Okay, I felt like writin’ and ramblin’ so you all get stuck with a verbose Christmas Day of me posting to my blog. I am antsy, home alone, and writing my little ass off.
The Panther’s Tale – Albert Vanderburg is a voluntarily homeless Hawaiian who has been writing an unorthodox journal/blog of sorts for years. You have to delve deep into his archives for this blog to captivate you though. They can be hard to find and navigate. I wish he would move over to blogger. I actually sat and read all 9 years of entries one long weekend this summer. He is in his sixties now and has been under the weather due to an illness so his posts are not coming with the frequency that they once did. Albert captures the homeless lifestyle in a way no other online journalist ever has from the confines of a local University library. The Sleeptalker and other characters in his tales will feel like old friends if you give his journal a good afternoon read. I think the unorthodoxy of his journal is why his blog never really caught on. Once you start reading and get familiar with his characters, you will be hooked and stop by everyday to see how Albert is doing. I am drawn to people living such alternative lives and admire him for having the courage to get out of the “rat race.”
The Homeless Guy - I have often been a staunch critic of this guy over the years due to his caustic online persona he portrays, but his blog still captivates me. A friend of his who lives in Nashville emailed me not long ago to say in his defense that Kevin is nothing like his online persona and is a very nice guy, and that Kevin realizes he pisses people off sometimes with his online demeanor and tirades. I tend to trust this friend so that tempers my distrust and dislike of Kevin somewhat. This guy sure could burn bridges though with the way he handles things online. Caustic is the word. Still, you have to admit that he updates regularly and manages to keep up a blog despite being homeless. His archives and “retro” blog have relevant postings about homelessness going back for years. I wish him a Merry Christmas and hope that he is someday reunited with his kids that he has been estranged from for years. His recent post about addicts touched my heart as he never really writes about addiction on the streets. I have walked that path and may yet do so again.
Waiterrant – Waiter taught me by reading to get out and experience things to drum up posts for my blog. I would get out and actively seek out experiences with George and the gang just so my readers would have something interesting to read as I found their colorful lives to be so vibrant. It could also make for a chaotic and harrowing personal life filled with miscreants, drunkards, and crack heads so that’s why I rarely write about the gang these days. It just wasn’t healthy for my social life. I was George’s drinking buddy and when I stopped drinking so much, he stopped coming around everyday. I was also under the delusion that I could someday support myself by writing a journal, but quickly became disillusioned when it grew hard to keep up with posting and crafting such tales and so few showed up to read. I was a definite labor of love for awhile though. I don’t think the tales of George and the Gang is over just yet. Maybe, I will catch a second wind and stamina to keep up with this busy group of fellas.
And drum roll please…
The Story of my Life – This is what blogging should really be used for. For far-a-flung friends to be able to actually read along as you live your life. Annabel has to be one of the most stalwart and prolific bloggers I have ever come across and I admire her diligence with sharing her busy daily life with us. I am a detail minded person and love reading about the minutia that would probably bore most other readers. I know that if I want to see how a friend is doing then I can just get online and see how. It’s amazing we live so far away, and yet I feel like I know her so well and we have never met in real life. I was there when Josh’s dad committed suicide. I was there when she experienced the elation of having a new/used car. I was around for the new teaching job. I wish my life could more emulate hers. I want a boring everyday sort of life for a change. I get tired of the drama my life sometimes entails.
Honorable mentions include:
The Thoughts of a Frumpy Professor – I have never found a more stalwart and earnest online friend in this good man and he updates regularly which is paramount to keeping me as a reader. Pipe Tobacco has been with me from the beginning of my virgin blogging and homeless days. The Homeless Guy says I wasn’t really homeless since I was living in a tent though and had a stable income – I think. Well, I didn’t actually grow up wanting to be in his exclusive club anyway. Harrumph! lol
Wheel – This special person just happened across me on the internet. It takes a forward person like this to befriend me due my social anxieties. We even talk on the phone from time to time and you have to be damn special for me and my phone centered phobias to sit and talk with ya. She even alerted the local authorities when I disappeared during my recent stay in the hospital. Abbagirl is the type of person I want to fill my social life with. Good hearted people who care and will go an extra mile for a friend. I will always do the same for you, gal.
Oh, I could go on and on about all the wonderful people I have met online Blogging like Sue, Cheryl, Liz, and others. It would be too long to list them all and there is not enough time in the day. I hope I didn’t leave anyone feeling left out. I read you all everyday that comment. I am just terribly shy about commenting in return. Maybe, that is an obtainable goal to give back by commenting this New Years. I have become connected with so many people though that it would take hours to read and comment upon all the blogs that I read.
8 comments:
Hi Jonathan,
I enjoy reading some of the blogs you mentioned and will look into those I hve not.
Hope you have a wonderful day even tho you are home alone. I soon will be also.
Blessings
Leann
*smile* Thank you. I'll definitely be looking at the blogs you mentioned that I don't already read.
The Panther's Tale looks interesting!
Waiterrant is a site other people have recommended as well. So far, it has not caught my attention, but I will try again.
Andrew,
I wanted to stop by and wish you a Merry Christmas. I don't have time to catch up on your last couple days of posts at the moment, my little one is all wound up (so I'll have to catch up when she's asleep tonight). But while I was playing with her and remembering my Christmas's past, I thought of you.
I've been alone on Christmas before. It's not fun. I was heart broken to find out you'd be alone this year. All I can do is send you good thoughts and let you know I'm thinking of you. And I know your other friends are as well. As I said, I've been alone so I have a pretty good idea of what today is like for you. You know you're loved, but, being alone just doesn't feel 'Christmas-ey'. Especially for someone like us, who get in the spirit just by seeing decorations in town.
But I want you to know in your heart, that people are thinking of you. And I hope that's enough to bring you some Christmas cheer today.
I'll send you some photos of my little one in an email later on tonight. There's a 6 hour difference in our time zones, so you should still be awake then.
Merry Christmas My Friend!!!
Ok the little one is asleep now and I had the time to sit down and catch up.
This post is one of the reasons I love reading your blog. You're such an honest and caring person, and you have a way with words. Such a nice tribute to your friends and I'm sure they're flattered.
I agree with you on the diligence it takes to keep a blog. It takes commitment. Sometimes I have things I'd like to write, but just don't have the time. I think my excuse is 'legit' tho, a toddler who insists on my attention, and attacking my keyboard and mouse, haha. And once she's asleep, it's hard to get my mind in writing mode because I'm so tired myself.
But you make good points about blogs. And I liked reading what draws you to a specific blog and your thoughts on them.
I hope you're feeling a little more upbeat when you read this. I sent you some pics of my lil one which I hope will make you smile.
Take Care
Liz
Almost all of us wear some kind of a mask, even - or especially - with those close to us. Sad, but often necessary.
That's why I love blogs. I appreciate the unique insight they can offer about those who write them. It also helped me realize that, beneath the illusion of diversity, people can be remarkably similar...
Well, I definitely missed you yesterday and I would have called. I have to laugh now reading about how I had called the authorities. People will do crazy things for those they care about. I remember that day all too well. Everyone was emailing me to do something. I started to get worried when I noticed that you weren't visiting me. I had to call the authorities twice, because they forgot to call me back. I can laugh about it now.
I will be in contact soon, you little booger!
Awww shucks. You just made my heart go pitter-patter. Thanks for the very kind words. I hope that someday we will get to meet. You are one of my very good and dear friends.
Now I will go update my blog.
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