In the Blogosphere, you can hear...

The theme from "The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly". Many of my fellow bloggers are off to BlogHer, a three day event designed to celebrate the joy of blogging AND give pointers on how to improve your mad blogging skills.

Would I like to go? Heck, yeah. It sounds like fun and learning rolled into one. I'd probably be a little star struck, too. It would be awesome to meet some of those bloggers I've been reading for a while and aspiring to be as good as they are.

The reality is that it costs far more than I can afford. It's one of those "I'd love to do this" things, because how often does one get into a room full of people who wouldn't respond to the statement "I blog" with:
1. Oh, you're on MySpace?
2. Isn't that for kids-you're too old for that crap!
3. The internet is full of weirdos, you know!
4. Why would you want to do that?

Those first three questions just put a neon sign over that person's head how clueless they are about the internet. There's more to blogging than MySpace would lead you to believe. Sure, there are real bloggers on MySpace, but they are few and far between. Most people are there for the messaging. At that, if they're cool and hip, they really are using Facebook and/or Twitter, anyway.

Blogging is for anyone with a desire to write something, anything. When my Mom got diagnosed with cancer, I wanted to spend the time with her at the chemo sessions by having her tell me stories about her life. I wanted stuff to share with the kids as well as learn things that I never heard before. Unfortunately, time was not our friend. That desire to keep a record of life's happenings, big and small, is something that doesn't have an age limit.

Yeah, the internet is full of weirdos. And cool people. And everyday, just like you and me people. (I'm a weirdo, so you can count me in that first group). As in real life, consider the internet a can of mixed nuts-some you like, some you hate, some give you bad gas and some you wonder why they're in the can.

I've been blessed with some awesome friends that I've met thanks to the world wide web. Its pretty darn cool that eight years ago, I got involved in a Yahoo group of about 150 people and now have two of those people living in the same town and another living 45 minutes away. We all got together because of a shared employer. Blogging has been equally generous in finding new friends. My life would not be as interesting if it wasn't for the weirdness of the Net. Bring it on.

That last one I mentioned, Why blog? Well, Why not?

Several years ago, a friend of mine felt that what I was writing in emails to her was something that should be shared with the world at large. She bugged me for a while about it, even sending me links to blogs she enjoyed. (alas, those couple of blogs are now littering the trash pile of the Internet labeled "abandoned blogs")

The idea was daunting. Am I funny, interesting, or compelling? Sometimes, yes. More often than not, no. At first, I felt like I was the tree in the forest-heard by no one. If I was heard, I didn't know it.

Then, I started getting nagged. First one person (thanks, Jill). Then a few more (thanks Jeff, Donna, and Joyce). I'd start hearing "You haven't blogged in a few days, where's your post?" That, my friends, is manna from heaven when you like to write. Picture Sally Field and her "Norma Rae" Oscar acceptance speech. It kept me going, even when I felt that what I wrote sucked. Oh, and that Sitemeter thing? Crack for the blogger who wants to know that people are reading this thing. (You can all comment, oh those who come from hither and yon. I don't bite. Much.)

This past October, I got the crazy idea to join NaBloPoMo and write every day in November. Then another event for the month of December. Then a year long one. Was I crazy? Sure (we've already established I'm weird, now proof that I'm crazy, too). Was it the right thing to do? Most definitely.

Eight months later, cut me and I'd probably bleed a future blog entry. This blogging thing has become more of a habit than I ever thought it would. It's so ingrained to blog daily, that I doubt I'll be able to quit once the obligation is over.

So, while the Blogosphere may have many inhabitants vacationing in San Francisco, the rest of us holding down the fort are both wishing we were there and keeping things running. It's not exactly a desolate town out west, now is it?

Who knows what next year will bring? At the very least, for me, it'll probably bring at least another 365 posts. In a perfect world, I'll be in San Francisco next year, with bloggy buddies like Lotus, Sarah, Grandy, Jessa, Geggie, and others and posting updates from an iPhone.

Hey, I can dream, can't I? Perhaps I need to see who'll share that $199 a night room with me. Oh, and find out who's luggage I'm stowing away in, too. And crossing my fingers that those who are in my daily 'must read' tab are going, too.

See you at BlogHer 2009...

Comments

Anonymous said…
Christmas 2007 I had a photo of my family and the title was the Good the Bad the Grumpy! my wife had a sweater that had grumpy on it.hence the good the dad and the grumpy.
Hugs and Blessings!that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
Saffa Chick said…
People either get blogging or they don't! I don't get Facebook particularly ;-)

I have had a couple of my favourite bloggers drop off the radar recently because of personal problems, and they have left a hole in my life - they're friends and I haven't met them. I think that's the beauty of blogging.
Suzanne said…
Mike, that's a great caption for a photo.

Saffa, the only reason why you're not on the list is that I'm not sure if we'll get you over to this continent. However, if you ever DO, I want to know! You always make me laugh, lady!
It truly becomes a way of life and you can't imagine not doing it, right?

I will see you there, one day, my friend! ONE DAY!

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