The symbol of the dragonfly

When Alicia and I first formed DONATA Communications, the original vision was that of a dragonfly. I'll get to more on that in a minute.

The name "DONATA" is a shortened version of the word odonata, which is the latin name for the species of insects known as dragonflies and damselflies. One of the novels I wrote, Princess of the Pond, deals with dragonflies, and the protagonist of the book is a damselfly named Donata.

So my history with these creatures is deep, and the dragonfly is a fitting symbol for the business of helping local media companies move from one world (Media 1.0) to the next (Media 2.0).

Dragonflies are changelings. They live half their life underwater and half their life in the sky. Along the way, their food source is the same: mosquito nymphs underwater and adult mosquitoes in the sky.

The parallels to broadcasting are there. We're moving from underwater to the glorious excitement of the sky. Our food source, advertising, is still the same — although we feed on a slightly different form.

I wear dragonfly pins wherever I go, and they always bring about the inevitable "what is that?" question from somebody. This opens the door to talk about the changes in media that I'm attempting to teach.

It is a fitting symbol. The dragonfly. New Media.

And for me personally, the symbol has deep meaning, for the home that Alicia and I occupied was filled with dragonfly "stuff," and I remember her every time I see one.

So now you know.

Terry