It's all in the feedback.

Feedback.

This word has been buzzing inside my head all day today.

Feedback can mean different things to different people. A roadie might interpret feedback quite differently from a college professor I should think.

One is thinking maybe in terms of sound through equipment, the other maybe thinking in terms of receiving rapport or augmentation to an idea from students and peers.

Both are important.

We all need feedback. It's hardwired into us.

Feedback is like food. It gives us energy, creates positive (or negative) growth. It sustains us and keeps us alive. Food is important to our survival. So is feedback. GOOD food will make us happy and healthy so will positive feedback!

We all need to hear, see, touch, taste, smell and know what is real. What comes back to us through our senses is feedback that we are alive, we are real, that lunch is ready!

Bloggers like feedback! It means we are saying something that stirs inside someone "out there" in cyberspace. Feedback helps us to keep writing, making our thoughts ever more clear and resonant.

Feedback can be nasty! It can hurt like crazy and can ring in our ears like that screech from an audio speaker long after it's given. Feedback like this is horrible but sometimes necessary; afterall you can't leave a microphone in front of a speaker forever without doing some damage so it's best if the sound is heard briefly and the problem resolved quickly through some minor re-adjustments in position and frequency.

Conversation is feedback. Eye contact is feedback. A hug is precious feedback!

I don't like negative feedback! But then I'm a big wuss :) I'm all for positive feedback that makes me feel warm and welcome in the human family.

...and may I feed back to you the same. :)