Wednesday, June 06, 2012

A Grand Gathering In Robert's Park


Like many of you reading this, I have dedicated quite a bit of time over recent years to blogging. It is a pastime which has given me a great amount of pleasure and satisfaction, but it is also a pastime I have difficulty explaining to many non-blogging friends. However, put me in a room with another blogger and I am instantly at home, instantly sharing ideas and memories with an old friend, instantly at ease. I have a theory which states that bloggers - or at least the kind of bloggers I hang around with (which by definition includes you) - are all of a certain personality type and when they meet for real they are guaranteed to get along. Earlier this year Isobel and I went to Lanzarote and there met fellow blogger Marilyn Brindley (Little Nell) and her husband. Not only did we seal a firm friendship, they also extended to us such wonderful hospitality which made our stay on their island a memorable one. 

A couple of weeks ago I got the chance to offer my own bloggers' hospitality when one of my very favourite bloggers - Christine H of The Daily Postcard - was visiting England along with her husband. They stayed with us over a weekend and I tried to put together a programme of visits which included a number of local West Yorkshire sites. Given their interest in architecture and town planning, a visit to Saltaire was an essential ingredient for the weekend, and so I thought I would ask another of my favourite bloggers - Saltaire resident Jennyfreckles of Salt and Light - to show us around. Although Jenny and I have undertaken joint blog projects before, we had never actually met and therefore this would be a fine opportunity to test out my theory.

The theory proved right. Anyone who observed the three of us sat together in the Half Moon Cafe in Saltaire would, I am sure, have bet a fortune on the fact that we were old friends who had known each other for years. And in many ways they would be right, we knew each others ideas, interests and thoughts and we shared a long and fascinating list of mutual friends who none of us had ever actually met. This is the strange, fascinating, unifying, and stimulating world of blogging, a world we all share, a world we all derive great pleasure from.

We decided to celebrate the meeting by publishing the same photograph on our three blogs. It shows the three of us - along with a bronze Llama!, It might appear that there is a big empty cricket field behind us, but look again, look closely. It is full of the virtual images of all our mutual blog friends from every country of every continent throughout the world. You were all with us that day - and I have to say that I have still not met a blogger who I didn't get along with like an old friend.

24 comments:

  1. Beautifully expressed, as always, Alan. It was so good to meet - let it not be the last time!

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  2. Love the cap, Alan. Is there a name for that style?

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    1. There is, but this is a family blog so I will leave it to your imagination!

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  3. Hello Alan:
    It is a strange world this virtual Blogosphere. But, from our own experience we can agree that when one does have the chance to meet fellow bloggers, they are the most generous hearted of people and full of interesting conversation. We are delighted, but not surprised, to read that your meeting with your blogging friends went so well. What fun!

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  4. Thank you for this lovely reminder of why I love blogging and the friends I've made here.

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  5. I agree with your theory. You have written it well. I'm glad you enjoyed your visit with fellow bloggers. I've met a few too and as you say, its like meeting an old friend.

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  6. I suppose simply choosing to follow a particular blogger indicates like mindedness, so I'm not surprised blogging friends hit it off in person. Enjoyed the simultaneous postings; looking forward to the one by the bronze llama! Jim

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  7. It's always great to meet fellow bloggers. It looks like you had a great time.

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  8. What a fine time that was. I'm so glad you didn't make any mention of how poorly the Americans fared in the Pub Quiz. We are busy studying for next time though. Not only will we know where and when Charles was crowned Prince of Wales, we will know what he was wearing.

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  9. I think there's much truth in what you say Alan since we often know more about our fellow bloggers than their actual earth bound friends do who don't read blogs. And, as Jim says, I don't really follow people who think very differently from how I do with regard to the basics.

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  10. How nice, Alan. I found Nell's blog through yours and it's wonderful. I will have to check out Christine too. So glad you enjoyed your time together!

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  11. The llama doesn't seem to be that interested. It's nice to see the real faces behind blogs!

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  12. How nice Alan I love the picture really nice!!

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  13. Uncanny, isn't it? When you read someone's blog regularly then often, when you meet them, you can get straight down to "brass tacks" as they say. If the blogger actually writes from the heart then, when you meet them, you find that the order in which you usually get to know things about someone has been oddly shuffled.

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  14. I always enjoy blogger visits and putting faces and names together. I'm glad that a good time was had by all.

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  15. What a great looking group photo! I couldn't agree more..bloggers are special people who you feel like you have known forever..comfortable people:)

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  16. Well said! I'm one blogger who feels the same as you and have met some of my blogging friends. I would like to meet all of them.

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  17. Well, now I'm just green with envy! I want to be there with all of you! How very fun! :)

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  18. I'm almost a little embarrassed to say I'm envious too. What an enjoyable time you three seem to have had, and I hope that one day I, too, will get a chance to meet some of you fellow bloggers, Sepia Saturday and otherwise.

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  19. The Half Moon Cafe is obviously the place to meet; Jennyfreckles and I (along with a mutual friend) enjoyed a long chat over a cup of coffee a few short months ago :)

    Incidentally, those bronze llamas are actually alpacas. It's all down to Sir Titus and his wool :)

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  20. Well, if you're ever around Leamington Spa, let me know!

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  21. Fun times! I agree with your feelings about other bloggers. I don't know any that I have met in person, how lucky you are to have met three!

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  22. So pleased it went well Alan and I can only agree with everything you say!

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  23. Just came from Jenny's blog -- I'm a little envious ... such fun to meet someone you already 'know' well.

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