Monday, August 24, 2009

It only sounds heavy...


It took me a long time to decide to start a blog. Strangely enough, I think the biggest impediment was the word itself - blog. It sounds heavy and clumsy. It looks awkward, too. Especially if you capitalize it. BLOG. So chunky.... Blahhhgg. Blah. Gah! Blah blah blah - certainly not my goal here and I doubt it's the goal of most people who commit time and energy to creating their own space. It almost encourages writer's block - another "blah" sound. No wonder people burn out - the sound alone implies a weight.

It's feels odd to say "I blog". Almost like an Apple product gone horribly wrong. iBlog - now available in several colours and very little battery life. Teeny tiny soapbox not included. :-)

So I've decided to call this my 'weblog' and reintroduce the original name. (Funny how a word so new to the public lexicon is already obsolete.....) It starts out softer on the ear and easier on the eye. There's a gracefully symmetry to it, isn't there? Like a rolling hill as opposed to a brick wall. The "b" is less bothersome with a whispering lead-in.

But there is another reason I like the word 'weblog'. The sense of community that can come with it.

We blog.

I follow a few (more than a few) amazing women who share their lives and ideas. They follow other women. People follow each other. Perspectives are exchanged. Encouragement and consolation are given. Connections are formed. A community is built. And it is so incredible and reassuring to know that in this age of technology that can distance and alienate people from each other, the internet can actually bring us all a little closer together. It can be a positive piece of the universe. We can face forward and look back at the same time.

Here is just a handful of those who've inspired me lately:

Operation Nice - because everyone could use a little positivity
The Pioneer Woman - her photographs alone are incredible, not to mention the rest
Mrs.Flinger - something about the way she writes makes me very happy
My Milk Toof - I dare you not to smile.
Angry Chicken - very talented
WhiskerGraphics - again, talented
TheObjectProject - invents interesting from ordinary

And these are just a few... Ladies, if you're reading - thank you for sharing and for giving me a nudge.

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