Whenever I go to a favorite diary for my daily read, I always check out their blogroll.

When BE first exploded onto the scene, and I was finding and reading the journals of total strangers, and discovering all kinds of awesome people ‘out there,’ I discovered very soon indeed that many of us have more in common than we can possibly realize. It was like making a new friend every thirty seconds.

After a week or so of surfing, I started looking at other things besides the entry itself. Other people’s blogrolls didn’t interest me at first, because, well, more strangers? After reading the innermost thoughts of a stranger every thirty seconds, I couldn’t deal with even more strangers.

But after several weeks, certain people did not seem like strangers any more. They seemed like, um, friends. Real friends. Lovely funny people, all over the internet, with much in common and much experience to share and much advice to give; people who are able to find humor and laughter in little things, and to show us that the really important things are universal, and that people can disagree and still be friendly, and that faceless strangers can sometimes comfort us and sustain us from miles and miles away.

And when you really, really like someone, it’s entirely possible that you will also really like their friends.

Hence, my checking out the blogrolls. Because, you know, if you find you have much in common with someone, and really like them, the chances are pretty good that you will feel the same or nearly the same about their friends, too.

It’s true.

Before I start to surf, I check my own blogroll for updates, and check out their blogrolls for any new additions. Then I begin my surfing, and catch lots of new journals, many of which are awesome, too.

Finally, I noticed that most of the diaries I frequent most often, have most of their blogrolls in common! I don’t know if this is a result of finding each other via BE, or not, but I rather think it’s a byproduct of BE. BE has many faults, but I really do think it has brought lots of people together who would otherwise never have met. For this, I am thankful indeed.

Whenever someone adds me to their blogroll, I am humbled and flattered beyond description. It means, I hope, that they visited my blog, and liked what they read, and intend to come back. It is childish, I am sure, to interpret this action as an indication that maybe they liked ME, since a blog is a reflection of a life; and I try not to get too caught up with thoughts of that nature, but I really hope it’s true, a little bit anyway. I’m one of those ‘trusting’ types, and I love people.

I know first-hand how dangerous the internet can be for the ‘trusting’ type, but I don’t think anyone I’ve met yet would fall into the ‘scammer’ category. Most of the bloggers I’ve “met” have been awesome people. The kind of people you’d invite over to sit on the porch with you, or play killer poker, or just hang out in whatever way strikes you both as fun. The kind of people you’d invite to parties, and send birthday cards to, and buy Christmas presents for. Nice people. Fun people. This is my impression of most of the bloggers I’ve become fond of; if any of you are actually bloodthirsty psychotics, please don’t tell me until just before your picture is on the front page.

Before this post becomes completely maudlin, let me also say. . . . . wait, that would have been all mushy too. And so would that. Shit. Now everyone will think I’m overly sentimental and gooshy. I don’t want to give you a wrong impression. No, indeed. I’m really hard and sarcastic and logical and harsh; no softness here, unless you’re talking about thighs. THEN you’re talking to the queen.

I guess my point, if there even IS one, is that there are all kinds of ways to meet cool people, and maybe BE is a kind of friendship broker; and one that apparently works.

Disclaimer: Political blogs, advertisements, services, and boring stuff not included in above positive rant.

Update on knees: Waaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh. (Doctor’s appointment in the morning.)