Blogging changed my life

Ok, that sounds over-dramatic but it's true. I have an internet friend living in my house, so I don't think it's too far of a stretch.

So, the main things about my life would still be the same. I'd still be here in Texas, performing at a renaissance festival, where I met my husband, and we'd still have kids and all that. Though, how I care for those kids is different because of the internet. I never would have attempted cloth diapering if I hadn't read all about it from Temerity Jane & Here We Go AJen. Eleanor has been clothed by the internet her whole life. I don't think I'd ever heard of Baby Led Weaning before reading about it on TJ's blog and hearing Arwen talk about it on Twitter.

And Twitter is a huge part of my blog world, because that's where I really interact with these ladies. Of course that really only happened once I decided to go to The Blathering and that's where things really started to change.

Deciding to write a blog was a whim I had while on vacation. I am notorious for starting things I don't finish so I'm a bit surprised I'm still doing this. But my husband sent me links to a few blogs and I read them--like, all of them. As much of their archives as I could get a hold of because I felt like I needed all the back story. I didn't really understand blogging so much. I approached it like a TV show instead of a comic strip.

So that's how I got to know TJ. And then she mentioned this thing called The Blathering that she was going to. I read that it was an open invitation to all bloggers. I was skeptical because I'd hardly been blogging for any time at all and so they couldn't really mean me, but they said anyone & I took them at their word and signed up. It helped that the gathering was in Austin so I could drive myself & if it was horrible just leave. I knew NO ONE who was going, except TJ, who didn't really know me except as the crazy lady who read her archives. But I started reading the blogs of the women who were attending, trying to make connections. One of my favorite random facts is that Sarah Lena & I were at the same International Thespian Society thingamajig at UNL. I saw her perform Hello Dolly. 15 years ago. Crazy.

Anyway, because of The Blathering, I started making actual friends. I joined a book club. Then TJ hosted a pajama party and I met Bagels. TJ is the reason is found Bagels' blog in the first place, because she linked to it and from the very first post I felt like Bagels was a kindred spirit. Which led to me inviting her to my house. Not to live (that came later), just to visit. At that point I invited a bunch of local-ish folks to come up while Bagels was down and learned that hostessing/hospitality is not my gifting. Still, somewhere in all that Kammah wound up coming over for weekly Doctor Who dates and she's now a permanent fixture in our lives too.

If it weren't for blogs and Twitter I wouldn't have found myself driving Miriel from DFW to Waco through some ridiculous thunder storms while 38w pregnant (the first time, not last week). I also wouldn't have a pile of presents from ladies across the country waiting for the next crappy day. I'd never have discovered R's amazing nursing pads or have tiny crocheted booties for my babies. I wouldn't have gotten fresh, warm, delicious cookies delivered to my door by Nicole.

I've made friends with people who have different political and religious views,  widening my brain space and making me really think about why I think/feel/believe the way that I do. I've learned about Catholicism, self-publishing books, infertility, a crazy genetic thing with an abbreviation that reminds me of a swear word, several different ways of eating to feel better, Adam Ant, the Air Force, teething, gender stuff, makeup... so much stuff. Things I'd likely never be exposed to in my regular life.

My life is fuller and richer because of the wonderful women I've met (face to face and tweet to tweet) through blogging. I highly recommend it. Find your people. Meet their people and their people's people until your world is bigger and better. And sign up for the Crappy Day Present Exchange, because it's wonderful. Do it.