Friday, June 13, 2008

The BBBC Wrap Up

Yep, today is the final day. :) I want to thank each of you who participated from the bottom of my heart. You have no idea what it meant to me each time I got the comment, "I'll do it!" I know some of you came into it kicking and screaming because updating every day is not your thing. Some of you jumped in and suddenly were averaging 3 posts a day. But either way, you guys did it and I'm so proud.

When I thought of this challenge, I had just a couple of reasons in my head for doing so. I was tired, as some other people were, of hitting my favorite blogs every day and not seeing anything new for over a week, sometimes more. When you post the way that I do, the people who read your blog will tell you that THAT is why they read you. They know they'll get something new, even if it's just something silly and random. There is room in the blogosphere for all kinds of blogs, from the ones with the well thought out posts that keep people interested, to the ones where it's just very personal and you feel like you are actively involved in this person's life, first or second.

My second reason was that I simply wanted some people to stop thinking so hard. You are all wonderful in your own ways, and I've gotten to talk to a lot of you in world in just spontaneous conversations that were funny and interesting. It made me really sad to know that so many of you didn't think that people would still like you if you didn't post very well constructed posts, and that thought kept you from doing so much that you COULD be doing. I know, some of you are chronic overthinkers. :) And we definitely need you guys in our lives because it keeps the rest of us who flitter from this to that grounded and steady. But I wanted you guys to step out of your brain for just a bit and let go. Judging from what I saw this past week, some of you did so in ways that weren't even related to blogging, and that is amazing.

So to finally answer one of the BBBC topics... What did I get out of this experience?

I got to smile as I watched you share pieces of your lives with everyone, even if it was just a short post saying what you did that day, and what you thought about something.

I got to meet some unbelievable people who have made me laugh so hard in just random conversations. You guys are funnier than you think you are.

I became closer to some people that I always felt a little bit in awe of. You know, Cen has talked of how she has been awed by certain bloggers and SLebrities, and how some people may feel the same with me. But I never saw that anyone would have a reason to be starstruck by me. I felt that way about many of you. But when you're on my friends list or in my group, and out of nowhere we can be talking about shoes or food, to me that takes away the feeling of "Oh my god, this person is famous" and replaces it with a feeling of friendship. And that is far better.

And I got to sit back and watch people who had never spoken before in their lives become friends. I laughed on Wednesday because some people were IMing me with "Oh yeah, so-and-so and I are out shopping together." And I couldn't remember that they'd even known OF each other before the challenge.

Cen said in her blog that this feels like camp. We started out kind of peeking into each other's blogs, and with a small comment here and there, and suddenly we're at the end of the week, hugging and laughing and sharing memories and promising to be friends forever. It does feel that way. I'm reading some of your final BBBC entries and laughing and crying and I really do feel like some of us will remain close.

Will this change the way I blog in the future?

For the time being, yes. You see, I started this blog as part of my $5L A Day project, and as a way to give my SL a little more meaning. Levi knows this, but I've never told anyone else, but last year and part of this year I was in therapy for a few reasons that I won't get into. Coming into SL helped to heal me. Blogging helped to heal me. It took away the worthless feeling I had and replaced it with something much better. Levi, Cen, and others that I've grown close to healed me in ways they could never have imagined. How could I ever thank you guys for that? So much of my SL has been about this blog, but I need to slow down now. At least for a few days. It will take an act of God to get me to give up blogging. :) But I am tired, and my batteries need to be recharged, so I'm taking a few days off just to rest my brain and enjoy my SL without the constant thought of "Is this blogworthy? Do I need to remember this to share it?" I won't be going away completely. I'll still be reading blogs and commenting, and I'm available through IMs and my group and everything else. The only thing changing is that I won't be running 5 posts a day for a while.

At least, I say I'm not. You never know.

But again, thank you guys so much for a crazy, fun, amazing week. Thank you for humoring me with this challenge and not just passing it over as something silly I thought up. Thank you all, SO much, for simply being who you are.

BBBC Summer '08!!

17 comments:

C said...

OK y'all - we can stop making Cen cry anytime now!

OMG I'm such a sap *hugs*

M said...

*sniffles and shares her tissue with CeN*

Ali you must feel something like a proud mommy hen right about now.

I had a great time. And yes it does feel like camp, lol.

Ok dammit, now I'M crying again.

**hugs**

Anonymous said...

waaah I missed camp..when is the next camp?? *G*

Terri Zhangsun said...

It was alot of fun Ali! Thank you and enjoy your recharging time!

Dyami Jameson said...

Thank you for inpsiring (making us get off of our asses)us with this challenge. It was fun Alicia, and I think everyone had a great time with it. I definitely found some new blogs out of this.

In a way it is kind of sad to see it end.

C said...

I'm sure this is whole challenge is somehow your fault Dyami :) Just like me blogging at all is your fault. LOL

Anonymous said...

aw. I hope a "hug" isn't out of place here. I'd like to thank you for coming up with this challenge and for being the kind of person that gathers people around them and draws people out (because I need such people in my life-first or second). So thank you for being an instigator of the best kind. :)

Aisuru

Dyami Jameson said...

Why do I always get the blame and no credit?

People should be thanking ME since some circumstances that I created led to your blogging. We would have never gotten to know the "real" Cen and look what we all would have missed out on!

(YOU can thank me later)

Calista Janick said...

I loved this challenge and I'm so glad I got to know so many people and made new friends :) Like I said in my blog, it helped me start SL again and i'm always gonna be thankful for that from you Ali! I deleted my blog and wasn't sure I would blog like I used to, I would hug you a million times if I could!

Sunflower said...

I'm so glad that you are happy, Alicia, and that the bad times are behind you. You're a great person and you've made SL so much more fun for me just by giving me your blog to read! *hugs*

Anonymous said...

(((hugs everyone)))

I promise I'll keep in touch!!! *hrhrhrhr*

And I think that's the thing really. See, blogging regularly just takes getting into the habit, and I think now we're all a bit more habitual about it. And doing it as a group and getting so much feedback and meeting new people, well, that's the secret to success I think!

Thank you so much Ali for taking the lead and making us get off our lazy arses!!

Unknown said...

Alicia, thank you for this challenge. It led me to some people I'm not sure I'd have ever met, led a few more people into the whirling vortex that is my inner monologue, and made what was already one of the most special weeks of my life even more so.

You, and the SL Bloggers in general, are important to me. You're a big part of why I like SL so much, and you inspire me to take my muddled thoughts out, look at them, and see what (if anything) they really mean. Knowing y'all are out there makes a real difference, and this challenge just concentrated the whole thing into an even more potent experience.

Blessings on all of you!

Sai Pennell said...

I loved the BBBC - it was fun, I met new people, and discovered some great blogs I never knew about. I am excited to see what is to come after this - like, will there be another in the future? :D

And yus! It was just like camp! I had the courage to post on other people's posts (starting with yours, Alicia - I've been reading for a while), and even began to feel like these other bloggers were some of my bestest pals XD

It was a blast, and renewed my love for my personal blog, thats been neglected for too long.

^^

Casandra Shilova said...

I second Creag. Bloggers "are a big part of why I like SL so much". I discovered SL bloggers before I logged on the first time! I start off my morning with a round of bookmarked favs and a cup of coffee.

I hope you will make it a regular challenge. Who knows, maybe I would even post.....

*smiles*

Anonymous said...

I had so much fun doing this challenge! Everyday I looked forward toward reading everyone's new posts and getting in there and writing my own. I'm a little sniffly that it's all over.. and I totally agree that this was a lot like camp, I'm sad to see it end, but I had a blast and hope to keep reading up on everyone's comings and goings. :D

Anonymous said...

What a lovely person you are, Alicia - whether intentional or not, all these blogs do say something about those sometime "distant" faces/people behind them...
I love reading about everyone else's adventures and being rather shy, I just feel more at home commenting than I would be appraoching anyone inworld!
Have a wonderful break, enjoy and relax! <3

Writ of Hocus Pocus said...

Thank you Alicia for sharing with everyone. That takes guts. *hugs you*