There's something remarkable about the internet - and I'm not even referencing the massive amounts of high-speed information, like:
movie times (remember calling the theater and getting the middle of the message and having to wait for it to replay to hear your movie time?),
ordering a pizza
dating (obviously, I'm not dating, but I guess it's done online now in many cases or that's where you meet them?)
buying any number of things, including groceries...
reading the news paper (what happened to delivery?)
Looking up things for book reports...(did anyone besides us own the entire collection of Encyclopedia Britannica? Remember the door to door people who sold em' to ya?)
Music is online (I still have the first CD I ever bought...the soundtrack to "The Age of Innocence"...ahem...no pun intended). It's just amazing what we can do and where we came from.
We even had a virtual phone number for a while. Didn't even need a phone - it was all done through the web.
I know there are massive arguments about how technology has created a "right now" society and how we are all consumed with instant gratification, etc. I guess I'll agree.
However, there is something to say for the connection piece of it all. Feeling connected to your world. To what's happening all over the world - good and bad. I confess that typing my parents address into Google World and actually seeing a picture of their home and their cars parked out front...it still gives me the warm fuzzies since I have to go so long in between visits these days. I wave to my screen and say "Hi Mom and Dad" - even though of course they can't hear me.Then again, they could hear me if I hooked up the webcam...then they could hear and see me. Crazy!
Not to mention what this technology we love to hate has done for our social lives. In many ways - I had no contact with my extended family for years on end. I might see them every five years - but through this blog, through Facebook, Myspace, websites like Myfamily.com - all that jazz...I've been able to reconnect, as it were, with so many people in my life. Friends from the past, people from highschool that I naturally assumed I would never see again. Aunts and uncles and cousins that lived on the other side of the US - now frequent this blog (Hi, Auntie Joyce!) and others I connect with on FB. It's actually incredible. Because I'm getting a window into their lives that I never had before the web. I'm re-connecting in many ways with my family - expanding my friendships from the past - building my current friendships by keeping them aprised of my life here and there and everywhere.
My parents, who would otherwise hardly ever get to see Quint - instead at least have this outlet - this blog - to watch videos, see photos, and read about his comings and goings. They also get the bonus of their adult daughter's ramblings - but I've bribed them with Quint teasers (wink, Ma).
Certainly not least - is all of you. I must say that becoming part of your lives has been strange and surreal and yet, comforting and in many ways - such a big support to my little family. Many of you have walked this entire adoption road with me - from 2006 forward. Some of you picked up along our Ethiopia road...and watched while we waited and then brought our little man home last year. Some of you cried with me, for me...laughed at my posts, related to me, to my words, to my life...
There are many of you that I've felt, if I saw you, it would be like seeing an old friend and just catching up. I know about your lives (what you've shared, of course, on your own blogs) and you know about mine. I just saw a "friend" this weekend - hadn't seen her in ages...but met her through the blog. We hugged (Hi, Jodi) it was like "oh yeah...and how have you been and how are the kids". It's just an authentic connection that having this outlet has created.
I don't know about you - but I can't have too many friends. All different levels, all different kinds - but never too many.
And on another note - and this might seem random - but because of all of the above that I've just mentioned - do you find it remarkably sad when someone decides to shut down their blog suddenly? Just decides their done sharing? It's like a funeral. You've committed to keeping up with their life, you've invested time reading and sharing, you've grown attached to them and to their families...and then POOF. Done. No more.
I have to say, that just makes me so sad. And I know it's not for everyone to keep up with - but how hard is it really to just pop in every month or two for a quick "how do you do?" My $.02. That's all.
Translation = please don't just quit one day, my friends.
I truly enjoy reading about your lives - as I hope you do mine. I enjoy our connection - albeit an internet connection. I have sincerely appreciated your time in reading about our family, your comments, your support, your advice, your opinions, and your friendship. And I hope that somehow my little family has blessed yours in some way. Just in the sharing or the humor, or the living life and keeping it real over here at Bushel & a Peck...
Here's to us! The friendernets...
and a big kiss, cuz I'm feelin' generous
movie times (remember calling the theater and getting the middle of the message and having to wait for it to replay to hear your movie time?),
ordering a pizza
dating (obviously, I'm not dating, but I guess it's done online now in many cases or that's where you meet them?)
buying any number of things, including groceries...
reading the news paper (what happened to delivery?)
Looking up things for book reports...(did anyone besides us own the entire collection of Encyclopedia Britannica? Remember the door to door people who sold em' to ya?)
Music is online (I still have the first CD I ever bought...the soundtrack to "The Age of Innocence"...ahem...no pun intended). It's just amazing what we can do and where we came from.
We even had a virtual phone number for a while. Didn't even need a phone - it was all done through the web.
I know there are massive arguments about how technology has created a "right now" society and how we are all consumed with instant gratification, etc. I guess I'll agree.
However, there is something to say for the connection piece of it all. Feeling connected to your world. To what's happening all over the world - good and bad. I confess that typing my parents address into Google World and actually seeing a picture of their home and their cars parked out front...it still gives me the warm fuzzies since I have to go so long in between visits these days. I wave to my screen and say "Hi Mom and Dad" - even though of course they can't hear me.Then again, they could hear me if I hooked up the webcam...then they could hear and see me. Crazy!
Not to mention what this technology we love to hate has done for our social lives. In many ways - I had no contact with my extended family for years on end. I might see them every five years - but through this blog, through Facebook, Myspace, websites like Myfamily.com - all that jazz...I've been able to reconnect, as it were, with so many people in my life. Friends from the past, people from highschool that I naturally assumed I would never see again. Aunts and uncles and cousins that lived on the other side of the US - now frequent this blog (Hi, Auntie Joyce!) and others I connect with on FB. It's actually incredible. Because I'm getting a window into their lives that I never had before the web. I'm re-connecting in many ways with my family - expanding my friendships from the past - building my current friendships by keeping them aprised of my life here and there and everywhere.
My parents, who would otherwise hardly ever get to see Quint - instead at least have this outlet - this blog - to watch videos, see photos, and read about his comings and goings. They also get the bonus of their adult daughter's ramblings - but I've bribed them with Quint teasers (wink, Ma).
Certainly not least - is all of you. I must say that becoming part of your lives has been strange and surreal and yet, comforting and in many ways - such a big support to my little family. Many of you have walked this entire adoption road with me - from 2006 forward. Some of you picked up along our Ethiopia road...and watched while we waited and then brought our little man home last year. Some of you cried with me, for me...laughed at my posts, related to me, to my words, to my life...
There are many of you that I've felt, if I saw you, it would be like seeing an old friend and just catching up. I know about your lives (what you've shared, of course, on your own blogs) and you know about mine. I just saw a "friend" this weekend - hadn't seen her in ages...but met her through the blog. We hugged (Hi, Jodi) it was like "oh yeah...and how have you been and how are the kids". It's just an authentic connection that having this outlet has created.
I don't know about you - but I can't have too many friends. All different levels, all different kinds - but never too many.
And on another note - and this might seem random - but because of all of the above that I've just mentioned - do you find it remarkably sad when someone decides to shut down their blog suddenly? Just decides their done sharing? It's like a funeral. You've committed to keeping up with their life, you've invested time reading and sharing, you've grown attached to them and to their families...and then POOF. Done. No more.
I have to say, that just makes me so sad. And I know it's not for everyone to keep up with - but how hard is it really to just pop in every month or two for a quick "how do you do?" My $.02. That's all.
Translation = please don't just quit one day, my friends.
I truly enjoy reading about your lives - as I hope you do mine. I enjoy our connection - albeit an internet connection. I have sincerely appreciated your time in reading about our family, your comments, your support, your advice, your opinions, and your friendship. And I hope that somehow my little family has blessed yours in some way. Just in the sharing or the humor, or the living life and keeping it real over here at Bushel & a Peck...
Here's to us! The friendernets...
and a big kiss, cuz I'm feelin' generous
12 comments :
Never thought of it that way, but you are right - it is like a death when someone shuts down their blog. I have enjoyed the bloggy world so much. Without it, I would not have "met" the people I've come to know & received the information about adopting that I have. It's the little things in life that are wonderful! Thanks for sharing your life with others!
I still think it is funny how you get to really know someone you have never met but it is so true and I really consider all of the friendships that I have made online as real and true as anything I have found in "real life".
I have been struggling with blogging lately, just a down time and some days I feel like closing up all together but your pep talked helped. I hate it when people disappear too.
Take care and keep on blogging, Cora
PS we had to go to the library for our encyclopedias :0)
Well said, friend! I could relate to everything in your post.
It is sad when someone suddenly stops communicating. I think it is a gift for you to be able to open up and share of yourself so easily.
It is so hard for me to make the time to blog anymore, I feel like if I can't do it right I shouldn't do it at all. But at least it is some sort of commentary for me to pass on to my kids. For good or ill they are my feelings as I type them.
You keep on blogging you beautiful bloggy broad.
Love V
Oh my gosh - I completely agree! I get sad when someone just decides to stop blogging! I plan to keep blogging - I may slow down one day, but I don't think I'll just stop. And if I ever do, I give lots of warning.:)
I can't tell you how much I miss grocery shopping online. There is no delivery (of anything) here in the backwoods, so I have to actually go to the store. But I shop for almost everything else online.
Now I'm gonna go find you on FB. Love the internets!
GREAT post! It's amazing the friendships/connections we can make nowdays compared to when we were younger just because of the internet!! It's so great!
My hubby works away from home right now and we skype with him every single night! I am SO THANKFUL for that option with our kids!! It's been a huge lifesaver!! My friends on here that I've met....... no words to describe how thankful I am for them as well!! VERY cool!!
P.S. I love love love the graphic you have for this post! I hope it's ok that I saved it as I was planning to do a post soon on a friends referral that I met online years and years ago!!
Bless you!
Have no fear, I'm not shutting down anytime soon. No matter what my less-than-interested, long-distance family has to say about the apparently huge amounts of time I waste posting and reading. Yes, they do say that out loud. To my face. No wonder I find the community of adoptive bloggers so much more appealing :)
Glad to see 2 more days got knocked off the matching list - but had been praying all weekend that there'd be a big batch. Still praying for your little girlie - she's in the palm of His hands, waiting to come to you. Hang in there.
Great post Christie! Blogging has connected me in ways I never knew could happen. Our parents and other family members read our blog daily, friends from near and far check in regularly and meeting people along the way is icing on the cake!
Well said! I check on you guys almost daily. You constantly inspire me. I love to read what you write, whatever it is! Don't ever shut this down girl. (Pretty soon we will all be going to China with you !!) From your Kentucky Friend Linda
Okay, other than through technology, we must have some connection going on because I just posted something on my blog about the friends I've made through the wonderful world of blogging. For a matter-of-fact, I think I may have posted it on the same day, but will have to go back and check. I do love the connections and friendship made through blogging though. I certainly feel as if I know you, even though we've never met.
I've been lurking a bit but I'm OUT now!
Loved this post......love lots of your posts.
You have a beautiful family and a beautiful blog!
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