Just imagine for a minute that you were only allowed to follow one blog (other than your own), which would it be?
This question has been flying around in my head since early morning when I was out walking at Tramore Beach. I could feel the social researcher in me coming out to play and I started to think of how I follow a very diverse range of blogs.
There’s an element of birds of a feather flock together in my choices but then again I can see patterns in my following that exemplify the old adage: opposites attract !
To single out one blog is certainly not easy but I got as far as realising that there are about 5 blogs that I absolutely have to read, and I make sure to set them aside for later, if they happen to appear at a time when I can’t drop everything and jump into them. Now choosing between these would be extremely tough but if I absolutely had to do it, I’d be bringing http://www.foxglovelane.com/ with me. I think if you take a look at it you’ll soon see why!
Now, over to you. I’m bursting to hear your choice!
Definitely Africa is a Country (http://africasacountry.com). It is a diverse blog in itself, with commentary about politics, social realities, international relationships, music, and art. It is an opportunity to learn about Africa from a non-colonial perspective, as in from the voices of the people who live there and are re-shaping the future.
Hi Suz, thanks very much for your quick response. I’ll definitely be checking out Africa is a Country. It sounds great!
Well as you are one of the blogs I regularly visit imagine my surprise today to find myself mentioned here!! Thank you so much, you absolutely blew me away!! Anyway Jean, like yourself I follow a few blogs, mainly photography, creativity and writing, and some great Irish blogs too. At the moment I am loving Diane Varner http://diane-varner.squarespace.com a photographer and nature lover. She is an expert at using Photoshop and offers free tutorials which to be honest I can’t even understand!! So I’ve decided to try to learn it this year, although I think I say that every year!!
Hi Catherine, I thought you’d be out taking pics of the storm and that I could sneak in when your back was turned!!! Well, the pleasure is ALL mine to highlight your blog with its wonderful photographs and lyrical writing.
I must take a good look at Diane Varner’s blog. By all means try Photoshop but remember the bit about ‘never change a winning game!’
If you like dystopian/ science fiction pieces, check out citystatewritings.wordpress.com
It’s a dark perspective of the possible future of America. 🙂
Hi Kaisy, many thanks for your suggestion. Sounds fascinating.
This is a tough one. There are so many good blogs out there. But for me, the one that stands out is Fish of Gold, http://fishofgold.net/. I literally laugh out loud at every post, and in this day and age, we need all the laughs we can get. If you haven’t been to her blog yet, you really need to go there. Whoever she is, she’s inventive, clever, artistic, and tremendously funny.
Hello Doobster, thanks a million for your recommendation. I just love blogs that make me howl with laughing.
I couldn’t choose Jean. I see I presently follow 51 blogs, each for a different reason. Each adds a little to my life. If I follow a new blog though another has to bite the dust to preserve my sanity 🙂
Interestingly, the very first blog I ever followed (almost before the word ‘weblog’ became ‘blog’) is still going – just. Many have simply faded away. But blogging has set ordinary folk free to connect with others in a way we couldn’t have imagined when we had pen-pals -remember those?
Roy, how disciplined you are to unfollow one if you take up with another!
Oh I remember pen pals alright! Had a few in my time in wildly exotic places. What about you???
That`s a beautiful blog, Jean. Following it now! Have to say, my heart lifts when I see certain blogs pop up in my reader. But I can`t put one ahead of all the others. Each one brings something different into my life. Otherwise, I simply wouldn`t be following them.
I`m especially surprised by how educational this whole process is. I`d considered it mainly as a form of reportage, initially, but now see that I learn just so much and on such a diverse range of topics from reading other blogs. Along with being mightily entertained too of course.
Hi RH, I think the ‘heart lift’ is a pretty good indicator of ‘the special ones,’ and I agree that they add to different aspects of one’s life.
I know that there must be thousands of gems out there in blogosphere yet to be discovered. You just never know what you’ll hit on.
Excellent point, Jean, re the thousands of other ones. I`ve been on a hunt for some this morning what with all this time on my hands and dinner cooked(yawn! turkey! 😉 ) and am busily rooting through people`s blogrolls!
One of my New Year Resolutions is to create a blogroll. Time to make turkey left-over ‘special’ now!
I will be sure to check it out!
You definitely won’t be disappointed!
Hello Jean!
I follow only two blogs…yours (!) and Sarah Mongeau-Birkett ‘s blog “Oh the Places She’ll Go”. I don’t have enough time to follow more. I happened upon Sarah’s blog at about the same time I found yours-one year ago. I follow yours because of your writing and your interests, and especially because of the Irish connection. I follow Sarah’s because of her lovely photos and her Montreal connection. I feel very uprooted you see! I feel I should really be living in Montreal where I was born or Ireland where most of my relatives were born (County Louth and County Down). Thank you so much for all of your posts. It means a lot to feel more connected.
Nancy, I’m honoured that Social Bridge is one of your two. I must check out the other half! It’s interesting how blogs can bring us to places of all descriptions and lend that sense of connection or indeed build it!
Oof that’s difficult but I consistently find excellent and thoughtful pieces here http://www.inspirationandchai.com/ – Bronnie also wrote “Top 5 Regrets of the Dying” which if you haven’t heard of/read already, I think you’ll find interesting.
Hope you’ve survived the storms with no power loss! But I think UK is getting hardest hit at the moment, so here’s hoping you’re ok.
Good morning Vanessa, thanks for this recommendation which I will definitely have a close look at. I thought ‘The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying’ was very interesting indeed.
Thanks for your good wishes re the storms!