I remember more than 20 years ago, one of my friends down the street found a balloon with a message attached. It had the contact information for some girl who lived states away, who had let it go hoping someone would find it. This is nothing new, and it's still done – some nursing home residents down the street from my office released some just yesterday. It's the land-locked equivalent of tossing a message-carrying bottle into the sea.
We can draw all sorts of parallels to blogging. It's different, of course, but it amazes me how sometimes an actual person (not a spambot) will leave a semi-intelligent comment to something I posted seven months ago. They stumbled onto my site probably through a search engine, and something in my post matched what they were seeking. Sometimes I forget those balloons are still floating out there.
It's funnier when a person doesn't realize it's a blog they have found, which happened when I wrote about humorous slogans to put on baby bibs. The lady was looking for a bib with a photo of Texas on it, but she wrote that I didn't have any she was interested in. You've got the wrong balloon, lady!
A blog isn't much of a legacy – and legacies are over-rated anyhow. Someday the Internet will explode, and our computers will ooze marshmallows and tomato juice. Whatever we've sent out into the ether will be lost, as it is somewhat lost in a jungle of everyone else's stuff out there. It's a tangled, crowded jungle, and sometimes you can't see the balloons for the trees. It's real life that counts.
I don't get that much time to blog-surf anymore. I still try to get around once in a while. Looking over my blogroll yesterday, I read each name and wondered how the authors are doing. Some have stopped blogging, but the important parts of their lives continue. The point is, they are people. I find myself at times caring about strangers whom I'll never meet, but of whom I have been allowed to see a few hazy glimpses into their lives. Some call it voyeurism, others call it being nosy. I call it a connection, albeit flimsy, to living, breathing humans. Because I only frequent blogs I can connect to, there's a chance those people and I have much in common. That's the hope, at any rate.
Maybe soon I'll think about "blogging" the old fashioned way. I'll buy a few cheap helium balloons, attach some message along with my e-mail address to each one, and let 'em go. I wonder if anyone will see one of them, and will that person respond? Just the idea sounds fun to me, even if I never hear about them.
May all your balloons be found.
***Speaking of balloons, I got my first "prison letter" as editor of my newspaper. Don't know if it's legitimate, but because it has no chance of appearing in the paper, I'll run her words here:
"I am incarcerated in the state of Louisiana. I do not have any family or anyone to correspond with which makes my days extremely long and most times unbearable. Being away from home is a painful experience. In my time of despair I am writing to you in hope that you might find enough space in your newspaper to print my letter seeking correspondence. A letter from anyone would be a true blessing. Thank You Sincerely, Pharoah Palmer."
I cannot guarantee the authenticity of this letter, although it was postmarked in Alexandria, La. It may be a balloon, it may be a con. But it's up to you to find out: Pharaoh Palmer, W.C.C. P.O. BOX 1260, Winnfield, La. 71483-1260. #369958 Ash D-1.
It is interesting how I can "like" and "care about" people I don't even really know. Though I guess that's what we're supposed to do anyway. :)
We think very similar thoughts when it comes to blogging. I like making the connection.
I hope one of your balloons (if you send them) comes my way.
In "real life", we'd probably never meet.
Have a nice evening.
Carol
I can always count on you for a bit of metaphorical genius (often in list form!) about things I find it hard to put into words myself. Blog on, T!
Well said.
@
that was truly beautiful!
Just the other day I saw a myriad of blue balloons floating off into the distance from my perch here in the Glass Tower. I wondered who released them and why. I also thought of the similarity of putting messages in a bottle and tying a message to a balloon. Hmmm. Maybe you saw the same balloons?
Thanks, T.
Huh...I never thought of it that way. Good analogy.
I'm doing fine, more or less. Life's busy and tolerably pleasant.
I find it highly unlikely that we'd ever meet in real life. Funny this reaching out and connecting with people that goes on via blogging. I've often contemplated on that myself. Good entry, man.
That letter looks legit. I've actually been to Winnfield.
Those poor guys locked in there, day in day out. Must be torture.
Reminds me of that short story about the guy who gets his wish to live forever, and then is sentenced to life in prison.