Small Reflections: blessing

Scroll down for Smiley Saturday ;--)

Note: Instead of sitting at my computer at home today I'm taking a Saturday class on 'Scrapbooking' with Photoshop ... so I'll be visiting blogs this afternoon after returning from class and walking Molly. In case you missed my Haiku Friday, I've learned how to make collages with Photoshop ... (you'll see 3 separate examples there) ... and I'm hoping to learn even more about how this in today's class.

This week's Saturday 9: Sharing Your Blog Habit
1. How long have you been blogging?
My first post appears on October 21, 2007 on this blog and October 22, 2007 on my other blog ... so that's about 7 and a half months. In that time I've accumulated 239 posts here at Small Reflections (240 counting this one), and 172 at Sacred Ruminations.

2. How did you start?
As a result of attending a one-week Writer's Retreat in Taos, New Mexico last summer ... I met several friends who told me about blogging and encouraged me visit some blogs and set up one of my own to share my writings. After returning home, Kara called me from her home in New Mexico and 'talked' me through the process of 'visiting' blogs ... then introduced me to Blogger and the templates. Within a few days I'd created a blog but not posted anything ... but with encouragement from Kara and my writing buddy, Jan, I jumped in with both hands (& all ten fingers), was discovered by Joy on my first day ... and have been posting daily ever since.

3. How often do you post on your blog?
At first I posted daily on BOTH blogs ... but early in 2008 I decided that was more than I could handle, so although I post daily (as a member of Blog 365) here at Small Reflections, I post 3-4 times per week at Sacred Ruminations. Even that is often challenging when life gets busy (like it's been for the past month or so), but I do the best I can.

4. Have you made good blogging friends?
Yes, I've met many interesting folks in this 'virtual world' and visit their blogs as often as possible. I enjoy reading & responding to comments they leave me here, and I always comment whenever I visit someone else. I've fallen behind in my blog-reading of late and have many unread messages in Google Reader, but hope to catch up in the weeks to come.

5. Have you talked to someone on the phone you met through blogging?
No

6. Have you met anyone from your blogging?
Nope

7. Have you had a crush on anyone you have not met?
Crush??? You've got to be kidding, right?

8. Have you had a romance with someone you have met?
Okay ... methinks I should have read ALL the questions before I started this meme. Rest assured, I'm not looking for 'romance' online. However, before the Internet was 'the World Wide Web' (in the 1980s & 90s) I did meet a number of folks online who have become friends I see regularly even now ... so I suppose it's possible I'll eventually meet a few of you folks from the Blogosphere at some point.

9. Do you suspect you get comments from someone interested in you?
Hopefully the bloggers who comment are interested in what I write and enjoy the social interaction of blogging as I do.

Click for others participating in Saturday 9 this week
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

I'm a happy camper because
the French Open Championship Matches
will be played today and tomorrow.

Rafa Nadal and Roger Federer will vie against one another for the 4th year in a row on Sunday. It should be an excellent match, especially if the weather remains cool like it's been in Paris all week. Today Dinara Safina plays Ana Ivanovic for the women's championship. I'll be watching Sunday's match 'real time' ... (or perhaps 30 minutes delayed to avoid commercial breaks)... but will record today's match while I'm a class and watch when I return. I've shared poetic updates and photo collages for the past two weeks in case you missed our on the action.

Note: In case you missed them, you can see my Peace Globes & Blog Blasts for Peace at Small Reflections and at Sacred Ruminations. You'll find links to others who have participated as well. Visiting these bloggers this week has definitely put a smile on my face, and I suspect you'd find them uplifting like me.

Addendum at 6:45am Saturday morning:
I'm delighted to discover that Blogger cooperated this morning and published this post 'as scheduled' today.

I just added the 'fixed URL link' to Smiley Saturday's Mr. Linky at 'www.Lightening'.com and discovered today's 'theme' is taking care of ourselves ... a subject near and dear to my heart. Since I don't have time at the moment to come up with what I'd like to share on this topic, I add the following links to previous posts in which I've addressed this topic ... and hope you'll find them of interest. Counting my blessings always 'calms and centers' me ... and I do this daily in my personal journal ... frequently on my blogs. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Blog Your Blessings Sunday #1 (clicking on the label ReallyGoodThings will take you to similar posts at Sacred Ruminations) and So Many Blessings (Counting One by One) ... (clicking on the label REALLYGOODTHINGS will take you to additional posts like this at Small Reflections).

2. Living in Gratitude (especially when problems arise) is another (clicking on the label gratitude will take you to similar posts at Sacred Ruminations).

3. Finally LAUGHTER is healing ... and here are some posts that bring a smile to MY face: Thirteen Laughable Photos (clicking on the label LAUGHTER will bring you to others).

3. Heads or Tails #7 - Quotes & Images of Peace and On Mindfulness, Transforming Anger, Practicing Peace, and Making a Difference, and T-13 #11 on Healing Affirmations come to mind.

I wish you all a peace-filled day ... every day!

Click for others participating in Smiley Saturday this week.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Thought for Today
"Strangers are just friends waiting to happen." Rod McKuen

I appreciate
all the good wishes this week!
I'm feeling lots better and managed to
complete my 101 Things About Me list today.
That's a huge relief!

Because the passing on of awards to some (rather than all) sometimes results it hurt or sad feelings for those who may be overlooked at times, miss*R at Tales of Inglewood has created this "blogging award" to share with every one who visits there. She encourages us to take, post, and pass this award on to every single blogging friend who visits our blog(s) ... and so forth so that it gets shared with love to all in the hope that no one will feel left out again. Here it is for you to take, display on your blog, and pass along to YOUR readers ... and I hope you'll encourage them to do likewise .

To everyone I offer this brief but powerful video

May You Be Blessed