This past weekend, we got to visit with our friends Heather and Martin and their adorable 15 month old son, Dylan. As we were making our plans to get together, Heather and I were marveling at the fact that it had been six months since our last get-together. We couldn't believe it had been that long! I remarked that it didn't feel as if it had been that long, since I check in at her blog on a regular basis. Therefore, there are all sorts of details of her life that I know about that she hasn't even told me personally. How weird is that? There are other real-life friends out there that blog, and even though I rarely talk to them, I have a pretty good idea of how there life is going right now, because I read their blogs.
Another blogging phenomenon, if you will, that I find interesting are the friends that we make. I now have two "friends" that I've never even met before and others that are merely acquaintances! Now, granted, I know someone that knows them, but the strange thing is that I FEEL like I know them.
Yet another oddity is "lurking." Yes, I'm guilty. I check in on certain blogs and rarely or never comment, because I feel silly and don't know the person at all. And thanks to sitemeter, I'm fairly certain I have my own lurkers. While I know how it feels, I encourage you to let me know who you are and how you found this blog. Who knows? Maybe I lurk on your blog as well!
So how about you? Do you only read the blogs of real-life friends? Are you ever a lurker or do you leave a comment every where you visit? Have you made any blogging friends that you don't know any other way? Have you ever met a blogging friend in real life after first meeting them through their blog? And lastly, do you find blogging worthwhile? I can honestly say that the encouragement I received during my hospital stay last August, really made me see the value of blogging. It was such a blessing. I'm very thankful for this outlet and look forward to what will come of it!
4 comments:
I started blogging after enjoying blogs of some of my real life friends (you, Short Stop, and Not Before 7). Since then, I have met several other friends of friends, reconnected with past friends, met new friends (in Korea) that blog, and recently expanded to friends I have never met. I sometimes lurk, but I eventually make myself known. It is sheer joy for me when someone comments on my blog from out of the blue. Why not share the love?
I am really enjoying this diversion and have found a lot of laughs and encouragement through it.
I think those are questions every blogger wonders at some point.
I think I can answer "yes" to most of your questions, except that most of the blogs I read are not my real-life friends. Actually when I started blogging, I only had one real life friend who blogged. Funny to think about that now...many of my friends have since started.
I'm so glad you were encouraged during your hospital stay. I'm glad I got to be part of that and that you continue to share the stories of your little ones! :)
I love checking in on people I know and love. And then there's the friends I've gotten to know deeper through blogging but I haven't gone beyond people I know. I've tried to read a link someone sends or maybe go to a blog from a comment of someone and I'm not sure exactly why, but if I don't know them I don't find myself interested. I know so many people who have made friends on the internet, yet I have still failed to do so and don't understand how that can happen? Guess I'm missing something...
I actually started a post very similar to this a month or so ago and it still sits in my drafts! I love how blogging has connected me to people I would otherwise have never known and reconnected with friends from long ago. I typically only comment on blogs when I have some connection with the blogger -even if it's distant (with you - you were friends with Chrissie) but I've started delurking more often than not.
I was reading your post with the scenario with your daughter and was laughing out loud (LOL!) and my mom asked what I was reading and I said it was a blogging friend and was explaining the connection. I guess you have to blog to understand how you can "know" people you've never met!
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