Embracing Blogging Stereotypes

One more post about blogging. This time, what I love most about blogging. And I love how Jill and Heather just could NOT keep it negative in the comments on the previous post and insisted on mentioning the bright side of blogging. What is wrong with you ladies?

I LOVE:
* Keeping in touch with friends and family. I've gotten back in touch with some good friends and cousins, one of whom used to be my best friend/worst enemy (remember those days?) I believe we're friends again! (Okay, we have been since we stopped being 12, but we've hardly been in contact since then, until now).

* Seeing so many different things from a new perspective. I love reading about people's joys, struggles, mistakes, spiritual experiences/growth etc. and how you deal with them. I feel really uplifted by reading about them.

*Making friends. Whenever I read about "bloggy friends" I used to do a virtual eye roll. Now I totally get it. I love getting to know new people through their blogs. I love to do the reciprocated blog reading, although I don't like to feel obligated myself or for others to feel that way either, of course. I also hope that visitors to my blog won't ever feel like I belong to some sort of clique, as I love meeting new people, but am very grateful for those of you who I do sort of consider "mine." (sorry to be all possessive like that!)

* Cyber hugs. Another thing I used to roll my eyes at. Now, however, I love knowing that if I ever posted something on my blog to vent or was looking for sympathy, I almost surely would find it here with you great people.

*Excellent comments. I love reading your responses to my posts. I used to hate reading through a food bloggers comments on their peanut butter chocolate cake and read 35 "Oh!! I just LOVE the peanut butter and chocolate combination!!!"s because it's kind of like, who doesn't? But I feel like you guys are the awesomest commenters. This isn't just because I "know" you. Even my sister mentioned in the comments on the previous post that she likes to read the comments because I have some "fun followers." It's really a joy to read what you have to say, and then read it again. Long or short. Funny, simple or profound.

**NOTICE: Because you ARE such great commenters, and I sometimes wish I could email a response to your comment, (like the one who offered a recipe!) I was wondering if you might consider including your email contact in your profiles. I know some of you don't want to, but I'm sure some of you just haven't considered it. If that's you, please consider it! Or maybe just email me, if you're not afraid of me and my stalkerishness. My email address is on my profile. I love being able to email those of you that I do have contact with.

* Having questions answered. Andrea mentioned in the negative comments about the use of a lure to get comments in the form of a question at the end of the post. I think she was kidding. But I actually love that if I actually DO want to know something I can ask, and you'll tell me!! Like about the weather. I got a great weather report all across the U.S. and I really did want to know that. Also, I love when people ask a fun question on their own blog and I want to come back and read through all the comments later.

Sidenote here: About thinking that Andrea was kidding. She put a :) after it. But as Becky commented, it's really hard to catch tone sometimes and it can make it hard to be sarcastic. And sometimes adding a smiley face to the end of your comment sucks all the humor right out of it. Dry, dry, dry! It must be dry!!

*Having a good laugh every day. Every day at least one of you writes something that is so funny I have to tell Greg about it.

* Contests. Okay, this isn't really something I love about blogging, but I just had to inform you (not brag to you, of course) that I won a highly prestigious poetry competition. Or at least a limerick writing contest on a blog where you submit them in the comments. It's almost the same thing. One of the three I submitted stole the show. My prize was a place in the Limericker Hall of Fame (or something) in her sidebar. And it was loads (I am HILARIOUS) of fun, too. (Oh, the reason I'm so hilarious is because the subject for the limericks was "laundry" and I said it was "loads" of fun. That makes people hilarious, when they say stuff like that.) And I like when people do things like that, or like Pam's giveaway with a twist.

*And while I'm informing (not bragging), I just had something published at Bloggers Annex. I'm sure it wasn't exactly published for the writing it contains (there's not much and it's mostly recitation of facts), but more for the subject matter. If you've never read about what we found around the corner from our house and you're feeling in a thoughtful mood, you should take a look.

I was going to mention my unfortunate relationship with my site meter, which obsession I haven't been as successful at curbing as I have my early desire for comments. But let's not dwell on that, as it may make me look a tiny bit stalker-ish. Can you be stalker-ish looking at something on your own blog? You can't? Oh, good.

Also, I'd like to inform you that I have a new feature in my sidebar of posts I recommend. I will try to recommend posts that I don't think you have to know the blogger to appreciate, which will mean that some posts that I will love myself, won't be put on there, just so you all know. I'll just choose a few. And Jill's post (Thou shalt not whine) that's on there? It helps if you know that Max is her darling 3 year old who uses the word "also" at all times and in all things. . . even if it's out of place(s).

Now share, if you like, and not because you're compelled to because I'm asking :), what it is that you love dearly about blogging.