December 16: Cheaper Than Therapy

December 16 Prompt: Friendship. How has a friend changed you or your perspective on the world this year? Was this change gradual, or a sudden burst? (Author: Martha Mihalick)

2010 has been my first full year writing a consistent, ongoing, personal blog. I've tried to write at least every week and more than that if I feel like I've got something engaging to share. Though that last part is certainly debatable, especially when I go back to some early posts. How many posts do we need about making caramels? Really? And the few times I might have over shared and regretted it. Once or twice, or try half of these Reverb 10 posts. But I think, slowly over the last twelve months, I've gotten better at this. I love writing in this medium. It has become kind of a constantly updated, living scrapbook of moments and events. Minus any cheesy stickers and fancy edged paper. In many ways it's made my year more challenging, more successful and more fun than I imagined.

So where's the answer to today's prompt, you ask? Stop raving about having your own online soap box, woman, get to it. Fine, fine. The biggest part of the blogging fun is the ongoing conversation I get to have: through witty comment banter, reading other bloggers' posts and seeing their view of the world, talking to friends and family to hopefully inspire other ballsy and outspoken men and women, the shy ones too, to get out here with me, writing and sharing their voices. Reading other bloggers has helped me become a better writer. Seeing how someone can take the same English language that I'm working with and bend it to their will to justify and enlighten a reader about the important, or funny, or terrifying or frustrating or sexy is inspiring. All those disparate and humming voices, looking for someone to acknowledge them or just read their words. Just to take the time to read. People articulating who they are and what they value with every word choice and topic. I'm happy to be their loyal reader and for some, their friend.

I don't want to pick just one friend for this prompt. So some of these folks are my friends in real life and some are people I would love to meet, sit with over a beverage while gossiping and deconstructing the horrors of celebrity face lifts gone wrong.  I want to tell you about a whole cavalry of writing women and maybe a guy or two, sharing their voices and experiences through their words, photography and creativity. But I'm lazy, so go browse and visit some of the other sites in my blog roll over there on the left, and I'm going to highlight a few of the bloggers I know in real life, but come back here please, because I miss you when you're gone.

The Ladies:

One of my best friends, she is sarcastic, blunt, funny, a great mom and professional social media expert.
Kristen at kristendomblogs.com. Here's a good post to get you started.

Bethany is a high school friend of Joe's and now one of my dear, dear friends. She just had a new baby! She is crafty, thoughtful and owns and operates bethanyactually.com. Try this one to get a taste of the Actually's world.

Neha is one of my oldest friends, but brand new. She started her blog so recently that this Reverb 10 project is the first time she's written more than a post or two. Go over and take a look at this "paper boy" artist's take on life, creativity and the struggle to find yourself when you move every single damn year. 

Another newbie, Ms. Wendy. My lunch, book talk, and emotionally analytical conversation friend, who I met at work, but is certainly more than just a "work" friend. She's blogging on the down low so she can share all the dirt on being the mom of two teenage boys and a nearly teen daughter. Don't tell her kids, but she's  blogging over here.

Dana just earned her Ph.D. and she's currently growing a second kiddo. I love the way that she shares her family, her work and her passions. Plus, she loves art even more than I do. And she actually knows what she's talking about. Go read her musings here.

And finally..

The lovely Katrina, another familiar face from previous blog posts on pottery painting, and margarita consumption, Katrina is a working mother of three boys, a great teacher and hostess, has an easy laugh and I've loved getting to know her better through her blog. Check out triple the action.

Who are you reading these days? Whose site do you check everyday? Are you a lurker or a commenter? Are you lurking here again? Come on, say something, I dare you.