Blogging.
What’s up with that?
Why do those who do it, do so wholeheartedly, at times unveiling thoughts that would rarely, if ever, be spoken aloud?
And when asked about it, excitedly explain about carnivals and memes, blog friends and blogrolls, learning (or trying to…!) a new language (html), trackbacks, comments and links, blog traffic and hit counters, buttons and blinkies and more. While the listener is sitting there, eyes glazing over, nodding politely but inwardly thinking, “This person is OBSESSED!”
Hehe, yeah, we know. And we don’t care.
For those who blog, it’s a creative outlet. After reading through the Blogging Chicks “Favorites” Carnival, I discovered the majority of those who write also love to read. Many of us don’t have a “professional” forum, so this is it. We can complete our thoughts here, explore them, laugh out loud, think with others. It hasn’t happened here much, but I really appreciate a thoughtful response to those deeper posts; Janice from 5 Minutes for Mom meandered through my archives and picked up a post I had written long before I gave out my link to anyone. Although my posts are often on the light side, when I slow down and become contemplative, a like response is very encouraging (even if the commentor doesn’t agree with me).
We don’t limit ourselves to just writing, though. As we progress, we enter the lives of other bloggers and a relationship may be born. Not always, just sometimes. But when you find a “blog kindred”, you just know it. My friends IRL don’t blog, so I’m thankful for my virtual friends who enjoy this ride with me. It’s a similar investment in relationship because it does require time to develop, and it’s a much slower evolution, but it’s “real” nevertheless.
Quite unexpectedly, I have found blogging to be VERY educational. I posted on that recently, but silliness aside, learning is a by-product I didn’t anticipate. How many of you woke up one day and realized you’d “been asleep at the wheel”? Have you ever said or had a thought that goes something like “I used to be smart and then I had kids and my brains got sucked out in the process…”? OF COURSE, I realize everything on the ‘net is not accurate and has its own bias, and that bloggers are merely expousing their own opinions or agenda. That being said, they’ve raised the bar for me :). Many bloggers have challenged me to think–sometimes about things I’ve never before considered or known about, but also driving me closer to God, as I’ve sought what HE thinks about whatever is the issue-du-jour.
Michele, by example, has taught me to be generous in what I’m learning. She’s a model of patience, thoughtfulness and intelligence. An “exchange I had with another blogger over at Paradoxology forced me to exercise restraint (from sarcasm) and to find “a better way” to express my thought; although I felt like I had major mud on my face, it was fun to play it out to the end. Gosh, there are others I wanna mention here, but I think I’ll stop before I start, since that list would be all over the place, lol. Suffice it to say, I’m enjoying spending time with you, and by “you” that could mean just about anyone in the blogosphere (loving the chicks, especially those who visit me regularly–you know who they are by their comments;) ).
Much to love about blogging…I’m sure if you’re reading, you feel much the same even if you’d find another way to express it.
BTW, if you like the graphic I used above, you can buy the tee shirt here. Tell David I sentcha; he’ll have NO idea who I am, :)!
Great post! Ditto to all of it. This “parallel” universe is divine. I wouldn’t have imagined it, and my non-blogging friends are mystified. (They’ll catch on some day.) In the meantime, yippee for us!!! Thanks for your thoughts.
I’m new and addicted. Am I going to get bloggers fingers, monitor stare, or ‘heaven forbid’ blogger cheeks ( )( )
(yes. double sit on cheeckys )
for example…. smokers get those telltale grooves around their lips (free radicals), so I wondered if there was a telltale marker for a blogger.
Pamela,
For an “old broad” you keep me in stitches!!!!!! 😀 🙂 You’ll “know” me by my backside 😉
Restraining sarcasm can be good at times – but then again – sometime you just have to let it fly….hehe
Oh and bloggers cheeks? I resemble that remark…hehe
LOL I love this post ;).
Great post! The tell-tale marks of a blogger?
1. Skinny fingers from so much rapid-response posting exercises.
2. Crumbs around the keyboard from eating dinner while posting.
One of the benefits of blogging?
You can post your vacation pictures on your blog and actually have hundreds if not thousands of people see them and enjoy them and don’t think they are boring.
Great Post! I never thought I’d learn as much as I have from blogging. Its just amazing when it dawns on you like that!
I agree. There are wonderful bloggers out there and I enjoy reading them and commenting. I am though chicken when it comes to comment on things I don’t agree with. I just leave quietly through the back door…
You know you are addicted to blogging … that would make a great Carnival.
Sometimes being “anonymous” has its downs too – especially when commenting. I’ve had to edit my comments many times after reading a rather opinionated post….and have deleted comments I have written in haste and anger. It is easy to get carried away when you don’t know people in real life….
Great post. Robin! This is such a new world! I’m lovin’ it!
ditto. Great post, Robin. Well said.
Great post! I read a lot yesterday before I was banned from the internet by a neglected hubby! We seem to all have something to say, friends to meet and make, and lots to learn as well as teach. What a wonderful medium to do so in. Thanks for visiting my place. Happy Monday!
Reverberate,
You have a neglected hubby? At least you can find him. I know I put him around here somewhere. Maybe he’s under the pile of laundry. Oh well. On to another blog.
Sometimes I wonder about people who don’t blog. What in the world do they do with their time? (I look around at the unfolded laundry on my bed and remember the pizza down stairs that needs to be put away, and the clothes in the dryer, and where are my kids?) Oh, never mind. I think I know. 🙂
Robin–this is great! You are so right–there’s a lot out there to learn and experience, and the non-bloggers don’t get it, and that’s okay, but I’ll take a large helping, thank you very much.
Blogging is educational in a way I never expected. And I love how freeing it is (or nailbiting) to release our words on paper – well almost.