Friday, August 19, 2011

The New BFF's (Blogging Friends & Followers)

                                                                                                 Julie Kemp Pick


Recently I read an article about an agoraphobic writer who went on a journey to meet her Facebook friends. She made a New Year's resolution to spend a year traveling across three continents to connect with each of her 325 friends.

This made me think about how far I would go for a Facebook or blogging friend. Facebook helped me reconnect with people that I haven't seen or spoken to in years. Some friendships became more intensified, while others quickly fizzled. In many ways, Facebook is like a more polite version of high school.

The blogging community is an even more welcoming one. The cool kids mix with the older adults, and material possessions take on a different meaning. Though hunters and gatherers are found in both worlds, the camaraderie amongst bloggers surpasses any other social network.

I am grateful to the generous group of bloggers who frequently tune in, and support my efforts. Without them I would be transported to playing with my imaginary friends indoors, while listening to the laughter of other children outside my bedroom window.

This brings me to a wonderful award  that Rosalind Adam  and Tonja have graciously bestowed upon me.


      
Rosalind is fiercely loyal, and has an unquenchable thirst for knowledge. Tonja is juggling so many different things on her plate, and always has room for more. Both women soldier on with wit and grace. Tonja mentioned that Liebster means "dearest," while Rosalind expressed the origin of friendship. I am putting both of them together by passing this award on to my dearest friends in blogland.

These bloggers fall within the rules of the Liebster Blog as it is only given to those with less than 200 followers. I encourage you to visit all of these blogs that are guaranteed to make you laugh, cry or say, "Why didn't I think of that?"

Elaine at My Next 20 Years of Living  
lou at writeclub      
Rhonda at Laugh Quotes
Susan at I Think; Therefore I Yam   

Last but not least,  I want to thank  RJR Daydreamer  for passing this meaningful award on to me:
                                                      
Description
                                                         

RJR is a very versatile writer who blogs about everything from the Royal Wedding to his adventures in carpentry. I'm thrilled that he created this special award and would like to share it with my faithful followers. Feel free to pick up this award with one condition; wear it like an undergarment knowing that without proper support, everything will come crashing down.
 in
III met

27 comments:

  1. You're very welcome to and deserving of the award. I do agree with your assessment of Facebook v. blogging. I too feel that Facebook is a grown-up version of High School and I never felt amazingly comfortable socially at school. I love the blogging world. Getting to know new blogging friends is fun and so I'm now off to meet some new ones from your recommendations.

    http://rosalindadam.blogspot.com

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  2. Congrats on your most deserving award.
    I met a facebook friend though it was only along the coast to where I live, But I did meet an old blooger friend and her husband whilst in Nashville and they took me around on a guided tour on the last night there.

    Have a good week-end.
    Yvonne.

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  3. Hi, Julie. Thank you so much for the award. (And I don't even have to tell people what my favorite color is, either!) I appreciate it, dear lady.

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  4. P.S. My blog is "I think; Therefore I YAM." Yours is classier, but mine (sigh) is more reflective of me.

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  5. Hi, Julie. Nice to meet you. I was given the Liebster award a couple of days ago, but had no idea what the rules were other than thank the person who gave it to you (of course) and pass it on to five others. Now that I know a little more I actually know what to do with it.

    I think meeting all of your FB and blogger buddies could be fun and frightening.

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  6. Congrats on your awards! You are a most deserving recipient.

    You have imaginary friends? Kewl! We'll have to get them together with Poet and Manny sometime.

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  7. Congratulations on your award! Much deserved!
    Most of my facebook friends I connected with through our mutual respect of Laura Ingalls Wilder and many of us met last summer. Otherwise, I have a lot of family on facebook too. It's a great way to keep up with friends and family that you would more than likely lose touch with. And through blogging, I have met some wonderful people! :-)

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  8. Hi Julie .. I'd love to meet some blogging friends .. and have met one or two of the early ones, and who are now on FB - though I don't do much of that.

    it's great to receive awards - as much as it is to pass them on .. I'm hopeless (either way)!!

    Congratulations to all .. cheers Hilary

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  9. Congratulations! Bloggers are just the best group of people.

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  10. Dear Julie...
    Thank you....I am touched and honored..... In a world that can lack luster and meaning you add a bit of color to my rainbow and and signifcance in my life.....I am grateful my friend....

    Facebook for me has allowed me to find all the gems I missed growing up....It's a chance to pick from the garden and find the very best.... I am so very lucky to have found you....

    Julie ,,,,,Thank you once again.... Ps can I post that beautiful award? heehe Love Lou

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  11. Blogging is my favorite social media as well. As you say, "the camaraderie amongst bloggers surpasses any other social network." I can't imagine traveling the world to meet my online friends though. That must have been some journey.

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  12. I agree about the blogging community being special. Congratulations on your awards :)

    Happy Weekend!

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  13. @Rosalind - I still like aspects of Facebook, but I just think there's a deeper connection with bloggers. Thanks Rosalind!

    @Yvonne - That must have been a fun adventure!

    @Susan - Sorry for the typo! I was going to chalk it up to typing in the wee hours of the night, when I realized I made the same mistake last time! Corrections have been made. My apologies go out to you and Popeye!

    @Isis - I think it could be very frightening too! Nice to meet you and thanks for following me! I look forward to stopping by your blog!

    @Bryce - My imaginary friends aren't as evolved as yours are, but I'm sure Manny and Poet could teach them a thing or two! Thanks Bryce!

    @Laura - I remember reading about that! I think it's great that you connected with them! I've also had reunions with college friends I haven't seen in years! FB is an excellent tool, but blogging has opened up a whole new world for me.

    @Hilary - It's nice that you've met some of your blogging friends, and you are never hopeless!

    @Alex - I couldn't have said it better!

    @lou - Even your comments are poetic! I'm lucky to have found you too! Yes you may post both of them proudly!

    @Doralynn - Welcome and thanks for following me! I think it's still going on. She's also a blogger and if anyone is interested in more information let me know. I'll be dropping by your blog soon! Thanks again!

    @Carol - Thanks so much Carol! Julie

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  14. Wow, what a cool story!

    I'd love to meet everyone in person. I really feel like I know all my blog buds; they're my friends!

    Congrats on the award.

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  15. Congratulations on the awards! I have mixed feelings about Facebook--there are some people I love seeing and talking to and that is where we reconnected. But in some aspects, Facebook freaks me out, because people who were mean to me in the past friend me, and then I have to tell myself that I'm nearly 40 years old and I should get over it because we were all a bunch of tools in high school and college. But then I realized that those people friend you just to see a snippet of your life--they don't particularly care about it or you, they just want to see if you've become a colossal idiot or a swan. In my limited blogging time, I've had more connection with bloggers than with people I've known for 20 years. Bloggers do this for the communication--the outlet of idea transference. I love my bloggy friends; they're interesting, talented, and none of them ever have contributed to my Pretty in Pink complex.

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  16. Thanks for the kind words - and very sweet you got two of the same award. :)

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  17. @Talli - I feel the same way. Thanks Talli!

    @Julie - I was going to share the Liebster with you, but I noticed that you beat me to it! I like your "colossal idiot or a swan" line! That's why I was writing about the hunters and gatherers. I posted this on FB, and I'm still waiting for a response. You're a wonderful writer, poet, and in your spare time aren't you a doctor? You've earned the right to be over your "Pretty in Pink complex!"

    @Tonja - Thanks again Tonja for all of your support! Julie

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  18. I like the idea of Liebster meaning dearest. Being that my last name is Lieberum, and Liebe means love, I always tell folks that my name means love of rum! And believe it or not, I do love rum and no other hard liquor. I love reading your blog and some days I even fancy giving blogging a go, but I always put it off. Maybe I just need a swift kick in the booty.

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  19. Hi Sara, How wonderful that your last name has such an interesting meaning! Combine it with your first name which means "Princess" and you're a rum loving Princess! This sounds like the beginning of your first blog to me! Give it a go, and I'll be cheering for you! Thanks, Julie

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  20. I like the way you worded this and fully agree. Facebook is such a mixed bag, whereas blogland is all good.

    Congratulations on the awards. Hope it's a great weekend, Julie.
    xoRobyn

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  21. Hi Robyn, Though it is a "mixed bag," if it weren't for FB, I would have never reconnected with Rhonda who told me about A-Z. But I still feel that there is more a sense of community in blogland. Hope you're having a great weekend too! Julie

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  22. Congratulations on you awards, Julie!! Bloggers really are a special bunch. :)

    Had to laugh at your description of Facebook as a more polite version of high school at times. That is a great way to describe it!

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  23. Hi Julie, Congratulations on your new blog, The Pet Parent Diaries! Now we'll all have twice as much fun! Thanks Julie!

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  24. This is such a sweet post. It's true. I've found so much support in the blogging community. And of course, your blog, which is always a treat to read.

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  25. Thanks Angela! Your poems are always filled with emotion from laugh out loud funny, to 3 hankie tearjerkers. And your prose always keeps me on my toes! Julie

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  26. I'd love to be able to travel around to meet all of the bloggers I've connected with. I'm sure it would take more than a year and probably cost a fortune. Maybe we should have a convention.


    Lee
    Tossing It Out

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