I’ve been a cyber-stalker for much of my online life–reading blogs but never commenting, visiting sites and never leaving any sign of my existence. Even when logging on to a forum is required to read it–I log on, read it, and leave. I never post.
For the last six months or so, I’ve been following the Bergeron family daily. I’ve delighted in reading about their lives and enjoyed the blissful escape into large family life–a life so familiar compared to the mundane oddity of the lives of those who surround me. Reading regular books and blogs, hearing about “normal” people’s lives–I love all of that, but most of it is an alien landscape for me. I don’t know the trials and delights of carpooling to school–unless you count squishing a tenth or eleventh into the family van for a trip to church. I don’t understand “boredom” or “playdates”. So, Renee’s family gives me a touch of home.
I enjoy reading bakersdozen so much that I also enjoy sharing Renee’s anecdotes with my friends. A friend and I will be quilting together and I’ll say “So, the lady whose blog I read…” and I’ll share a funny story from a recent post. My friends and family know all sorts of information about Renee’s children, her systems of organization, her scrapbooking.
But throughout all of this, I have never bothered to comment or e-mail, or otherwise let it be known that I am reading. What could I add anyway?
Well–the long silence has been broken–the cyber-stalker has spoken. I have decided to be polite and make my presence known. So I posted a comment.