Monday, January 30, 2012

The Essence Of Blogging

What is blogging to me?  Conversation.

I talk to you; you talk to me.  We talk on my blog; we talk on your blog.

Sure, we show each other pictures, but they're mere fodder for more conversation.  It's the interaction that matters.  To me, at least.

I didn't realize this until I got deep into blogging.  It explains why blogging makes me so happy.  I was looking for friends like you with whom I could share myself.  In ways I've never been able to do.  You enable that.  In fact, you volunteer for the task.  Which is a big reason why I like you guys so much.

What is blogging to you?


(Photo From Coney Island, Taken By Me)

25 comments:

  1. You know for me blogging feels like having a kitchen full of girlfriends all gathered around. Since all of our children are grown, and mostly gone, it fills a felt void in my life.

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  2. Just like Terri said, it's like having a kitchen full of girlfriends. We have met some wonderful people through blogging and it's our happy place:)

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  3. Blogging to me is a way to communicate with people who make my life better in so many ways. Since I retired, there aren't many people I talk to on a regular basis except my fellow bloggers. If it were not for all of you, I would be rather lonely. I get to peek into the lives of people I would never have the opportunity to meet in real life. I also get to communicate and learn about others. I honestly never met someone transgendered. I have so enjoyed reading your blog and getting to know you. This world is full of so many wonderful people and I feel lucky to get to know a few of them.

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  4. This is the part I like the best about blogging- the conversation and learning new things about our blogger friends. For me, I started blogging as a creative outlet and to document my daily outfits but it has became so much more!

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  5. The thing I like most about blogging is how it has broadened my world. I have met some truly amazing people I am proud to call friends. Like-minded individuals I otherwise never would have connected with. The funny thing is, the real reason I started the whole blog thing was to document our Alaska vacation in 2008, which I did. But that was four years ago! LOL

    Truthfully, I have always enjoyed writing and photography, so it's a great way to share beyond the small circle of family and friends who I honestly think are all tired of me. But the biggest thing, like I already said, is connecting with real people like you. You have bared your soul in so many ways. And shared bits and pieces of you. Yet there always seems to be more to learn. I'm glad you are here.

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  6. HI SHY ALSO I AGREE WITH YOU, I love blogging and also know if the friendship is reciprocal is even better, MAMA TOAD as said above, is also the way it has expanded my world and I'm proud to call them friends,
    I know the times when a blog, think how you would like to have this person as my friend, but I see that this is not always reciprocated,....so I love reading how you share something about you, how do you think it is a way to know you better......I also feel happy to have it known, you are a very transparent in its feeling.
    I think that's the meaning of blogging for me
    hugs rose japan

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  7. Gee, I don't even know where to begin! I guess for the most part, a lot of the people I interact with via blogging keep bringing me back. There are times when I get sucked into the computer for hours and get nothing else done and I get mad and want to just quit all together, but that is what taking a break is for.

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  8. Great post ! I'm glad you are so comfortable and happy with what the blog world is offering you!

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  9. Blogging is exactly that for me. I do focus on the clothing aspect, but somewhere along the way I find people who read the same nerdy books I read, have similar food preferences, new ideas for food, even people willing to discuss psychological factors and ask The Big Questions. ;)

    I am trying harder to promote MORE conversation and leave more effective comments. I don't think people outside the "blog world" understand how much of a conversation is going on and they might miss the importance that this medium has for us.

    I think blogging is always a way of making our worlds a little smaller, bringing people a little closer, and expanding our ideas to the fullest.

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  10. Firstly let me say that I LOVE! LOVE! LOVE! your blog and as you know I worry if I don't see you for a few days!!! When I get up in the morning I go to the study and check if you have been on the blog yet so that I don't miss a thing. This morning I jumped on the minute I got to work to see if you had posted anything! And no, I am not a stalker!!! LOL!!!!

    For me blogging started as a challenge from a friend and now I love it so much ~ It has become my online journal and I know that there are some of my friends (local and international)who keep up to date with my daily goings-on through my blog.

    Keep posting such beautiful and thought provoking blogs!!

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  11. It's definitely about connecting with people.
    Sharing my interest and exploring other bloggers interest as well.
    We are all still growing each day and it's great to share it and have it available for others to view and hopefully feel inspired by each other.

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  12. For me, blogging started out as diary-writing, or maybe putting messages in bottles and waiting for the chance response, but it's definitely become more about conversation.

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  13. for blogging is about selfdiscover through sharing the emotions and making friends. at first I didn't really care of people a left comments from time to time but then I realized these are not just words there are people there. interesting people. and they are nothing like me. I worry about them. In fact if I come to someones blog and don't see post for a week I'm feel worried. After two or three weeks I e-mail. blogging very soon becoming not just a hobby

    Lyosha
    Inside and Outside Blog

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  14. Blogging to me is getting out of the things that are locked deep inside that I dont have the guts to say to someones face or in person, and it is a way of exposing my thoughts and feelings in order to make myself feel better.
    Its a means of venting, and letting go, as well as documenting a brief snipet of my life at that very moment accompanied with the feelings, emotions tied into that event. Sort of like a snap shot of words.

    Very rarely do people talk back to me if ever. I get more responses from Facebook and twitter tweets then I do from blogging or even responding to blogs.
    I find it interesting that when people respond to a blog post, very rarely do they respond to each other, or get to know the other people who are talking to the blog. Most of the time they are so interested in the OP then they are of those who are responding and offering advice...at least that is my take on it.

    Blogging to me has failed in the friendship category, and if anything has actually caused a rift in friendships because of the responses they feel when reading my blog.

    However social networking, status updates, tweets, and personal ads have probably been the best means of making friends and connecting with those i love and adore...

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  15. Thanks, guys! Terrific comments and feedback.

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  16. I agree with you 100%, that's why I don't like so much bloggers who only post pictures of what they wore...blogging (and style blogging) is much, much more than cute clothes! Blogging helped me a lot, I lacked in self-confidence when I started and now I can proudly say that I'm more confident about my body.
    Also, blogging made me know beautiful persons (inside&outside).
    I'm really happy that you found a place where you can be yourself at last.

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  17. When I started blogging I thought it would just be a creative outlet/way to practice some art. I definitely didn't expect to connect with so many people from all sorts of different backgrounds. I can't lie, it's started to affect some of my IRL relationships. I love blogging but I also need to make sure I do NOT stay home to write blog posts & comments instead of going out and being social.

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  18. I totally agree.
    Like we were talking when we met, it's like a modern day pen pal... taken to the utmost level.
    I like that fact that you can interact and create friendships and honest answers :)
    It's also an outlet.

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  19. I meant and get honest answers.

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  20. I agree that blogging is a conversation. Sometimes I feel like I'm communicating with my younger self, telling her things I wish I had known when I was younger. Blogging also lets me interact with other women, which is wonderful because I have few real-life friends.

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  21. When I first started blogging, I had no idea what to expect. I've been doing it for a while now and I have to say that I really do enjoy the relationships I have forged with a few other bloggers. I definitely feel like I have much confidence now compared to when I started and a lot of that is due to the encouragement I have received from other bloggers.

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  22. Blogging is freedom. So... no more blogging for me until real democracy comes back to my country. I find it really hard to blog while horrible things happen. And I do love the like-minded, nice people that you get to know. People are more open, concerning their feelings, which is how I play...

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  23. Interesting detail from Greece that I'd like to share with you and your friends - 2 out of 5 homeless people have a University degree or master and are under the age of 45... 50.000 new homeless people in Athens in the last 1 year, almost 40% of official unemployment. Basic salary of 390 euro, while renting a house of 70 square meter, costs 400 euro... I sincerely hope I'll blog again someday. Kisses

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  24. As I have little conversation by way of replies on my blog, I find myself talking to myself most of the time (but as I do that anyway, why not write?) which is a little discouraging as I like to interact about the things I write about. But as I discover tonnes of other blogs, to know that things are written to be read is enough. I enjoy interacting with other people on their blogs and I love this online community that blogging has

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