Mary Beth at Revgalblogpals writes:On my blog sidebar is a list titled, "Blogs I Read Every Day." After my mother became a blogger, she asked me how I could possibly read that many blogs daily!? I had to confess it then: Okay, I don't read them all every day! I have over 100 on there! But I have favorites, and you do too.Some of you probably use feed readers to let you know when your favorite bloggers have posted...not me, not yet. I just have folks who are part of my day-to-day.
So for today's Friday Five, give us five blogs you visit regularly, and tell us briefly WHY you like them. These can be RevGal and Pal bloggers and others ... or news sites, knitting sites, etc. Who are you showing the love to on a pretty constant basis?
My “Internet life” began with a scrapbook message board in August, 2002. Through that board I came to know and love a diverse collection of women whose common interest was scrapbooking. A regular, daily thread posted each morning served to unite a group that came to be known as the Early Birds. Until that message board changed its format three years ago, eliminating the method of responding directly to a post within a thread and changing totally the nature of the online “conversation,” it was a life-line to me through some very difficult days.
The Early Birds became my sisterhood, and over time I have met most of them in person. Several of them have become very good friends, and three of them came to my wedding. Around the time when the message board changed one of our Early Birds began blogging. Eventually most of us turned to blogs as a place to continue to share daily news and pictures of what was taking place in our lives. It was for that reason that I began my blog four years ago. It wasn’t until recently that I began to expand my blog horizons, venturing out to read regularly the blogs of people I didn’t know. Blogging is still, for me, primarily about relationship, and it takes time for this introvert to experience a sense of that through this medium.
Through another online community, the Anglican/Episcopal message board at Beliefnet, I met my friend Jayne. Turns out she didn’t live all that far from me, and through her I met my husband. She also began blogging, and she is my first daily read every morning at Journey Through Grace.
I share all this a bit self-consciously, as so many others have logged more mouse-clicks and keystrokes than I probably ever will. With a couple of exceptions, sharing my blog-roll really is sharing my friends.
I DO want to say here how grateful I am to the revgals community for being a place for me to invest a part of myself, and in which I find nourishment as a priest/pastor, woman, and soul with a motley collection of longings. As soon as my economic situation permits, I will join you properly!
As for my blog roll:
Journey Through Grace, noted above. In addition to being a cherished friend, Jayne is also my source of getting linked up with other blogs! Like:
Telling Secrets, sister priest from New Jersey Elizabeth Kaeton’s blog. There are lots of reasons I read Telling Secrets—humor, the latest “news from the front” of the Episcopal Church, artwork and cartoons, insight… the list goes on. And from this blog I learned about:
Margaret and Helen, BFF’s for more than 60 years. What a riot! Helen writes most of the posts, and she doesn’t hold back with her left-leaning views on everything from Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh to family holiday celebrations. There are days I laugh so hard reading this blog that I need to leave the room for Kleenex.
Posting from Paradise. This is the blog of one of my Early Bird friends, Jules. She is a retired school teacher from the St. Louis area who relocated to Florida with her husband several years ago. Jules is among the best evidence that 60 is the new 40—full of energy, creativity, and a breath away from the next good laugh.
Search the Sea and Desert Year, both posted by one of the revgals. It’s hard to find words to describe how I am affected by these blogs. They are so very personal I sometimes feel that I am prying by reading them. She reveals a heart both strong and fragile, and I just want to reach out and hold her. Gannet Girl, if you read this know that my prayers and support are offered on your behalf daily.
There you have it. A slice of my blog life.
The Early Birds became my sisterhood, and over time I have met most of them in person. Several of them have become very good friends, and three of them came to my wedding. Around the time when the message board changed one of our Early Birds began blogging. Eventually most of us turned to blogs as a place to continue to share daily news and pictures of what was taking place in our lives. It was for that reason that I began my blog four years ago. It wasn’t until recently that I began to expand my blog horizons, venturing out to read regularly the blogs of people I didn’t know. Blogging is still, for me, primarily about relationship, and it takes time for this introvert to experience a sense of that through this medium.
Through another online community, the Anglican/Episcopal message board at Beliefnet, I met my friend Jayne. Turns out she didn’t live all that far from me, and through her I met my husband. She also began blogging, and she is my first daily read every morning at Journey Through Grace.
I share all this a bit self-consciously, as so many others have logged more mouse-clicks and keystrokes than I probably ever will. With a couple of exceptions, sharing my blog-roll really is sharing my friends.
I DO want to say here how grateful I am to the revgals community for being a place for me to invest a part of myself, and in which I find nourishment as a priest/pastor, woman, and soul with a motley collection of longings. As soon as my economic situation permits, I will join you properly!
As for my blog roll:
Journey Through Grace, noted above. In addition to being a cherished friend, Jayne is also my source of getting linked up with other blogs! Like:
Telling Secrets, sister priest from New Jersey Elizabeth Kaeton’s blog. There are lots of reasons I read Telling Secrets—humor, the latest “news from the front” of the Episcopal Church, artwork and cartoons, insight… the list goes on. And from this blog I learned about:
Margaret and Helen, BFF’s for more than 60 years. What a riot! Helen writes most of the posts, and she doesn’t hold back with her left-leaning views on everything from Sarah Palin and Rush Limbaugh to family holiday celebrations. There are days I laugh so hard reading this blog that I need to leave the room for Kleenex.
Posting from Paradise. This is the blog of one of my Early Bird friends, Jules. She is a retired school teacher from the St. Louis area who relocated to Florida with her husband several years ago. Jules is among the best evidence that 60 is the new 40—full of energy, creativity, and a breath away from the next good laugh.
Search the Sea and Desert Year, both posted by one of the revgals. It’s hard to find words to describe how I am affected by these blogs. They are so very personal I sometimes feel that I am prying by reading them. She reveals a heart both strong and fragile, and I just want to reach out and hold her. Gannet Girl, if you read this know that my prayers and support are offered on your behalf daily.
There you have it. A slice of my blog life.
6 comments:
Thank you, AE. It's nice to discover your blog!
Awww... love to you too my friend. If it weren't for you, there would be no Journey Through Grace. It was your starting a blog that got me to thinking I might like to do so as well. So, thank YOU. :c)
Love the new stretch layout too!! XOXO
glad to know you, and praying for you this day.
Blogs - I read yours almost daily. I read Kip's and Jules' almost daily as well. I scan through the girls who are doing Project 365 along with me , or at least the ones I have websites for. I chat on the Monkey board pretty much daily and I check various Yahoo groups to keep in touch with some gals from Creative Escape and Hilltop Memories in Florida. It's a wonder I have time to do anything but read and type! Still - I wouldn't miss it all for the world - all those far-flung and dear friends who I wouldn't know but for this wonderful technology. Bless it all!
Pam
I wonder sometimes too about all this blog reading I do. I read Kip everyday, Karen Russell, Chickens in the Road, Facebook and Hilltopmemories. Actually I have about 20 blogs I read everyday, but I don't always comment. I'm here!
These days I don't get to blogs very often, however, when I do yours is the first one I come to. You have a real gift, Anne. And I still think you should think about publishing.
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