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!