Wednesday, January 27, 2010

Connections

Adolphe Bouguereau

Hold that thought—I sent it. Everyday I send thoughts out into the universe, hoping they will connect with your thoughts and come back to me better, somehow. I ponder, remember, bluster, or wonder, and then I type. It's lonely work. But a reader completes the process; a reader is the other half of a writer. We're partners. Blogging is like putting a note in a helium balloon, wondering if you'll find it, and wondering if you'll wonder about me.

Sometimes you comment, and sometimes I answer, and sometimes we don't, but we always connect. Our thoughts have intermingled making us friends. When you do leave a comment it rolls around in my head all day. I might write the next post with you in mind, inspired by something you said. I even imagine you when you don't comment, as a pleasant acquaintance I pass regularly with a smile in the routine of our lives.

An email today said, "I would love to leave a comment, but I don't know how." Here's a little tutorial:


At the bottom of every post there is a little highlighted section that says Posted by TravelinOma and the time. Then there's a tiny icon (it looks like a cartoon quote bubble) followed by comments. Click on comments and you'll arrive at the comment window.


Click in the box and type your comment. There's a word verification box so other computers can't make random comments. Just type in the letters you see. If you type them wrong, you'll get another chance.


The last step is to choose an identity. If you're new to this, click on Name/URL. You can type in your name, or your blog name, or your secret identity, whatever. Skip the URL line. Then click Publish your comment. Easy-peasy. You're done!

If you have a blog and want me to visit you there, type your blog address where it says URL. Or if you have a google account and want to have your name automatically appear whenever you comment, click that box to sign in.

So, where did my vibes run into your vibes? I'd love to know. My first stop every morning is to see if we've made a connection. If so, my fist raises with a resounding "YES!" and I look up your blog immediately to see what we have in common. I ponder all day on what would be a good topic for the meeting of our minds, because they'll surely meet whether we ever do or not. A connection is gratifying. I can feel your thoughts come back with mine, and they're always better than when I sent them out alone.

*Homework:

~Leave a comment telling us where you are. (You don't have to be exact—"From a reader down south" is OK.)

~Write a post about a blog friend you met in real life. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?

~ Read about the Casual Blogger Conference. I'm speaking!


28 comments:

Linsey said...

Where am I? In Caracas, Venezuela, frustrated by the fact that I only have running water for 3 hours a day and counting the minutes (there are thousands) until I am somewhere else.

On the other hand, there are lots of good things to read in the blogosphere today, and that's my silver lining.

Olga said...

I really really enjoy your blog. You are inspiring me to write. Thanks.

kenju said...

You are such a good teacher, and a compassionate and caring person - as well as a very good writer!! I am pleased and proud to "know" you and to be able to read your posts!

Olga said...

Sorry. I forgot to add that I live near Copenhagen, Denmark.

Cannwin said...

Well, I don't have any place as exciting as Venezuela or Denmark, but I do live somewhere you wouldn't expect to be as wonderful as it is.

I'm in South Dakota, which is a surprisingly fantastic place. A well kept secret in the U.S. of A.

We have 4 distinct seasons, green summers, and white winters. We also have fireflies (which I consider to be the coolest bugs ever created).

The biggest plus about where I live is how safe it is. There are kids everywhere! They walk to school, they walk to the park, they go door to door selling girl scout cookies and everyone watches out for them. One visitor said of my town "It's like Disneyland... there are kids everywhere!"

I love it here!

The Grandmother Here said...

I'm in Utah but I think after reading Cannwin's comment that I'd like South Dakota.

Kristen said...

Here in utah but wishing to be elsewhere.
I love your analogy to the note in a helium balloon - that describes it perfectly. :)

Kathy C. said...

What a great tutorial post...there are a lot of people who are baffled by what to do on blogs, this is great.
I love your photo...and I'm in Florida! :)

Christie said...

I'm in Missouri wishing it was spring already.

~Kristina said...

I'm in Manitoba, Canada.

Mrs. O said...

I'm guilty of reading and rarely commenting, but I really enjoy your posts. I like to use them for writing prompts in my journal so that it doesn't become just a boring retelling of the day's events.

beviejean said...

I am in California and read your blog daily. Love to "hear" your stories. I lived in Germany when I was young (19-21) and can relate to many of your stories. I think we bought the same dress at the Lanz store in Salzburg. Mine is blue with the white blouse and pink apron. Yes, I still have it..does it fit? Absolutely NOT!! I don't have a blog..just a webpage with many family pictures.

Cannwin said...

Grandmother,

Thanks! I was hesitant to move here, especially since the housing prices were as low as they were ('See something MUST be wrong with that place, the houses are way to cheap!')

Since then I have begged my husband to not move again. I'd spend the rest of my life here if I could.

LBB said...

I read regularly, but never comment. I guess that's kind of selfish since your posts give me great inspiration for my own blog and journal writing! I'm enjoying life in Colorado, but wish our kids and grandkids weren't scattered in other locations.

Kay Dennison said...

I checked and you left your first comment on my blog on 03/07/2007. I don't know which of us visited the other first but I do know that 99.9% of the time I do make sure that I leave a comment -- some short; sometimes long. Comments are the icing on the cake in blogging. I get depressed when I don't get comments and I think others do, too. Comments validate us and let us know we aren't just talking to ourselves.

Heffalump said...

I'm on the Oregon Coast, and it just so happens that I wrote a post on Monday about a Blog friend who I have met in real life!

Jenni said...

I am in the deep South, although the weather wouldn't clue you in to that today.

I found your blog last night and I am hooked. Thank you for the inspiration and the homework.

I haven't had an opportunity to meet a blog friend in real life. I wonder...

Misty said...

I'm in Payson, Utah. I love it here! Oma, you should come visit! :) It is amazing that you can even turn a tutorial into a beautiful post. You nailed it!

Jake said...

I'm climbing Mt. Laundry. I need a Sherpa.

Miranda said...

Hi there! I'm reading from Denver but you know that. (at least I think you know that) Also, am very impressed that you're speaking at the casual blogger conference! Very proud of you!

the wrath of khandrea said...

i'm sure you already know a lot about the great friendships i've made through blogging... gab and stie are at the top of my list. it's amazing to form a bond with people this way... to genuinely care about their lives and their struggles. fascinating, actually.

Diane said...

I'm in the Salt Lake Valley. I moved here three and half years ago, and I still miss many parts of the Seattle area, which is where I moved from. But, I'm happy to call Salt Lake home now.

I'm sad I can't make it to the blogger conference this year. I'd love to hear both you and Marta speak.

In Anne of Green Gables speak, I think we must be kindred spirits.

Heather Scott Partington said...

I'm in a suburb of Sacramento, CA, called Elk Grove.

Only you could make a post about how to comment and make it charming. It makes me so happy to know you love comments just as much as I do. It makes me so excited to get them--like little bitty bits of mail. I just love them. Thanks for posting. Great as always.

I am guilty of not commenting as much as I'd like--often I read your posts in my reader--but I try to make it over here as often as I can. You know I said before that I read FAITHFULLY every single day you post. :)

clair said...

I live in up North in Utah and I'm ready for spring too.

rebeccaV said...

I'm on the east side of Washington state. I read your blog a lot and I love it. I found you through your daughter's blog and I have to say that Gab is clever even in her comments!

Linda said...

I'm in Muncie, Indiana, and I read your blog regularly. So I figure it is time to comment and let you know this: I love your blog! I love the mental connections that I have felt when I read your entries. When I saw that you had written an entry about how to leave a comment, I thought "Duh!" I just gave my friend an email tutorial on how to do this--I never thought about making it a blog entry. And your entry is perfect! Thank you--I'll be pointing more of my friends your way. I liked your entry on how to write a book (I'm a writer), how to research ancestors (I inherited my sister's genealogy records and I'm not sure what to do with them), and all your other entries too. Thank you for writing and sharing with us!

Rachael said...

Ridgecrest, CA...mostly just reading along, but every once in a while doing your writing assignments, but not posting them anywhere, just writing. Thanks for being an inspiration.

Anonymous said...

I'm in frozen Pennsylvania. The sun is shining today, but it has no heat. Better than grey, though. I happened onto your blog at Christmas time when I was looking for beautiful Nativity pictures.

I am almost tempted to do geneology. I have such an infuriating family. Just plain mean people. So I thought "to Hell with them all!" Maybe, after reading about your John Bagley, I might re-consider. Maybe there are a few worthwhile characters to discover.

Love your tutorials, art work, and humor! Mary Englebreitens my life, too!