January 11, 2011

• To my Xanga Family

  Something happened yesterday. I realized that I had never written a xanga entry to the people in the xanga world. Yes. Since 2005 I have written to a general audience. It started out as novelty and therapy, and ended up something between ministry and hobby.

  In my xanga infancy, I subscribed to everyone I knew. This was before my social networking days, and the idea of subscribing to someone I didn’t know didn’t even occur to me. When I received those subscription e-mails, I could connect a face with blog entry. One by one they began to disappear. Boo. But others began to show up. Yea. Somehow a friend of a friend or just looking online they had read my blog and said something nice. They subscribed to me, and I did the same (as long as they didn’t look creepy).

  124 subscriptions and over five years later, I am doing something else new: I hit the “Edit subscriptions” button. Going to each page (and deleting the ones that heaven knows will never write again) has been a walk down memory lane. Interesting to see the ones that have a friend’s lock (ohhhh), the one that is only for “Adults” (ehhhh), and the ones that were only started so they could comment on my blog (ahhh).

  Here is a tribute to some of my xanga favorites of the past (I would make them turn BLUE if I knew how, but I don’t, so too bad):

  1. Darn_it_danube: I liked your name. Your writing as well.

  2. And_a_little_red_flower: great pictures. You got married and there went the blog. Tis what happened to most of my friends.

  3. Destroymenot: I knew you in person, so reading your amazing thoughts was even better.

  4. Hiccupingcows: kudos for the cool name.

  5. Such_Were_You: honest and blunt. When I needed it.

  6. I had two favorite reads, but don’t remember their names (curses): one had poetry I was tempted to steal (I restrained myself), and the other was a lady that always posted recipes and pictures that made me drool.

  And here are some current reads that I enjoy. Does anyone know why I don’t get that nice “subscription e-mail” sent to me anymore? Boo. Makes sure you read these as well:

  1. GreekPhysique: Great stuff. And he helps out my illiterate computerness. And really made me feel at home in the xanga world

  2. spokenfor: Beautiful person and writing. Definately my sister in a previous life

  3. trunthepaige: blunt. Yep. And very interesting.

  4. Jomegs: I know her–so it is a great way to keep up–and she posts pictures of her family so I feel a part of things. In a very cyber way.

  5. SlashoftheRedPen: teacherfood

  6. My_HAT_is_older_than_you

  7. TheTheologiansCafe: Tends toward the controversial, but has really perfected the short blog entry that snaps attention

  Other honorable mentions are AvenueToTheReal, decembriel (lovely quotes), DearRicky (Who seems to be surrounded by controversy and adoring women. But is interesting nontheless), Levanna (go Supercamp!), nephyo, they_call_me_steffyjean (I think we would be friends if I knew her).

  So many (from the little I read) are still prophesying the end of xanga. Changes? yes. But still here. And though I have not dedicated time to read, write, and really be a part of the xanga world (goodness, I didn’t even come up with an interesting name: “rwinzeler” my foot), I have enjoyed the little corner that I have gotten to know–and I thank you all, you beautiful-people-who-I-have-never-met, for being my xanga family.

  Here is to weblogs! Cheers!

   

  • 10:30 am
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