What Is A Blend?
September 3rd, 2010 § 28 Comments
Have you ever ran in the rain before? When it’s a choice I make (and not an unexpected “surprise” like at my half marathon) I really love it. It cools down the Earth and emits this great scent – what I imagine clouds to smell like. Running in the rain makes me feel hardcore. I love the stares I get from passersby like I am nuts for getting soaked while doing something like that.
A very early morning email prompted my day to suddenly turn around. I hadn’t planned on running but when I looked out the window and saw a gray world, I geared up, leaving my sunglasses and Camelbak at home. I felt lighter and ran better than I have since my move.
As I ran, my mind felt lighter, too. Instead of thinking about how much my ankle hurt or how much longer I had until I reached my next mile marker, I thought about what I was actually feeling. You know, in my environment around me. It didn’t take long until the rain drops were covering me, rolling down my arms, face, back. Yet at the same time, I was still hot so my body was doing its best to cool itself off, so I was sweating as well.
There came a point where I couldn’t tell which was which. The sweat and the rain just rolled together completely covering me.
Stay with me – I have a point.
If you’ve hung around the blogosphere or just been a regular reader of mine, you have heard the term, “blend.” You may think it’s cute, or trite or kitschy or annoying. You may use it yourself. You may have no idea what I’m talking about.
A blend is a term that Carrie (my former roommate and very good friend) coined this year after hearing me talk endlessly about “my blogger friend…”
Blend = blogger friend.
As I round the corner to my next birthday and the anniversary of The Twenty-Fifth Year, I have a lot of thinking and thanking to do. My blends are at the forefront of this.
If I rewind to last September, the thought of stumbling onto so many blogs brings a coy smile to my face. So many of the writers were crucial to me coming back into myself – igniting the flame inside me that had almost dwindled down to a flicker. They encouraged me to continue writing and reminded me of my knack for words. How could I have known one simple comment could change everything?
Throughout the course of twelve months, there have been thousands of emails, late night and early morning gchat conversations, encouraging Tweets, “You-won’t-believe-this” phone calls, some painful runs, hilarious Skype dates, quirky text messages, exciting meet-ups, crazy nights out, three-hour heart-to-hearts, a million hugs and a few tearful goodbye.
As near and dear as I hold my “in real life” friends to my heart, my blends have a special place, too. They get it. They know what it’s like to be frustrated over traffic and overwhelmed by Google Reader. They share my sentiments when a post by a fellow blogger touches me or shocks me. They don’t find it strange or embarrassing when I take pictures of random things with the explanation, “It’s for the blog!” They don’t find it rude when I Tweet, email or check my phone relentlessly when we are out.
They keep me in line, keep my priorities in check, keep me smiling, teach me, reach me, inspire me and love me. Every day I find more and more. Every time I do, my life is enriched somehow.
The true beauty of it all – this community and the wonderful people who are a part of it – is that at some point the line that separates the Internet from the world outside your front door disappears. It doesn’t matter if you meet these people or they remain connected to your life only through wires and signals. They blend together with the friends you have in your life every day. And before you know it, you can’t tell the difference between the two – all you know is you’re covered in drops and you feel so good.
How has blogging changed your life in terms of the people you’ve met? I encourage you to share here, or write your own post about your blends! Lets make this weekend a three-day celebration of the people who have contributed to this crazy little thing we do!
can i please be your blend?
blogging has opened my eyes to a world of people with similar interests to my own. i love meeting women who genuinely enjoy living a healthy life, talking about cooking and sharing good workouts. it’s such a fun community!
I kid you not when I say that I have a folder in my Google Reader called “Best Blends Forever (BBF)”. Because I’m cool like that.
But really. When I met you and Jess in the restaurant for the first time–it didn’t feel like the first time. It felt like i was hanging out with two of my dear friends who share the same interest AND “get” me.
Even at Fitbloggin, I was sharing a bed with someone that I JUST met, but she “got” me too! And it was like having a huge sleepover with my best friends!!
You’re so right that the line disappears. So many of my blogger friends, you obviously included, are so much more invested in me and my life and the wires and signals really don’t make any difference. If they do make a difference, it’s a good difference….because it’s just one more thing we have in common.
I love you friend!!!!!!!!
PS–I feel totally responsible for that “painful run” that you mentioned.
i have the SAME FOLDER LABEL!
Oh my gosh! We ARE Best Blends Forever!!!
Wait, you mean there are people in the world that don’t have a folder in Gmail labeled “Blends”???!!! whaaaat?!
Ahhh love it. There can never be too many of the “you won’t believe this” phone calls in my opinion. I love when you say blends “get it” because truly, they are the ONLY ones who do!
This blogging community has changed my life. Most bloggers are wonderful people. I was so scared to go to Fitbloggin last year, but you guys took me in with open arms! Thank you!!
You are definitely considered a blend to me!
Ah, love this. It really does start to blur. I think about my blends on the regular away from the computer, pray about their struggles, dream about them sometimes. Meeting you and Jess and Abby at Fitbloggin was a true blessing as well. I just love it.
Blends are some of my favorite people. They offer support and encouragement to pick me up when I’m stumbling in my training or just hitting a rough patch in life in general! Blends rock!
oh, I LOVE this. I have been reading blogs for A Long Time, and only blogging myself for four months.
Already I know what you mean, and I just got the chills because I know there is probably So Much More.
I also love running in the rain. My pup and I did it just two days ago.
A blend is someone you can text after dark asking what you can substitute in a recipe they perfected, knowing they wont be offended by a change of ingredients list or your ever frequent dependency of needing their help every single time you are in the kitchen. or the grocery store.
A blend is someone who forgives when you go several months without commenting on their blogs, and then all the sudden your back in action – because they, too, understand what “busy” looks like.
A blend is someone who accepts my love of #makingupabillionnewhashtagseachweek, SATC references, and misspellings for the sake of 140 characters.
A blend is someone who I expect to talk to every day, via twitter. even if there is not one @ reply in my direction. (actual exchange in office today: “Have you seen Sunshine Cleaning?” “No, but my friend Caitlin did, and she loved it!” ahem.) its still a conversation even if there are no “@”s.
A blend is someone I never have to meet in real life to feel their love for me, or display my love for them.
A blend is someone who knows my struggles, points them out – WITH GRACE AND CLASS – and then holds my hand as I try to correct them, helping me to become the person I dream of being.
A blend is someone who understands the difference between needs and wants, recommends programs, downloads, and themes, can email chain like the best of them, and probably knows my favorite place, president, and preference of male wardrobe.
<3 you Blend!
a blend comments on my blog at the SAME EXACT MOMENT i am commenting on hers. Just saying.
I have been wondering where the term blend came from!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by ThenHeatherSaid, Caitlin. Caitlin said: New Post: What Is A Blend? http://bit.ly/cpPLsC [...]
So, last week I was passing along a recipe recommendation to a friend, and I used the term “Blend” and they thought it was some new shortened form of “Blender”. I kid you not.
See, these are the things blends would understand…
I think blogging has been soooo great for me. Not only have I found a bunch of running crazy kids like me, but I’ve found a wonderful and creative community of people who truly want to support you, and appreciate the same.
And sometimes they just “get it” better than your best friends. And there’s nothing wrong with that.
My blends have helped me go from being lonely and miserable because I felt isolated in my little corner of MA. But now I feel like I can enjoy my work and life with friends who understand me and my passion
I love the blends I’ve made and look forward to making many more.
ahhh I love this. I have so many blends now that I wish I could turn into real life worlds! Could all of us blends just live on an island together or soemthing?!
I love my blends. I sometimes feel they are my closest friends because they get me so well and I can relate to them on so many levels. Blogging has definitely changed my life and I’m so thrilled to see where else it will take me.
Helloooo absolutely fabulous post! Seriously, I loved this. What else do I love? My blends. I can honestly say that I am closer to most of my blends then I am to my in-life friends. I think one of the reasons for that is because through blogging you’re able to more easily meet people with similar interests whereas in everyday life, it’s kind of random. Tonight I was actually thinking about what to write for my next post and I kind of want to dedicate it to one of my blends. Don’t know if that’s weird or not but she definitely deserves a post dedicated to her!
Oh blending is fun. Its taking a little bit of the best qualities you find in others (whether it be in the blogworld or real world) and applying them to your own life. I think I’ve learned more about myself by blogging than I expected. Again, great post Caitlin, can’t get enough of your amazing writing!
Cheers,
LC
I’ve run in the rain way too many times too count. Sometimes in a very pleasant soft rain and other times i’ve been caught in a torrential downpour.
I love blends. Sometimes I feel more “myself” with blends than “real life” friends.
My blends make me feel like I have a connection to this world. They make me feel like I am a person, and not someone just passing by
!
this is so cute. and makes me really happy. i am super new to the blogging community but have already found support and i really hope when i move back to the States and can actually “keep in touch” that i too can have a Best Blends Forever folder. haha.
Beautiful. I think it’s so easy to feel a connection to the people we meet online because with physical distance can come emotional closeness – especially with the blogging format, which at the very least is a strong reflection of its author. Friendships are in fast forward and can blend with your regular life.
Also, the term “blend” is the coolest thing I’ve heard in a long time
[...] hard to believe that just about a year ago I attended FitBloggin and met some amazing women – blends! – who happened to share the same interests as me. And as if it wasn’t enough that we [...]
I just found your blog and i heart it
I’m pretty new to blogging, but I’ve fallen madly in love with it and can’t believe it took me this long to “bite the bullet.” And I couldn’t love the “blend” reference more. I love my friends dearly but haven’t been able to translate the blog-life accurately. But now I see I don’t need to because that’s what blends are for.