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I had this whole other fantastical post written for my guest post here today. (I know those of you who know me are saying, “Yeah, right, Shelli. We know you don’t write your posts until the last minute”. I will say that in this case you might be right. Maybe.) Since I am guest posting both here and at Amber’s place today, I was going to start here with the first part of a story, then continue it on Amber’s blog so that you would have to go there to get part two. Then, of course, the climax and ending would be at my place (TWKS) so you would have to end up over there. That all came to a screeching halt when I read Karl’s post yesterday.
He has had some awesome bloggers guest posting for him. All of them so far have been awesomely funny, too. I can’t do funny. Especially when I am trying to do funny. It would just make you all say, “OMG, stop with the lame jokes and puns already.” I just don’t think I measure up to the scale of the guest posters he has had so far in this Summer of Love guest posting thingamajig that he has going on. At least not in the funny department. Dave’s, Karen’s, Kevin’s and SJ’s posts, to me, feel funnier than anything I could ever write. Don’t even make me look at who is going to come after me. I’ll get stage fright and pull this car over right now. I mean it.
Which brings me to the thoughts that were inspired by Karl’s post yesterday…
When I first started blogging, I read those big A+ list bloggers. You know the ones, Finslippy and Dooce and Cecily*. I didn’t know any better. I read and I commented on those other blogs or, even if they already had 500 comments and if they didn’t have open comments, I emailed them her. I even got some replies from her. (NO FUCKING KIDDING!! Several times.) Then I stopped reading them. And I avoided all blogs/bloggers who seemed to have “that thing”. You know, popularity. Why? Because I didn’t feel worthy.
When I first met Brad, someone told me he was a blogging icon. But he didn’t treat me like he was better than me. He treated me, well, like a little sister. And he brought me around and he introduced me to people like Britt, Dawg and Adam and from there I got to know Hilly and Karl and then Karl introduced me to Lisa. I had known of Lisa for a long time, but I never thought myself worthy of her blog. For that matter, I never felt worthy of Britt, Adam, Hilly or Karl, either. Until TequilaCon.
My whole outlook on everything blogging (and some things not about blogging) changed at TC. I realized that we are all just people. Really. All of our shit smells pretty yucky, even if it doesn’t smell exactly the same. Our good parts are all yummy in their own ways, too. When I met Lisa, and in the weeks since TC that I’ve gotten to know her, I have thought a lot about this. I would have NEVER let myself meet her if I had continued on with my way of thinking that I was not worthy of the likes of her. How tragic that might have been because she has taught me so much about life and living. (Thanks, Karl, for introducing me to Lisa.) Besides, at TC, we established that you can Google Me (I’m the top text link. No, the top image link is not me, I’m sorry to say.) and that I am a fucking blog icon (as I drunk texted Brad while I was there–I had to rub it in his face a little).
Shortly after TC (or maybe it was before, I’m old, I can’t remember everything), Britt was looking for a doohinky thingy that she wanted that was just like something that Dooce uses on her blog. She asked her readers if anyone knew what it was, could they please tell her so she could use it. I told her, “Ask Dooce what it is.” She was astonished. “Dooce?! Yeah, right,” she said (or, I might be paraphrasing, but you get the gist). I said, “She’s JUST a person, Britt.”
So, that’s what I’ll leave you all with. We’re all just people. We all want the feedback (well, maybe Dooce doesn’t since usually her comments are closed) and attention. We all need friends. There’s no such thing as too many friends. You never know when you’re going to need every. Last. One. Of them.
*If I had never read Cecily, I wouldn’t have met, and become good friends with, Sarah who re-introduced me to Cecily at TequilaCon.
- Summer Of Love, The Blog Post (Not The Song or Event)On My Way Back Home For a Few DaysDo You Know the Way to San Jose?
24 Responses to “Blog-Ability”
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Great post, Shelli!
We’re all ugly and beautiful. We all bleed, we love, we cry, we laugh…we’re all the same.
I am glad you figured it out :).
Wait, Dooce is a PERSON? I had no idea. Actually, I met her a couple of years ago at BlogHer and she was very nice. We didn’t talk for long. Surely this year she’ll know who I am. *cough*
Having been a mommyblogger with highish traffic in a former life, I can honestly say that after 3 years of blogging, this group of people (Karl, Britt, Hilly, Adam, etc) are far more receptive, honest, sweet, accepting and welcoming than any other group of people I’ve encountered on the net. I’m proud to call them my friends, especially since we are all the types to simply accept more people into the circle at any time.
Are you sure y’all aren’t Canadian?
So true, we are all just people who like to write, and read what others write. Some of us may have more readers than others of us, but we still all have to hit the button to publish.
Awwww…and you are the best non-biological little sister that a former blogging icon could ask for…unless Finn reads this post in which case I never made this comment.
If I started to get the sense that a blogger thought s/he was better than me I’d stop reading.
(Yes, I’ve done this already.)
Uber good post Shelli… all except for the part about Dooce being a person… because if it is then I got a problem… I just flushed it down the toilet 30 minutes ago and that’s gonna screw up my plumbing.
I am so GOOGLING YOU!!!!
Listen Shel, I’m going to have to email my comment on this. There are people who would nit-pic each thing I say and since I am pretty sure we are friends, I think you will be understanding of where I am coming from when I reply to you.
I *should* send the email to karl as well,(but I won’t) [sorry karl] becuase it was something in his post last night that got me festering, but tonight you continued int he same vein and I feel safe enough with you to tell you.
And for all of you reading this post and curious, (cus unless you are curious, you are a fucking zombie and in that case stay away from my maple bacon or I will blow your fucking head off) - I will say this:
My comment to Shelli is NOT about this post which carries a central theme of “Bloggers, no matter their fellowship, are just people too”.
Also? Very tempted to delete this comment.
Hmm
The last time I typed out a comment and was tempted to delete it - well, I’m still being hassled about that - so I guess this means I am an idiot for hitting Submit.
Now I’m feeling a little self-conscious about bluepaintred’s comments. Only because Shelli mentioned me in this post. All I can say is that I am who I am…and that’s no one really all that special. Just some chick with a horribly green, grungy header on her blog who had the chance to meet a very nice group of people one evening…Shelli included.
Very nice post Shelli.
Sheesh. We are ALL just an introspective mess lately.
Really though Shelli, this was a great post.
Good post, Shelli! I’ll say two things: First, my shit smells like doughnuts and cookies. Second, Cecily was that obnoxious woman who sat there and glared at everyone else at Tequilacon, right? The one who wouldn’t even accept a condom business card from me. Fuck her.
I still feel like a small fish in a HUGE pond, but I hope I always remember that everyone is a real, breathing person on here……. Now I offer up my sacrifice to the blogging Gods!
Very insightful Shelli and I think a very good perspective on things.
I’ve always enjoyed ‘putting skin’ on my bloggy friends. It’s been great and I so look forward to meeting even more peeps in person.
Yet I still treasure the friends I haven’t physically touched and may never get to.
Bluepaintred - Hmm, I pride myself on creating an environment here at 2HT where everyone can say whatever the hell they want to say. Every comment is welcome. I hope that if you have a problem with something I said you’d bring it to me.
I feel a need to reiterate that in yesterday’s post, I listed “Alpha Bloggers” who were in the Technorati Top 100. Going by the definition I found, really popular bloggers are those that are widely read, so that’s how I came up with those names. By no means do I feel that numbers are a true gauge for success in blogging. I read lots of people that don’t get much traffic and I love them as much as I do those that get lots of numbers.
Great post. I think all bloggers have something in common, from Dooce to the newbie. We like to write and express ourselves. I’m sure Dooce is a nice woman, and she certainly writes well. But since it is clear that we aren’t going to have any type of relationship, I just don’t deal with her. There are so many other interesting people out there who do want to connect.
*backs off from Maple Bacon*
(great post)
It’s actually nice to hear that everyone was a little hesitant and anxious about commenting everywhere/ anywhere at some point, too. Only they got over it and took a chance - and reaped some great rewards. I’m getting there!
Shelli, I didn’t tell you Brad was a blogging icon, I asked you if he was. I remember the conversation well. I hadn’t heard of Dooce until then.
The funny thing to me that people will think I am making this up.
Wow - this is an interesting topic all over the blogosphere. And it’s an awesome topic, Shelli - kudos!!
Yes, Soapy, I read your comment. Now I don’t feel bad for telling your prom date that you had active Herpes.
I just like to read people that I can relate to. But it’s so much easier to relate to someone when you can interact with them.
I know how you feel. I have always wanted to be that famously popular blogger, it’s something I love to do. Getting huge numbers of visits and comments means maybe you might make some money which is also nice. But mostly, I want to feel like I matter in blogosphere. I want people to know who I am. I’m nothing special, nothing too extreme, nothing too fabulous and rarely ever boring (I hope). I’m Just Justin.com
Justin - Hey there! Glad you left a comment so I can add you to my feedreader. Getting the numbers so I could get more money would be nice, but not if it required me to give up my personability. I’ve met great people through blogging and will continue to do so.
[...] RSS feed. That’s what all the cool kids do. Thanks for visiting!Many thanks to Shelli for another great guest post yesterday, as the Summer of Love at 2HT continues. She wrote more about this entire “Alpha [...]
Awesome post. I will just say that *I* am very glad to have found you.