The One Where I BlogStalk

Ever since I was introduced to the idea of blogs, I have been a blog stalker. At my job before this one, I had A LOT of down time, because my job was to sit at my desk in case the phone rang. So, I spent a lot of time on Xanga, back when that was the cool thing.

Now that I've grown up a bit, I spend a lot of time with my Google Reader. On a slooooow day at camp, I blog hop. I go from one to another to another. Not all of them make it into my Reader, but I do get to visit a lot of people around the world!

Speaking of my Reader, I currently have 95 subscriptions.

I know 51 of those bloggers personally, or at least minimally. There is Lisa, who was my college roommate. Gretchen, who is one of my best friend's sister-in-laws. I was a wee little grade schooler when Melissa was a high schooler. Tina, Anna and Rachel were sisters that I went to high school with. Vanessa and I were good friends throughout high school (and beyond!). Bethany is one of my very very closest friends and was my matron of honor. Jenn worked at the same camp I do, except she was a couple of years ahead of me. Syd and Andrea also hail from TER. Julie is the daughter-in-law of camp's closest neighbor and someone I thoroughly enjoy spending time with when she is around. Elizabeth, who was my Bible study leader in Minnesota. Bethany, who was on my floor freshman year of college.

There are the big time bloggers, like Pete Wilson, and his wife Brandi, from Nashville. Or Abraham Piper, and his wife Molly, who go to Bethlehem Baptist (however, I'm pretty sure Lisa knows them, so I feel better about that!). Or Angie, who is Todd Smith's wife from Selah. Or of course, The Pioneer Woman, who I started reading before I even knew what Google Reader was (I spent a lot of time googling her before I finally bookmarked her).

Then there are the bloggers that I forget I don't know and might not know who I am. I have been following Amy Beth for a year now and always look forward to what she has to say, but even though we're Facebook friends, I'm pretty sure she doesn't know who I am. Alece and I are also Facebook friends, and I love reading her thoughts and dreaming thoughts of South Africa with her, but once again, don't think she knows who I am (even though she responded to my Facebook status once!). Annie, who I found out, once we were Facebook friends, know a person in common and I bought her EP, which is amazing. Chelsea, who I have been linking to like crazy lately and Twitterstalking as well (sorry Chelsea!). Another Annie that I read because of the other Annie. Ellyn, who I know has NO idea who I am, simply because I just read her blog and don't comment.

But they feel like friends. All of them. It feels like I am reading an email they are sending to me. I know that people who aren't bloggers don't understand why we blog or why we would want to read someone we don't know. But it makes sense to me. We do it because we can. Because they invite us in. Because it makes this big world just a little bit smaller. And that's nice.