I have posted a fair bit of what is below as a comment, but I thought it probably merited a posting too as it was really useful getting that feedback and pointers in various directions.

Firstly, thanks for the comments. I think it did me good to get my thoughts off my chest - and also led to positive action in opening up this blog (OK I still have to approve the first posting for anybody and that seems to be a system thing that I can’t knock off). More importantly, it led me to looking at wikis again - thanks Carol for the pointer to yours - and I have now set one up and that is proving extremely useful for the kind of things I felt a blog wasn’t doing.

Yes, this blog really is a personal journal more than a public account. It probably is helping to keep me on track and helping to make me accountable.

I endorse what has been said about Plurk. Haven’t looked at Netvibes, but have been using Google Reader for quite a long time and if it ain’t broke why fix it!

I guess, like earlier discussions in other places about bibliographic tools, one of the important things on this DPhil journey is getting the different props in place for myself - and making sure they are tools which I personally feel comfortable with.With so many support resources available it is important to recognise that what one person finds useful, or how another expresses themself, is not necessarily what works best for me.  There are tools I would now find it very difficult to survive without - yet not that long ago I did and didn’t realise I needed them - and other tools which I can happily take or leave (and more often than not choose to leave).

Currently my list of must have tools:

• Google reader - enables me to scan large amounts of stuff and decide what if anything to read in more depth
• Plurk - keeps me in touch with my friends and provides an awareness of the world out there, not only in my bit of the universe
• EndNote - now I am working out how to use it, it is keeping all the assorted reading I am doing accessible to me
•  PBwiki - although still at an early stage is providing me with a place to organise myself and to pull lots of different stuff together
• This blog - jury still out, but it does have its uses if I am not using it for what I don’t want it to be

And tools I can survive without

• Twitter - just too much going on and too confusing for me
• Facebook - is it my age or is it that I just don’t get it

Guess that will do for now.  Now to work out what I want/need to do today!