Today's topic could also be "the reason I blog", but that doesn't start with a V, now does it?
I'm learning about myself as I go through this everyday blogging challenge--and the biggest thing I've learned is that when I have to post every day, I become a terrible member of the virtual community I love. I started blogging a year and a half ago, mostly for my students, but I've stayed with it because of all the people I've met. Getting to beta read for Elodie, becoming CPs/daily word buddies with Jaime (and through Jaime, getting to know Erin) swapping mugs with Katy and Sara during Jess and Kelsey's Sip Swap, meeting Rebecca and Ghenet in NYC...that's the good stuff. And I love keeping up with everyone else's lives/writing/reading by reading and commenting on their blogs, and by chatting in the comments of my own blog.
But, with the news about the impending demise of Google Reader* and the Blogging A-Z challenge hitting around the same time, along with the beginning of my 300-words-a-day deal with Jaime and picking up more hours at work...I've been slacking off as a virtual friend. So, blog pals and commenters, I apologize. I know people sometimes try to discredit "virtual friends" as if they aren't real, but that's a load of garbage. I miss being an active member of the virtual community, and I'm looking forward to spending less time writing my own blog posts and more time commenting on yours/responding to comments here. I just have to manage W, X, Y, and Z!
*I tried out Feedly and The Old Reader. It took ages--I'm talking, days or maybe even weeks--for my turn in the import queue with The Old Reader, but now I'm liking it quite a bit. But the switch did mess with my routines--I still find myself trying to click through from my open Gmail tab into Google Reader. I just don't have the automatic urge to click on The Old Reader yet.
I agree with you that virtual friends are the real thing. I count myself lucky to have met you and developed a friendship as well as a CP/word buddy partnership over the past months. And meeting you in person was just the icing on the cake. Without these kinds of friendships I would probably have given up on blogging and maybe even writing when it got too difficult.
ReplyDeleteAs for Google and the stupid Google Reader thing (well, first I guess the GFC debacle), they really need to stop trying to make Google + happen. They're just ticking everyone off in the process. I hope all of the kinks are sorted out soon.
Before I started my blog last fall, Jaime had been trying to convince me for quite some time to do it. I'm glad I did. Instead of just following the comments on her blog and sort of wishing I could take part, I'm now conversing with many lovely readers and writers, such as yourself. And that's a huge help when it comes to writing. You've done a great job with your A-Z challenge, by the way! I'm not sure I could have managed that many posts in a row. Only a few letters left!
ReplyDeleteI agree--the community of bloggers is the reason I blog. I stopped posting as regularly this year, and I've found it's somewhat easier for me to read other people's blogs now that my blogging time isn't all going into creating content.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that I'm not that upset about Google Reader thing, but that's probably because I've always read blogs by logging into Blogger and seeing the feed on my Blogger homepage. Probably an inefficient way to follow blogs, but it works for me.
Unless that Blogger feed IS part of Google Reader, come to think of it. So maybe I'm not upset because I'm clueless. :)
I think it's fairly common for the members of our virtual communities to come and go, just like in real life - we're all busy. We all go into our Writing Caves or Reading Corners or get bogged down in Life Maintenance at some time or another - but we come around again and the good news is, the virtual community is there whenever you need it!
ReplyDeleteI'm so happy to have you as a virtual friend! :) The community is the reason I blog and hang out on Twitter.
ReplyDeleteI'm sort of in denial about Google Reader and haven't switched to a new program yet. I will have to soon!