Saturday, July 01, 2006

Finding your tribe.

If you read my blog much, you may have noted I've been grossly overcommitted lately and posting has been a bit odd. If I visit your site regularly, with very few exceptions, you'll have noticed a lack of comments from me for the past month, and I've really missed knowing what was going on with others, but I knew all would understand if I came in and caught up with everyone later.

Finally making the rounds today, I read a posts on two different blogs that made me cry. One was the reminiscences of a clever girl whose father died when she was 13. The post wasn't sappy or written to evoke sympathy, but I was very touched nonetheless. The other was on the blog of a fellow beader/creative person who's been going through a bit of a tough time, all of that erupting while I haven't been popping in on her blog. I felt sorry that I'd not been there to extend a kind word at the worst moments of her trial.

I've always said that the greatest aspect of the internet is that this medium affords humanity a forum to seek and form new communities. Bloggers are loosely cobbled together, and in many cases we don't even know one another's given names, but this has the makings of a neighborhood nonetheless.

Anyway, all this is by way of saying you're just a fabulous bunch of people, and I'm glad to be able to read what's going on with you and know your thoughts on life and what's happening in the world. You ARE my newspaper, you sexy people!

I did it this morning - got up in pajamas and pulled weeds, then got in the pool listening to JACK FM and swam around, then climbed on a pool float and took a nap in the rising sun. Lovely! Going to try to do that for the next 4 days, too, and then everything should be all weeded, at last. It's sad, but my weeds kind of make me look like i have a greener thumb than I do, so I hate to thin it all out!

12 comments:

HandyGirl said...

hey...great blog...i'll come on back again for more...hg

Barbara Bruederlin said...

I love the community that blogging gives me. I love meeting people like you.
Swim on, girl!

Oberon said...

.....you're bound to be fabulous too.....i was born in irving texas.....howdy neighbor.

Will said...

Totally ok Phlegm, as I too have had a bit of a hard time making the rounds of the blogs. Course I start to wonder what my blog friends are up to, so I am glad it is easier to keep up to date with what they are doing than some of the friends I've lost touch with.

Heather B said...

I am so glad we stumbled across each other and am so thankful you consider my simple blog worthy of your attention :)

I sometimes get flack from my family about posting personal things on here, and at 1st I thought they might have a point ... but I have grown to care about my blogger friends so much, I too am happy to read about their lives and what is happening to them out there!

Tickersoid said...

I've been even more slack in the posting and visiting dept'. Even so, my 'real' world friends say I'm blogging too much.
I may have to reduce even more to make time add up. Having said that I have at last put in a short post.

Thomas J Wolfenden said...

I agree... It's like an extended family of sorts.

And I've been gone for a bit too with the move and the new job.

Welcome back!

chuck said...

(o)

phlegmfatale said...

handy girl - thanks! I like your blog, too!

barbara - yeah, a fun bunch of folks here. And the best part is that the crashing dullards seem to stay away. I'm all for that.

oberon - aw shucks. Howdy neighbor!

nongirlfriend - I'm glad you changed your mind about quitting, but I understand if someone decides it takes too much of one's time. I've never been a pool person until this house, exactly 2 years ago. It's amazing.

will - true - the great thing is that a conversation can be carried out over the space of days - in the same way I'm responding now to comments left last weekend. I love this forum.

heather b - I think this is one of the healthier social interactions to develop since the dawn of the pc. and I like your blog too, obviously!

tickersoid - well, I can guarantee the Skoda won't be in a fender-bender while you're making the rounds in blogland. I suppose you could go overboard with anything, and a little balance is a good thing to find. I think this is therapeutic.

ben - don't feel guilty - just pop in when you can. We're all spooling at different rates here.

ranger tom - glad you're back - it seemed strange not seeing you around and not seeing new posts on your blog. Yes, extended family.

hey chuck!

LJ said...

This is so nice PF. And I agree, bloggers give me hope for the internet actually being community.
Or as you say, a neighborhood.
And I'll tell you - moments when I didn't think I had a laugh left in me, you cracked me up. Now THERE'S a friend!

Anonymous said...

This is lovely and I regret I didn't read it sooner. I have trouble articulating what all this means to me personally at times, and so I will just point to your post next time I try and explain it. It's all given me much more than I ever imagined,and somehow been a good thing for my "real" relationships too.

phlegmfatale said...

lj - I think this is MOREof a community than one usually finds anywhere. We aren't FORCED to visit each others' blogs - we find what resonates on our wavelengths and we ride that wave. What we are grappling with is the fact that this is something utterly new. And something new is a sight rarely seen among humanity... I am pleased and honored to know that you found humorous solace here when other sources failed. I'm honored if you call me friend.

jacquie = Glad you like it. wow, what compliments you give me, though I ill deserve them. I KNOW I am much more collected and level-headed in all my relationships because of the contemplative experience of putting down my thoughts in writing here, so I'm very glad of the experience. My high regards and gratitude to all my fellow bloggers who join in the conversation on this blog.