This is why I love blogging
{Image found here}
Some people just don’t get blogging and what it’s all about. As many of you know, I’m currently in journalism school and so many people in that field seem to think that blogging is just a way for someone to get “published”. It’s really hard for people to wrap their heads around the community that blogging is; the relationships and friendships that it helps create. I think you have to be a part of it to truly understand it.
That’s why I want to talk about the post that circulated the blogosphere yesterday that literally gave me goosebumps it was so amazing and such a perfect explanation of what blogging is.
Yesterday a bunch of 20sb came together to create this video for this girl and then proceeded to raise over $2,000 in one day for multiple myeloma. Read Brandy’s story here.
In case you didn’t quite get that, here are the points again:
- Over 30 bloggers came together to create this video.
- Several more posted this post to their blogs.
- Over $2,000 was raised for the cause. In one day.
- And the kicker, most of these people have never even met each other.
How’s that for friendship, support and love?
If that’s not amazing then I don’t know what is. And that, my friends, is the power of the blogosphere and why I love blogging so damn much. If you would like to donate to the cause, go here.
********************************************
Also, yesterday the winners of the 2010 20sb Bootlegger Awards were announced. I was surprised and honoured to learn that I was not only nominated but won one of these awards. The Newbie Blogger Award.
I don’t know if there are any new readers out there today, but if there are, let me show you around. Be sure to check out the following pages if you have time:
The Girl – learn all about me and this blog.
101 Things – you know, if you feel like learning a whole bunch of random facts about me.
Must Reads – if you’ve got some time (but not enough time to go through all my archives) here are some posts you might want to catch up on.
Race Recaps – if you’re into running here’s some recaps of all the races I’ve done over the last year.
I also received an overwhelming amount of support and amazing advice on yesterday’s post (if you want the password just let me know) and I’m so thankful for that support.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, blogging has changed my life. Living so far from home has been really hard on me and sometimes I feel all alone. When that happens all I have to do is read through the comments on posts like yesterdays or post that I’m feeling down on Twitter and you guys let me know you’re there if I need to talk or need a virtual hug.
You guys are my support group, so thank you. Today, I am in love with blogging. I’m in love with the community and the people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve made. I’m in love with how this community bands together when someone is in need.
Why do you love blogging today?
Congrats on your award! I am so not involved w/ 20sb, mostly because I am barely in my 20s anymore.. I mean, I am going to be 29 this month so I kind of feel like I would participate for a year & then be ‘kicked out’ for being an old fogy when I turn 30 next year. Yikes. I can’t believe i am turning 30 in just over a year.
But i am getting off topic. I love blogging for many, many reasons but #1 is the friendships I have formed which differ from the other ones in my life. Alot of my friendships happened because of situations – we lived together, had classes together, etc. But my blogging friendships are about connecting on a different level. We still have shared interests, as I do with my other real life friends, but it’s just different.
And, because of blogging I will be running a marathon with 2 fabulous ladies.
I love blogging because it lets me connect with friends and family far away. I love it that my grandparents can look on my blog and see pictures of my son and my life. (I also love blogging because without it my grandparents wouldn’t have had the impetus to even try the computer!)
I love blogging because it lets me vent and work through things. I like having a creative outlet like blogging to help me work through ideas and problems and everyday life.
I love blogging because I do love to write and otherwise I wouldn’t get to much. It gives me a sense of accomplishment, and some days I really need that.
And I love blogging because it has given me the opportunity to meet new friends, both near and far away … like you!
)
Have a wonderful day, Amber!
I found just what I was needed, and it was enetrntaiing!
because of blogging, I find that there are so many other ladies out there that struggle with the same things I do. it makes me feel a whole lot less alone!
I love the fact that I know people from different places!
Congrats, Amber! I saw that you won on Twitter yesterday. Love it.
These days I really love blogging because it is bringing me together with fabulous locals that I might otherwise have never known about! We are having a Winnipeg Blogger meet-up next month and I can’t wait.
As well, I can’t even begin to mention the number of times I’ve been exposed to a new beauty product/food/etc. because of blogging. I even found out about my beloved Quicken software via a blog! And where would I be without Bare Escentuals mineral powders?
I love blogging for all the reasons you said – the support and the love. I have developed many wonderful friends through the blogging community. We’ve met in “real” life and it’s been absolutely amazing. With blogging you can pour your heart out and others can understand and relate. That is not always something that you can get from your friends and family.
Great post and congrats on the award!
I watched the video countless times yesterday and it literally made me want to hug the internets. There can be so much negativity sometimes, but yesterday, so many people came together to be such a positive force. Yesterday was one of those days that I am so grateful to be a part of such an amazing community. The friends I’ve made from blogging have changed my life for the better. Funny thing is, the friendships were something that I never expected. They j ust happened. Now no matter what, I know some of these people will be friends for the rest of my life.
I love blogging mostly because it has allowed me to just RELEASE on bad days.
Congrats on your 20sb award!
Yay! Congrats lady
I shared the Brandy story with my whole office this morning. What a wonderful thing for everyone to do.
I love blogging because it encourages deeper thinking, it’s an outlet, for creativity, ramblings, thoughts, reviews, and best of all, people like you who I’ve met through it. I love that I can make lists of goals and there’ll be people cheering me on and it totally motivates me to achieve them , too
Congrats on winning! I’m so confused though…you didn’t turn 20 in 2009 did you? LOL.
I love the Lover Harder video and I’m so glad I got to be a part of it. 20sb is so amazing.
Congratulations! Although I am new to the 20sb community (a member since 2008, but only really participated since last fall), I am definitely making new friendships with people and beginning to feel a little more *myself* and not just a walking disease billboard (which is fun sometimes but not all the time!). But I have friendships, deep, strong friendships that come from my years in the diabetes blogging community and I know they take time to form, so I am looking forward to seeing where 2010 leads me and seeing where I end up this time next year. I just love that I am able to meet so many different people from different walks of life and I would never, ever want a label that would make it harder for me to learn from others.
I love blogging because I love people! (Nice ones. Mean people suck.)
Congrats on your nomination & subsequent award!
I’m in love with blogging because it’s allowed me to meet people like you. That’s a pretty fantastic thing if you ask me
Congrats on the award!!!
I love blogging for all the reasons you listed and more. It truly is a different kind of community, and like Lisa said, the friendships you develop allow you to connect on a different level than just similar circumstances (like living in the same dorm in college).
I love blogging because of all the amazing people ive met through it. I’ve met a majority of my blogger friends in real life- heck i even flew across the country to hang out with ‘strangers’. Blogging has changed my life and it is something that i always share with people!
What a beautiful story!! It is truly amazing that you were able to raise so much in so little time!
Congrats on the award!! You totally deserve it, I LOVE your blog
(although it seems weird to think of you as a “newbie” since I kind of feel like YOU got me into blogging and I fell like it’s been forever now!!)
I love blogging for the support and how it opens my mind to new things, whether it be food, exercise, or just points of view
Thanks for sharing this great story!
I love blogging for the friends I’ve made, met, support, inspire and learn from! I heart blogging!
Congratulations on your award! You definitely deserve it!
Wow…Brandy’s story. That’s so amazing. I’m all teary-eyed in my office. I’m kinda new at this whole blogging thing but I love the community aspect. As you know, sometimes when you feel alone it’s nice to feel the support of people who may be thousands of miles away but are still like friends.
I’m in love with blogging because it gives me a window into other people’s lives and has taught me that there are so many brave/wonderful/lovely people in the world. I’m a new reader to your blog, but I’ll be back often
Congrats on your award, Amber! I’m so glad you won! You seriously deserve it!
Hurray for blogging, friendship & you! Yay!
xoxo
I love LOVE blogging too! And Congrats on the award!!! I think we all know how much I love your blog!
I love being able to voice my thoughts and opinions and received feedback from people I may or may not know. It’s also refreshing to read about other people’s lives, who may be going through the same things I am.
And I’ve said it once already, but Congrats on the award! Reading your blog has actually made me want to be a better blogger
I love blogging because it’s a way for me to remember what i’ve accomplished towards food, eating and exercise. It also acts as an outlet, and as a source of entertainment. It’s really so many things :p
i love blogging and blogging loves you girl! therefore, as a transient property i also love you. it does help to be able to write well. i finally convinced a friend of mine to start a blog about her husband’s cancer, and she wrote 5 posts 1 paragraph each and got 0 comments besides mine. she totally didn’t get it or just isn’t a good writer. blogging has changed my life too.
send me the password, i want to see what you’ve been up to.
I love blogging because of the people … no question. I feel like the other bloggers are my friends – and even though we haven’t met, I feel like I know each one, if even just a little bit.
Congrats on the win!!! I’m a new reader because of it, and I definitely liked what I’ve seen so far.
What happened yesterday with Brandy and Love Harder was just amazing. I felt honoured to be part of a community that cares about each other, and isn’t afraid to show it. Blogging has introduced me to so many people recently. Not in person (yet!), but I consider many of them to be closer than some of the friends I have in real life. I love that blogging can bring people together from all over, and that it tends to bring out the “hidden” side to people in the process.
I couldn’t have said it better myself! though I started blogging to have another venue for writing– and writing about things I enjoy– it has become much more than simply a creative outlet. it is an emotional outlet and the best, most important thing I have gained from blogging is a feeling of community, support and friendship, just like you said!
congrats on the award btw!! that’s so exciting and you SO deserve it
I first started reading blogs for entertainment. I started my own so I could become a part of the community and start building friendships. Blogging is a great outlet and I love being able to say what I’m thinking. But to me, the friendships that I’ve made are THE best part!
p.s. Congrats on your 20SB award. You TOTALLY deserve it!
Congrats on the award Amber! You really deserve it!
CONGRATS!!!! That is awesome!
1. That a cool group of 20sb can unite for a cause.
2. That you enjoy blogging – cause you are super fun to read.
3. THAT YOU GOT AN AWARD FOR IT!!!!
Can’t wait to see what you win in 2010! You have such a great blog and I’m glad you got recognized for it.
Awww, I loved this post! I agree with you, most people don’t “get” it and it just makes me shake my head cause they are truly missing out!
Watching that video gave me chills too, that is definitely one of the most amazing things I have seen in the blogosphere! How sweet!
Congrats on the award!!! I can’t wait to see where you go in 2010!