100

I spent some time this weekend tidying up my “I Love To Read …” list. The sidebar was looking dusty and out of date. I’ve been meaning to do this for some time but I finally got crackin’ to mark my 100th post.

Yep, 100 and still kicking ass. At least I like to think so.

100 is such a fine number – it’s nice and round, easy to divide from, multiply to – hell I can even do percentage of without a calculator. Take that young people!

As I prepared to celebrate the one hundred-ness of my blog I had to stop and think why I was blogging.

Because I feel I have stuff to say? Yes.
And my friends and family are sick of listening to me? A little.

Because I live in a suburban environment where I have to drive miles to find the NY Times, a book store, a Democrat? Absolutely.

Because I think we all need to listen and learn, we all need to connect with the world around us; we need to keep our minds and hearts open and aware? Whoops! There it is!

I love to share – my thoughts, my feelings, my cooking, my home. I also realized in the past 100 posts that I love to receive. I love to receive praise, hugs, affirmation – well that’s human, that’s OK – see therapist, I am getting better.

And most of all I love our community. Full of wonderfully creative and talented people. People who share their dreams and their nightmares. People who share their photos – professional masterpieces or photos of the grandkids on a sled – each one a treasure because it represents people reaching out through the internet tubes to show themselves to others.

As I updated my ‘linky love’ list I smiled at each and every name. There is such diversity in the group.

There are women who have lost the loves of their lives yet they make monkeys dance and butterflies take flight.

There are moms and grandmothers – and dads too – who share their daily struggles. The price of gas, working and raising kids, getting funding for therapy, getting better education resources, help for autistic children. They share advice, accepting and acknowledging each other openly – with love and with grace.

There are comedians – naughty humor, silly jokes, and my personal favorite – rich and irreverent satire that you can absolutely keep on believing in. The kind of humor that makes you feel young again/still – where you’re one of the cool kids, cutting class and hiding your wine in a bag til you get to the boardwalk.

There are lots of hot women – some are like brushes of sunlight, some are twisted sisters with bodacious ta-tas and some are young women I would want as daughters. They share talk of their jobs, their lovers, their tattoos and their shoes.

And the guys – let’s hear it for the boys! Cynical bastards who are clever and huggable. Daily husbands who share warmth and support. Men who love their work, their dogs, their children. Madmen who are anything but.

Lord I have so many crushes I blush.

There are poets whose words travel across distance and hit me in the heart. Serious, brilliant writers who can also invent fun word games. Amazing women who can talk about menopause and plants in the same breath as politics and human rights. Equally amazing men who can talk about humanity and motherfuckers; who can make the connection between the sacred and the profane with ease.

There are photographers – their photos transport me to new places, make me smile at their pets, their gardens, the children in their lives.

So many dots that connect to create a wonderful world of thought and hilarity, a place of everyday kindness and relaxing silliness.

I hope I got everybody on the sidebar. I listed everyone the way I think of them, some by their blog name and some by their name name.

I have enjoyed every word, every photo and every comment over these past 100 posts and I thank you all. I hope you see yourself in this 100th post – you are all here.