Bogey Bites

As some of you may have noticed, I have changed the word COMMENTS, in the comments box to “Bogey Bites”. I was looking for something with a little more humour and a little less of a reminder of what it was like to read what your High School Teachers had to say about you. Whatever! It works for me and I like it. Anyways, the reason for this post is kind of a follow up to comments I started to make on Audrey's Blog, Stage 3! Who, me? In her post, which of course you can read for yourself here. And before I go on, I just want to clarify one thing. This in no way is a judgment of Audrey or her Blog. I was in the process of commenting on her most recent post, when I realized something. I was approaching post length in my comment, felt I had something to say that would have taken away from Audrey's post and also had my own thoughts on Followers and Blog Comments. So, I politely let Audrey know of my intention and so, there you have it. Now, back to the regularly scheduled post.

Like a lot of Bloggers, I started out with a little apprehension. I kind of just tip toed around with no real agenda of what it was I was going to write about and most of the time, I still don't. I began reading a lot of Blogs, commenting on some while just passing through on others. To be honest, I was unsure of whether I would find an audience let alone keep them around for any length of time. Mind you, it has only been 3 months since I have started this so didn't really know what to expect. Very early on, there were only a small handful of bloggers who came to become “Followers” and we basically followed each other. And, I am honoured to say, that they are still all followers. The biggest spike came when I wrote about the loss of a friends pet, and Natalie sent out a “Mourning Call”. A few more people became followers and to date, most have them continue to tag along for which, of course, I am grateful. It just means that somebody is reading this stuff and it makes me feel good when I do get comments.

Like Audrey, I take a personal interest in the Blogging Community in which I have become a part of. Reading and commenting if and when I can. Actually, I am intentionally trying to ensure that what I do here is manageable because I feel I owe something in return to the people who have followed me. But to me, it is a debt that I will gladly pay. Compared to a lot of the people who do visit here, I have a small family of friends and feel very comfortable adding as I go along. When I do visit my fellow bloggers, I try and take special care in the comment that I do leave behind. And this I do for a number of reasons. First of all, many of you take a lot of care putting together your posts. I think it would be unfair of me to hit and run just to say I left a comment. And so, I give you and your post the respect that is due. Sometimes, I may read a post and have to leave it just so I can digest what I have read before I even leave a comment. I like that you can make me think and feel like that. To explore your words on another level of consciousness. But I always come back and comment.

Being an emotional person by nature, it has been refreshing to allow myself to feel when something I read squeezes my heart. I did not always do this because I have repressed a lot of these emotions for years. Now, I have an opportunity to connect with those feelings reading your words that often mirror images that I have lived. In a way, it has been comforting, in a sense, to know that there are many more of you who have lived lives whereby we can connect with each other. Offering compassion, empathy and understanding if only for a little while. Of course I realize not everybody likes to read these types of melancholy stories. Your reasons are your own and explanations are not necessary. Suffice it to say, when I read your blogs I can go through a myriad of emotions in a very short time.

There are some bloggers that I know I can go to and get a laugh or a chuckle almost every single time. And sometimes, that can leave me smiling for hours or cause me to silently chuckle in the middle of the day. Leaving those around me scratching their collective heads wondering what is so funny. Ah! My little secret. Then there are those of you who fill my memory banks with your treasured and historic surroundings via the lens of your cameras and your eagle sharp eyes. Your photos often leave me spell bounded by the magnificence of your imagery. Speaking of imagery, how can I not mention the artists amongst you. Those of you who mix paints or pastels, pencils or charcoal with your creative souls and transfer your emotions onto the blank canvases that lay in front of you. Truly awe inspiring.

And then, of course, there are those of you who can wax lyrical either with your words of wisdom, guidance or even poetry. There is so much creativity in Blog Land it is really hard to put it into the proper context it deserves. Your words can touch my soul, tickle my funny bone and educate me all within a span of minutes. They all remind me of my humanness and my capacity to feel and to shed a tear or to smile and bust a gut laughing. So why would I not want to read and view all that you have to offer and to leave you with a small, yet genuine token of my heartfelt appreciation. Believe me, it is the least that I can do. I've enjoyed traveling across this world and seeing familiar faces in familiar places. Made familiar by the warmth and acceptance of all of our Blog friends.

Now, as for receiving comments, who amongst us can say that they don't have a little smile in their heart when they know somebody took the time to stop by and leave a little token of their appreciation. I know I do. Which is also why I try to acknowledge each received comment with a little note of thanks. Here is how I view seeing comments in the Bogey Bites box. Some of you may remember this a little bit more than others. Have you ever had a pen pal or a friend who moved away and you used to keep in touch solely by snail mail? When you came home from school or work to find an envelope addressed to you waiting for you to tear into. For your eyes only. How you used to treasure those moments anxious to open it there and then but waited until you were in the privacy of your bedroom. Well that is kind of what it feels like when I see that somebody dropped off a Bogey Bite. And I am always happy to see my familiar friends as well as new ones who have just dropped by.
I just had this thought, I wonder how many people have dropped by, took one look at this blog, thought it would all be about Golf and high tailed it out of here. Too bad I say. They wouldn't get an opportunity to meet all of you! Cheers all and have a happy Friday!

Oh! Almost forgot, Doctor told me I may be suffering from CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome). May? What the hell does that mean? More tests required of course and I wish that I could say that I've been feeling better but nope. Just pacing myself a little for now. Of course, now I need to do some research on this because any Doctor that tells me that I “may” be suffering from anything obviously isn't interested in finding out for me! Hmmphh!