In middle school, I was forced to write to a “pen pal,” for social studies class.
The teacher selected a girl from across town who was “different” than me- demographically speaking.
I felt like I was being punished as I sat down to write my weekly letter to a complete stranger.
“What a waste of time,” I thought.
Remember typing class? Yes, I was not happy about that class either.
“I’m not going to be a secretary,” I would complain to my teacher. “Why do I have to take this class?”
I had the pleasure of meeting some of my garden blogging friends last year at the GWA convention. A few of my favorites, Nan Sterman of Plant Soup, Billy Goodnick of Garden Wise Guy blog and Susan Appleget-Hurst, Better Homes and Garden magazine garden editor and blogger at The Everyday Gardeners
Well here I am, a few years later typing away on my computer, writing to an audience of strangers and loving it! Yes, I blog, am on Twitter and Facebook!
Have you ever thought about what we do online when we join communities and make friends on the internet?
We are “pen paling” high tech style and creating virtual friendships.
So why do I like this so much now and hated it when I was a kid?
1. I don’t have to buy a stamp and ask my parents to take me to the post office.
2. I can select my “pen pals” based on shared interests and values.
3. I can send and receive instant feedback and collateral material like photos and videos of my new friends.
4. I get to learn about other people’s lives, (even though they may be a different demographic than me).
5. I can walk away from the computer when I’m done being social for the day.
6. I have the option of actually meeting some of my virtual friends in special “meetups” and such.
The world has changed a lot since I was in middle school but I realize that a lot of things have stayed the same.
– I’m still writing to strangers
-I’m still typing
Thanks to the internet, I’m doing both on my own terms!
Did any of you have a pen pal when you were growing up or is this all new to you?
Yes, Shirley, wonderful post and analogy! I have always loved writing letters, and since I moved around a lot, I tended to collect pen pals. But it has become harder and harder to write those snail mail letters in the last decade. I just love how easy it is becoming to reconnect with people, keep in touch, and connect with new people online. I’ve met many great people online (you included!) and gone on to meet some of them in person, and those connections have really enriched my life. We can learn so much from each other, and it is always great to find other folks who share our interests and passions.
I was one of those who refused to learn to type. And ended up going back to adult school classes to learn later. Can’t imagine living without a computer or unable to type these days. How else can a person keep in touch with so many great people all around the planet?
Awesome post and so glad to have you as my favorite online friend ever! You are my tops! Now I have loads on online scary friends–I say scary cause people who don’t blog think the internet will cause the crazies to haunt you. I think Billy Goodnick is the only real crazy person out there. I hope Susan @BH&G will visit my blog and comment cause she is so cool!— and that Nan seems like an awfully nice person—so my friends are your friends! Except Billy—just kidding.
I don’t remember having a pen pal but know that I did hate typing. Now I can type like the wind. My youngest son types for a living and goes to school full time. But his typing job earns him good money. He can type well over 120 wpm. He burns up the keyboard.
Great analogy and it is so true! I never had a pen-pal in school and can understand how unappealing that would be (with the way you were set up, especially) and typing! Ha! I had to chose between typing and drivers-ed. Of course drivers-ed won. My typing skills reflect that.
But to the point…I absolutely love all the people I have been able to meet and interact with via my or their garden blogs. I learn so much from them all. Love it!
Shirley: thanks for the shout out. It is truly amazing how we create a smaller and smaller world through social networking. Not only am I meeting a vast array of great people, but I landed my new blog at Fine Gardening Magazine through Twitter. Just had dinner with a relatively new Twitter pal and his family last night as they passed through Santa Barbara. Can’t beat it. Just need to administer a small dose of self control once in a while. MWAH
I’ve just met up in London with my email penpal from California of 11 years. We have similar email addresses and some of my emails got misdirected to her and have been writing to each other ever since. We had a fab time!
Who would have thought that we’d both be of a similar age and outlook on life? What a complete coincidence, but one I’m grateful for 🙂
I am new to the garden blog world and would like to know what
you consider your most favorite five to be. (the reason not to be a blogger is the same one for not subcribing to cable TV- to much to do outside! But I have neighbors who make me want to run away from home to the calmness of the air-conditioned library!)
One of the best reasons to blog is to keep up with cool people in the horticultural community that you have met. I recognized
Nan Sterman in your photo- one of my favorite (very quick,smart,and eager to be informative and an instigator of
further gardening explorations!) new -to me gardeners (she
lectured for us at UCCE O.C. Master Gardeners, encountered
her at Garden Conservancy/ L.A. Arboretum symposium, and
L.A. Garen show).
I love making new gardening friends because it is so fun to hear
their diverse/common perspectives and blogging lets you keep
up with the ones that don’t live close by.
Also you don’t have to wash off your “garden grunge” to visit
blogs online! And “discovering” is my favorite gardening thing!
Well, I am the bad correspondent in this bunch. I’ve managed to keep some friends for a very long time, but not through my pen-pal skills. Still, I like this analogy. It’s so interesting dealing in these new mediums, I think we are all searching around for something familar to compare it to, so we know what to do with it. I’d say this is definitely one way to look at Twitter/FB.
Hi Judy, Great to see you on EdenMakers! I hope to meet you one day. I’ve enjoyed our correspondence. Are you going to GWA this year?
Shirley
Hi Kathy,
Another wonderful visitor with a great blog! How are you Kathy? I have a feeling you are on your way to a publishing empire even without the headstart from childhood!
Shirley
Not only did I always have pen pals as a kid – a few of them I’m STILL writing but now online – much quicker and cheaper – plu time-saving. I really envy kid’s today, if I had grown up online I’d be a publishing empire by now 😉
This is so, so true! Some of my online friends I’m sure I’ll never meet in person. And some I, like you, have been fortunate enough to get to know personally. I had a bunch of pen pals when I was growing up — recall three in particular, one in California, another in London, and one in Osaka, Japan. Met only the girl in California, but had real friendships with all, and learned a lot from them. Pure joy. Wonderful memories.