Support your local bloggers!

Years ago, I used to read websites. That was back before anyone called them "blogs". Websites were basically blogs, but they had pages you could scroll through, and usually more pictures than blogs. I read, and still read, some of these, but I rarely, if ever, left them a comment.

Some of the websites I used to look at call themselves blogs now, and I still read, but I'm not in the cool crowd so I don't say anything.

The first blog I read was M's. I love her. On bagels. She was a friend before I started reading. She made me decide to start writing.

I read a lot of blogs every day, but I find myself purposely staying away from the "Big" bloggers. The ones who everyone knows and the ones that everyone reads. Not that they aren't awesome, because they are. They are great writers and everyone loves them and they get fifty million comments. They write their blogs for a living and they do really well and they are on the Today Show jesting with Al Roker. (Who, by the way, should not be on those "Did you know?" commercials with the shooting star and the rainbow talking all about healthy eating because he totally did not eat healthfully before having gastric bypass surgery. But I digress.)

Those reasons? Are exactly why I don't read any of the bloggers that everyone reads.

Because, really? I've found so many amazing blogs that aren't famous and don't get a million comments. I've found so many blogs that when I read them, I think, "I like this person. I wish I knew her in real life so we could kick it old-school." Or whatever.

I've seen a lot of blogs that are good blogs: funny, informative, and thought provoking. And the author just up and quits blogging because they never get any comments. I can imagine they wonder what the point is.

I also try really hard to find bloggers in my area. I found one person who blogs who lives in my city and I don't really read her blog, because it's a very specialized one. It's not bad, but I like blogs that are about someone's day to day life, you know? I like to write about the mundane things that happen to me because the mundane can be very entertaining.

But my other Tennessee girls? I love them. I love their blogs. I love to see what's going on in their part of the state. I love to see what's going on in their lives. I love their stories. My girls and boys outside of Tennessee? I love them too. I love the interaction we have, the sense of community we share, and how if one of us is hurting, the others rally around them and do what they can to help. I love that, and I think that's what blogging is really about. Or should be.

I'll never be famous for my blog and most of the bloggers I love never will be either. But that's okay. Sometimes it's really cool to be the little guy. And it's even cooler when you can help a little guy out in their time of need.

So support your local bloggers! And make America, or whatever country you live in, a better place! Or something.