By Margaret Wolf Freivogel, St. Louis Platform Editor
Monday, 31 March 2008
Glad you've decided to check out the St. Louis Platform. Over the next few weeks, you'll see the germ of this idea grow into an exciting new place to find news that matters for our St. Louis region. You'll also see - and have the chance to join in - lots of discussion about what that news means and what to do about it. Watch this space over the next few days for more about who we are and what we're up to. And please let us know who you are, what you're interested in and how you think we can make this upstart operation better.
What's the best birthday present? In theory, it's always being with the family. In practice, tiffs and tiredness and too much pressure have, sometimes, led to tension instead of terrific times. But the stars aligned this year.
The boy lives in Miami. The girl is in college in upstate New York. She and I are tired of the cold -- really tired. When her spring break came later than all of her friends' and coincided with my birthday, we decided to get together.
The clouds are coming in from the West just now, but the morning and early afternoon were delightful: Blue sky, very soft breezes and warmth, lovely, lovely warmth. What's even better, all of us seem to be more comfortable than I remember recently. Are we all adults? I don't want to analyze, just enjoy. Even the standard family digs: Yes, I still talk to myself -- especially when the computer won't let me update a link. But neither of them ventured to remark on my need for exercise, which was abundantly clear at the pool. We all seem to have learned the line between teasing and insulting. What a great birthday.
If you've found this blog, you've found our brand new publication, The St. Louis Platform. The last part of my 34 years in the newspaper business found me leading the way into a new technology. I helped teach reporters and editors how to use the new operating system. This ability to teach how to use something has translated into the idea that I understand technology. And it means that I'm supposed to help writers learn to post on our new site. Ha!
As I tried to tell most classes, I could explain how they would work with the system, but I had very little idea of how the system worked or why it did things a certain way. Now I find myself in a new technology and trying to learn, again, how to work the system. And again, I'm frustrated with the baby steps I'm having to take at the beginning. What I have to remember, however, is that each time I try to "walk" it will get a little easier. And this time, I want to learn more about how the system works so using it makes more sense.
Two things brought about this reflection: I swear I had posted a blog that said my niece did a great job with Easter dinner -- and it wasn't her fault that her mother and grandmother were sick the next day :). But those semi-humorous words disappeared into the either. Then, I tried to create a map yesterday. One point in one hour does not efficiency make.
The St. Louis Platform is now the St. Louis Beacon. You can find us at stlbeacon.org.
At the moment, we are moving all our old content from this site to the Beacon. All our new content will be published on stlbeacon.org.
For now, we are leaving these pages up to ensure that our content is accessible to you during this process. If you come here to our original address after we have finished our move, we'll send you automatically to our new home.
Thank you for your patience, and please contact us with any questions or comments.
Blogs 
The St. Louis Platform is now the St. Louis Beacon. You can find us at stlbeacon.org.
