This whole episode of what to blog and what not to blog has taught me a lot. There are a couple of lessons I have learned that I want to share.

1. Transparency must be done carefully. I am sort of a big fan of Dr. Scott McLeod who is also an attorney. I can echo Miguel’s reccommendation to listen to this audiocast. Ultimately, I guess I had forged a disconnect between what happens in my school setting and what happens in the blogosphere. As I mentioned earlier, I have a strong desire to be known. I have been known to be overly transparent in my life because I think that is the way we are supposed to live, as outlined in the second chapter of Acts. Having lived and worked in Latin America, theirs is a much more transparent culture because of the sheer necessity of other people to support you in your efforts to survive. School is not that way, and this has helped me realize that in a new way.

2. This blog is about open source software and the related principles. I guess I have to draw the line at sharing personal information regarding my work. For me, I suppose the balance has to be that I can blog about the good times and avoid the bad times. I took to heart Scott’s word in a comment that read:

Miguel is right. You blog about work at your peril. It doesn?t matter what you feel or what other commenters feel – legally, all that matters is what your superiors feel. If they can make the case that you?ve sufficiently eroded the working relationship because of something you?ve blogged, you?re out of there, even if you?re blogging about important and/or that the public should know about. Sorry.

Truth is, in this instance (and SO many others) I have to “Listen to advice and accept instruction, [so that] in the end you will be wise. (source)

I will hold my tongue in the future, not because I think it is right in the global context, but rather because my wife and girls are far too important to risk my job. Not to mention that I do have quite the obligation to submit to the authority placed over me here, and I do so willingly out of obedience to the Word.

I did receive on email from a friend who was in a similar situation, except his ended poorly. I will not share his name or story, but I do not want to put my family through that.

Thank you Miguel, thank you Dr. McLeod, and thank all of you for traveling this rough journey with me. I hope today’s final posting on this matter will serve to help others. This is a wise lesson learned.