Superbellymonster

About me

I have been a lurker around Wikipedia for quite a while, and have just recently started to make a conscious effort to contribute more to the encyclopaedia. I have a background in communications for the volunteering sector both in the UK and Oz, and love the potential of open spaces such as Wikipedia for creative social action and volunteering opportunities. In saying that, I can also see the role of proprietary social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook for off-wiki communication and building a diverse editorial community.

I live in Brisbane, Australia with my family and am currently studying my PhD. Two small kids and deadlines make for an interesting life, and not much time for editing - but I'm working on that.

Why Wikipedia Matters To Me

Wikipedia matters because we use it. Every day. All over the world. It solves diputes among my family about how many sporting premierships a team has won. It teaches my kids about the life cycle of the cicada (don't ask how many times we've listened to the sound file on that page). It's an evolving artefact that is a testament to the amazing efforts of so many volunteers around the world. Sure, there's bits of it that could work better, but I guess that's why I'm here. I use it, so I figure I should help out too.