After being sick all of last week, and just now starting to feel partway human again – I have been able to take a little time to visit some of my favorite blogs – One such blog – Bountiful Healings, run by Robin who is way to much like me, talked about NaBloPoMo‘ing — This sounds like so much fun, but looking at my blog and comparing it to my calendar I see that I am too late, as I did not post yesterday – eh that’s what I get for being sick and not fully reading all of my favorite blogs! I suppose I could cheat and back date a post for yesterday — but I won’t. I will just keep on blogging at my own pace, with no pressure to post, and continue to have fun doing so. Maybe next year if I am still hanging out in the blogging word (which I am sure I will be) I will join in on the fun.
Many years ago in 1998 when I worked for a different internet company as the chat moderator / fun and games coordinator, I often came up with idea’s like above (this was the in the days before *gasp* blogs) for different fun things for our community to do.
One such event still holds a very special spot in my heart. It was a month long secret Santa, where members of the community were matched up with another not knowing anything about the other person. Only I knew who each Santa was and who they were matched with.
The program started on the 22nd of November and ended a month later on December 22nd — with a party in the community chat room where the Santa’s identities were revealed.
Each person that signed up for the program was instructed to create an email account just for their secret Santa name, and to keep their secret identity hidden for the whole month.Each Santa then sent emails to their person, with little pictures, notes, card and such – keeping the fun going for the whole month.
I had people all over the internet signing up – it turned out bigger than big, and although it was a lot of work to put together it was so worth it. Very fun, and very memorable!
I still have the binder book I made for myself of that event, and whenever I need a boost or a reminder of the power of friendship I pull it from the shelf.
So the point of this post – Get out there into this wonderful world of the internet that we call ours, make some friends – make a difference. It does not matter if you join in on the NaBloPoMo‘ing or do a Secret Santa – the thing is to just reach out your hand. Go make a comment on a blog, visit an online community. The power of the internet is big. You never know, you just might learn something in the process – I know I did!
Whisper 
Thanks for your comment.
I’m not doing the blog challenge, but NaNoWriMo. It’s hard to be so disciplined, but after 3 days I’ve got 7,000 out of 50,000 words. And the story has gone in ways I never imagined. Oh what the mind does when given free rein.
Barbara Congratulations on making it to 7,000 words! I also thought of doing the NaNoWriMo but decided against it for this year – simply because I knew once I got started everything else would be put on the back burner, and right now life is far to busy for that. I still write, but I don’t worry so much about the word count… I do tend to ramble though, so no doubt the NaNoWriMo would have worked out for me had I given it half a chance… another thing to put on my list for next year I suppose.
Holy heck Truddles–I’d almost forgotten about the secret santa! That was so very fun & rewarding. Back in 1998…hmmm…yeah, I remember what I was doing then. 🙂
Hey Sun I wondered if that would job your memory or not – You were a very big help back then along with 1dad – both of you were helper elfs and did a wonderful job!
I remember being multiple elves–almost had an identity crisis there! Actually had to keep notes as to which elf-name went with which partner. And then there was the 24 hr chat…another adventure.
Ahhh yes the 24 hour chat… that one is a blur for me — but would be another fun one to re-live someday.
If only we reached out as easily to the people in our own neighborhoods as we do to strangers around the world.
This is so true Bibliomom. Perhaps though by reaching out to our unseen friends via the internet it will help us to feel comfortable enough to reach out to those in our communities.
That’s what I enjoy about NaBloPoMo. It’s a good excuse to go around and visit people other than those on my blogroll.
Bibliomom has a good point. Your response was good too, Truddle. I know that making friends via the internet, and then meeting them during our travels, has made me more comfortable (meaning less shy) about reaching out to my neighbors.
I try to click on the wordpress.com link at the bottom of my pages, and surf new pages there – that is how I found you robin….
I hope to do NaBloPoMo next year!
I signed up for NaBloPoMo last night. I had posted since the first so I was safe, although I do admit that I ended up throwing something together at the last minute for one of my blogs. But it was okay. It was something I was going to post in greater detail but it worked out for last night.
I’m also doing nanowrimo. My word count is not what it should be but I’m having a tough day. It’s the anniversary of my brother’s suicide so I am pampering myself and distracting myself.
Your blog post made a difference to me. I hope to make a difference to someone else, too. 🙂
I’m glad it made a difference Corina!
Amen to all of that. I was just invited to join the BBC poetry group and plan to do that as soon as possible.
Good for you David – your poetry is very good!