friday feelings

Blogging is a funny thing.  Sharing your life, the joys, the frustrations, the inspirations.  I started my blog with a certain style in mind, but life and growth have taken it in a completely different direction. 

One of my favorite things about blogging is the sense of camaraderie and support among bloggers that I've come to appreciate so much.  You begin by following someones blog that catches your eye.  Then they by chance follow you.  Someone comments on your blog and then you take a chance and read some recent posts from them and realize how much you have in common and then you follow them regularly.  Reading about their life while they read about yours.  You get to know one another.  Complete strangers that live across the country sometimes, that you would never have otherwise met.  Friendships develop so quickly.  I find myself chatting regularly with fellow bloggers and celebrating their victories, sometimes more frequently than my own friends.  The next thing you know you are part of a little circle of blogger friends.  Your friend follows someone, so you follow them.  Then you start following them on other social networking sites and you are just that much closer to them.  It links your lives in a small way and sometimes a very significant way.

I can ask for inspiration and advice or read their blog and gather ideas for a better me, a better dinner, a better home, a good laugh.  I've come to enjoy my blogging friends more than they could know and for that I must say thank you!


There is a small amount of blogging that stinks though.  When you share your life with people, some icky people feel as though it gives them the right to criticize your choices.  Sadly, it seems like negativity can sometimes be more contagious than positivity.  Someones hurtful comments or words make your blood boil.  Who is this person and what gives them the right to say these things to me?  They don't even know me, but they think they do because you share.  I try my best to stay honest and share good and bad without bumming anyone out with personal frustrations or failures, but there are still things that I keep to myself and my family.  I think that's what people sometimes forget.  We read about what others want to share.  I instantly feel upset, mad, frustrated and want to respond, but per usual most of these negative Nellys use "anonymous" or dummy profiles to spread their hate.  It's a cowardly way of bullying.  The funniest thing is that lots of us have site trackers that also provide us with lots of information about these meanies, what location in the world they are viewing your blog from, what site led them to ours, i.p. addresses that contain their names, etc, etc.  So really you're not as anonymous as you think you are, jerks.  Just as in life though it's far better to take the high road and ignore the filthiness.  I am sensitive though and even one negative comment in a six month period is one too many.  I do wish we could just ship all of the meanies and spammers away to an island and they could just be mean and spam each other. 

I do love blogging though.  I like to share my life because it's a good one.  I'm a proud wife and mommy that takes far too many pictures of her son, but that kid is too cute not to brag about.  Happy blogging and happy reading to all you positive Pollys out there!

Oh by the way, Hank has some late breaking news!

Hank is super excited to welcome his BFF, Phoenix to the world!

Us Bloomingburgs are overjoyed for our friends Marianne and Alex on the arrival of their baby boy.  Can't wait to meet him :)