Thursday, May 17, 2007

It worked! We have moved to the new server and presumably you have found us, otherwise you could not be reading this... If everything looks the same as ever and you are wondering 'what worked? what's new?' It was just a server update, so don't look for a new banner or fancy badges. We're still just Chickenblog.

While we were down, which it turns out was only for a brief time, I wrote a post. I'll post it now, so I can go shower and change and pack lunches, get the kids to school, then make a fresh batch of ant poison...

Last night I wrote:

The server is finally acting weird, which, hopefully, means it is getting transferred, like Geoff asked for last week. Don't ask. It means that for everything to run better, it has to be junk for a few days.

I am not able to post to Chickenblog, but I cannot resist writing just the same. Maybe I will post what I am writing now, or maybe by the time everything is in order I will be on to new thoughts.

Right now I want to talk about connections. My first year of blogging a local public radio host was interviewing bloggers on "The Lounge." Remember Dirk Sutro? I missed the actual broadcast, but he had people in the studio that he was interviewing and they were blogging Live. Keep in mind this was 5 years ago and blogging was not the phenomenon we see today. Through Dirk's program I discovered San Diego blogger Joe "Art Lung" Crawford. We exchanged emails and comments; he helped me get more familiar with what was possible in blogging and how broad and far reaching the possibilities of blogging are. I wonder if he remembers me... I remember he was going through big changes in his life and I was fascinated with the whole concept of sharing personal stories on the internet. I know I have gotten a lot more personal in what I post on Chickenblog, but in the beginning I was far more reserved.

Fast forward a bit... Joe's life and blog continued to evolve, as did my life and blog. Joe met Leah, an artist and single mother. I started reading her blog too. Joe and Leah fell in love and married... nice, and one day Leah was congratulating someone named Janece, who had a new baby. Well, I was pregnant with Maria and I am always eager to hear good news about babies, so I went to Janece's blog. Sure enough there was a new baby and an adorable one too. I hoped my baby would be as healthy and cute as baby Amira. Now, Janece and I share comments on each others blogs; she's probably one of the closest friends, I've never met, from the Blogosphere.

When did I first discover Pioneer Woman? Or from where? I know Anne pointed her out to me, but I know I saw her blog somewhere else as well... Any way, today I was visiting "Confessions of a Pioneer Woman" and she has a big link badge to Leah Peah, who is the wife of Joe "Art Lung." It seems that Pioneer Woman and Leah are craft/blog friends.... and...

And what? Okay. In my head it just all sounded so cool, because it's a small world and there are these seemingly coincidental connections and I am observing these people that I pretend to know, and it just seems so neat that they are all somehow connected. The down side is that it just reminds me of high school. I knew everyone and was aware of their triumphs and successes, where they hung out, what they drove... They did not know me. I ate lunch with a fellow unknown, behind the gym. I had one obligatory picture in the yearbook, and 97% of the people who signed it wrote: "I wish I knew you better..." which is kinder than writing, "Who are you?" It's not that I was necessarily pitiful, I was just quiet and unknown. What was my point again?

So, blogging is huge and by now you've probably heard about it... maybe you want to start one too. It's easy and fun and blogging has endless possibilities. It can be about anything, for anyone. In my own way I think I am something of a pioneer. I know the blogging prairie was not nearly as populated when I began my journey. I do kind of feel like I am crossing in a covered wagon, while newcomers are passing me by in their Model Ts and Explorers. Maybe going my own pace, slow and easy, I can enjoy the view, make quiet, thoughtful observations and enjoy the journey... It's certainly an interesting trip.

3 comments:

Janice Rudnick said...

Sign me up for the contest!

I loved the photos of Maria sewing. She is beautiful.

Love,
Janice

Natalie said...

Excellent! I was beginning to wonder if 1. there really are only 5 people reading Chickenblog or 2. $50- is chicken feed!
Isn't Maria Homemaker a riot? She's very serious about her craft.

Tarie said...

Wow, so that's how you started blogging and how you met Janece! If I remember correctly, I discovered Janece's blog through Blog Explosion and then I discovered your blog since it was a link in Janece's blog. :) By the way, for a couple of your posts I cannot see the pictures. I don't know if it's Asian Internet servers or your new server.
Wah. :(