage" that have, ahem, been "out-processed" are valuable as, um, compost. Gotta love Tolkien's word pictures....

Here's the deal. When I'm directly quoting someone, I try to identify the source -- giving credit where credit is due. When I can only remember who a main idea came from, I try to tell you their name. If I have lots of energy and it is "linkable" I try to link you to what I'm talking about. I do the best a poor, harried abbess can.... ;^)

If something I've written is helpful to you and you want to process it, make it your own and share it with others, go for it. There is no reason to hoard ideas, for goodness sake!

I'm hopeful, however, that you will deal with me in this same manner (do unto others...) because it is the right thing to do ... and don't forget the last comment in Abi's Rule: freely you have received; freely give.

I'll have a link in my side-bar that says "Abi's Copyright Notice" that will lead back to this post. It will have to be sufficient.

Shalom

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