Check out Darcie's new digs at geeekgirl.net. Officially her OWN domain! Yay! Darcie writes some of the greatest posts ever. I love her wry humor, wonderful photographs and subtle social commentary. I also love the fact that she's one of my best friends in the whole wide world and I feel lucky to know her.
Pete Beck has also moved. He's another one I always enjoy reading. He's got such a positive voice and a unique outlook. Check it out. I'm hypin the homies.
And to all the rest of you bloggers out there, doing your thing, saying what's on your mind, speaking out with a positive soul and a desire to share something meaningful, even if it's only in the scope of your own universe, THANK YOU. I get busy sometimes and don't read as many blogs as I'd like to, but I have my mainstays, as most of us do. And regardless of reciprocation and all that business, there are a lot of really kickass writers out there. I am always amazed. Some of the most talented writers of today are bloggers. We're creating a whole new world out here.
Cosa Nostradamus wrote a post that Sandy put up at her site that really struck me in terms of what we're all doing here. On the internet. What is our purpose? I believe our purpose is to create positivity and to effect change. In the essence of our very existence, we do represent change. There are many out there who represent malicious behavior and a desire to oppress and facilitate acrimony. Those people are best to be ignored. On the whole, blogging is a movement. Some people want it to be a bowel movement. Others want it to be a movement towards a better world. Those people listed under the Progressive Blog Alliance are all people who see themselves as a part of that movement.
All those who are using this internet to create positivity, to get inside people's heads, to tell their story genuinely, to pop out a little bit of humor or thoughtfulness or beauty or insight during the day for others to participate in. That's what it's all about. The smell of piss and vinegar fades as a good faith effort to contribute to the internet, as a society of its own, takes reign.
Hi Maria,
Tell me a bit more about the Progressive Blog Alliance, please. I'll go read the blurbs on their site - but I'd like an insider's opinion as well rather than the macro-view.
Posted by: tincanman at February 3, 2005 08:56 PM.
It's a nice cozy little group of mostly-Left poitical type and personal blogs. A few more conservative types, but no fascists or psychos like Geoffrey.
It's a good place to meet other bloggers, and promote your site. The blogroll does cause some sites to load kinda slow, though. I haven't been able to find a way to put it on my site, so I just link the blogs I know, and like, best.
Apply. It's worth doing. No real negatives. Good luck, there, Kiwi!
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Thanks Cosa, I'll do that!
Posted by: tincanman at February 3, 2005 11:56 PMthanks for the props Maria!
Posted by: P at February 4, 2005 12:58 AMI agree with the whole positive vibe, although I was booted from the PBA for not pimping the blogroll (it was there, I just got the boot, not much of an alliance if you ask me)and that's ok, I'm not much of joiner and found the bombardment of emails prior to the election kind of desperate and a wee bit psycho.
Fight the good fight!
Thanks for the shout out Maria!
Pete, Darcie: Anytime! ;o)
Cupie, that's jacked! I didn't realize you'd been "removed." Total jackassery.
I like the PBA not for the community that it creates or the "oneness" as much as for all the bloggers that are on my radar that would otherwise not be. Like I said, there are some great writers among those listed. So I should say, I love it for the blogroll and I love it for the concept. I don't love ego trips and exclusivity though. That ain't cool yo.
Posted by: Maria at February 4, 2005 02:28 PMCupie, I'm sorry I booted you, I was cranky and overworked that day, it sounds like I made a mistake, and I will endure a good shunning from you if that is your wish. Shun me! (sorry, as I wrote the word "shun" I suddenly realized how much I liked it.) BTW, Aldon and I are coding our own blogrolling service to deal with the slow loading... however PHP is no fun, and real work sometimes gets in the way, so it might be another week or two.
-Nick "the 'queen of england' of the pba' [in a metrosexual way]" Lewis
Geez... I need to come up with a better nickname for myself. I'm going to go out for a drink. terry-de-loo
Posted by: Nick Lewis at February 4, 2005 11:33 PMI don't wish to dive into any political arena on my blog at this point. I just enjoy off beat stress free humor, photos, sharing and positive interaction. I am curious though, would my site be considered a bowel movement? I would love some feedbacks from some of the community if you get a free minute. BTW, love this site. Diving deep into it as we speak.
Posted by: Josh at February 5, 2005 02:42 AMJosh, thank you for your kind comment. And NO your blog would by no means qualify as a "bowel movement." That comment is directed very specifically at people who attack other bloggers on the base level of slandering family, personalities and political views from the stance of superiority, acting as if they are faultless while others (such as myself) are viewed as ignorant and addressed in a disrespectful manner on a consistent basis, while I provide an open forum for free discussion. I have several very rude conservative readers who can't seem to help but spew bile in every thread I write. Those people have been recently eliminated by the wonders of technology and software, but their presence and ugly energy is still felt on the internet and in the blogosphere, whether directly or through the natural course of their conduct elsewhere.
I respect your choice not to discuss political issues. I do so because I feel that I have a natural and genetic predisposition to do so, but I don't feel others are obligated to involve themselves in that kind of discussion. All I expect out of other bloggers is that they are either funny or interesting in their own unique sense - hopefully on a positive level, and that their own expression is not based on a bad faith desire to harm, oppress, silence and psychologically destroy others. I respect all forms of artistic and free expression, but I abhor those whose purpose is none other than to create conflict and hatred. I don't imagine you fit into that category.
Posted by: Maria at February 5, 2005 03:37 AM.
Parting shot:
Tried to post this earlier, guess I used a bad word. Like G_. (His info is at the bottom of all his nasty comments.) So here's a link, for nice people who have been hassled by the bad people mentioned above. See yawl.
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Maria,you just made my top ten dinner guest list, and you now have an official fan (not stalker). I like the way you think girl, keep it up!
Posted by: Josh at February 7, 2005 09:20 AMThanks Josh! Right back at ya. :o)
Posted by: Maria at February 7, 2005 03:35 PMunconditional Ryan Jill Shiloh reordered thoroughness scribble retaliation Caucasian
Posted by: at December 17, 2006 10:57 PMHi!,
Posted by: Barbara at November 10, 2007 07:50 AMHi!,
Posted by: BadGirl at November 10, 2007 07:51 AMHi!,
Posted by: Wolf at November 10, 2007 07:52 AM