I Have a Bloggy Crush

This is not like me. Maybe I've spent too much left-brain time talking about creativity. It would never have happened if sensitive writer me didn’t read Darren Rowse avidly, usually long after I should be sleeping. Darren planted the seed. He had this idea for spreading love around the blogosphere. You can read all about it right here.

The other night, morning really, I thought nothing of this bloggy crush idea. I have crushes on too many people. GoneAway, Ned, and Mark brought the verbal volleyball as soon as my house landed in this cyber-OZ. Lori, Cheryl, and Zilla showed me where the turtle trainers are. Tanda sparkled with Southern charm. Yuna’s village welcomed me. Liz, Jennifer, and Garnet brought insights and sincerity. Rhein, Melly, and Sarah add their thoughts and energy. So many people have done nice things.

But tonight I sat down to write post, to blog a blogger, to thank him for his feedback and his critiques. I stopped cold. I realized I do have a bloggy crush. Not love, respect for the writer and the blog well-written—Scot L. Cunningham and Unburned Pieces of the Mind.

I’m not sure how I found his blog, but I had time and so I read it. Each word I read kept me reading. I was seeing movies in my mind. I was living moments as Scot described them. When he laced up his shoes and walked out the door. I walked out right behind him. I’m sure that’s what my comment said. His writing was a vacation in a place called Belfast, Maine.

Even Scot’s comments read like water, clear and natural. His first comment—even unedited—communicates the core of why his writing is so extraordinary. Please know I tried to edit this down. I wanted it to be about Scot, not about me. There was no way to do it without losing the breadth of Scot’s generosity.

Hello, me-Liz:

I'm beginning to find that having a blog is akin to having a village store. You have the regulars that stop in on a regular basis to get their usual wares and to catch up on anything new. And then there's the new person in town who stops in for a look see. The new person might get a couple of the regulars curious to the point where one asks, "Who's that." To which the reply is, "Don't know, someone passing through I guess." As for my blog, I'm glad you stopped by to have a read and for your kind response. Since you're a newcomer, I decided to check out your blog, and I find I'm very pleasantly surprised with both your content and your craftsmanship. I like personal narratives, especially when they're well written. "Trusting and Believing" reminded me of the many conversations I used to have with my grandmother. Without "Hope" and "Joy," as your essay so eloquently demonstrates, we lose our "connection to humanity." Your last paragraph is especially poignant and makes that connection self-evident without being contrived. Beautifully done. I think I might find myself becoming a regular. As such I have linked your site to mine.

Thanks again for visiting,
Scot

Poignant! Scot used the word poignant in the same sentence with self-evident and contrived. He’s a web writer with a vocabulary. Check out his blog, you’ll keep going back. Scot L. Cunningham is the model of a blogging writer. He understands people and he writes beautifully.

If I ever grow up, I want to be just like he is.

—me strauss Letting me be