O Brave New World

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Miranda:
O wonder!
How many goodly creatures are there here!
How beauteous mankind is! O brave new world
That has such people in’t!

Prospero:
‘Tis new to thee.

The Tempest (5.1.181–184)

I had planned to stay off WordPress today, but I wanted to respond to a post that I’d read last night. As I was firmly forcing myself away from my desk, I got a notification from WordPress. Typically, I ignore those, but this one got my attention: “Congratulations on getting 500 total likes . . .” “Total” includes “likes” on my posts and on my comments, and I felt deeply grateful to every WordPress blogger who ever sent a “like” in my direction. Bruce Thiesen‘s “like” for The Edge was the 500th that put me over the edge, so to speak. Too bad there is no jackpot for being #500, Bruce, but I recommend your thought-provoking blog, Ram On.

500 likes

When I started this blog in June, I was unaware of “how many goodly creatures” there are in the blogging community. I have been impressed by the respect with which bloggers treat other bloggers, and the kindness shown to struggling bloggers. Blogging 101, Class of September 2014, was the catalyst that forced me into interaction with other newbies — Beth, Aileen, Deborah, Karen, Terri A and Terri B, April, Lucile, Flavia, RoseRed, Kellie, and Doug are just a few of the many bloggers with whom I crossed paths. I am grateful to WordPress for facilitating those connections: it’s a marketing strategy, but it builds relationships. Blogging has become a “brave new world” in which I interact with people like Teresa and Momma, who live in another hemisphere, and in which I am challenged to post more regularly through events like Linda‘s and Colleen‘s.

In an effort to keep this post short, I cannot thank every individual whose “like” contributed to the 500, but I will note the bloggers whose “likes” for my latest post preceded Bruce‘s lucky “like”: lrod1726, Teresa Oh, jswunxin, Dan Antion, Wandering Dawgs, LifestyleswithLia, restoredpeople, fillyourownglass, Victo Dolore,  Priceless Joy, Allison, Terri Webster Schrandt, Bespoke Traveler, and kcg1974. The bloggers who most recently liked comments are: annanolan2014, Deborah Drucker, thecraftyladyincombatboots, jswunxin, Retirement Lifestyle, Silver Threading, luciledegodoy, Beth, Bespoke Traveler, and sorannymm.

Thank you to the readers who cannot “like” because they are not WordPress bloggers but who have demonstrated support for my blog in other ways. You know who you are!

29 thoughts on “O Brave New World”

    • Thanks, Karen: I did realize later that this is surely the sappiest post I have ever written. 🙂

      I still remember reading your “Baby Girl . . . you look fine” post, way back when and feeling a sense of kinship with you. It is a very supportive community! (I hope we all still feel this way, a year hence — I hope all the folks I met in Blogging 101 are still blogging a year hence, but already I don’t see posts from a few.)

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  3. Congratulations! What a JOY! I know I’ve been really grateful for meeting people in that class too. I have been touched by the respect, goodwill and creativity of this community, such a wonderful change from the sarcasm and witty remarks that, sadly, I have come to expect while interacting with others. Thank you for being you, Sandi and for stopping by (I think you introduced yourself first). And… thanks for the link btw.

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    • Thank you, April! Yes, I was not expecting to find such sympathetic or supportive people in Blogging 101 (or in Photo 101, which I short-changed in this post: just 2 more assignments to go there). Whether we finished Blogging 101 or not, we have all come a long way since mid-September. I have loved exchanging comments with you over the past couple of months — and finding a fellow Laura Ingalls Wilder fan.

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    • Thank you, Lucile! Knowing you has definitely made the world more interesting and more fun 🙂 I enjoy your blog as well, although I don’t keep up with it as well as I would like.

      Now that the euphoria has passed, I feel silly for being so excited. To me, a “like” means that someone read and reacted. Comments, of course, are the crème de la crème, but they can be difficult and time-consuming. I love comments and like “likes”!

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