Virtual Christmas

I think it was Kottke who tipped me off to the loss of Leslie Harpold last week. As a relatively new blogger I had yet to make her acquaintance - and yet in reading tribute after tribute (I'm going to refer you here as the selection of links to both her own writing and those paying tribute to her is a great introduction to her) I am dumbstruck at just how many people loved her, and what a good job she seemed to do at loving them back. Further - many (or most?) were in her life simply because they were part of an online community - the first to share their writing and stories with the world through this medium - pioneers who made it simple for someone like me to have a repository for thoughts and connect with others I've never met in the flesh.

I think I'm struck in part by her story because for her, blogging and the internet were not limited to the virtual world. She took herself to the computer but she didn't stop there. She made friends who she would visit and talk to and she was famous for her incredibly generous and thoughtful packages that many said came just at the perfect time.

I am not sure I extend even my dearest friends such thought (my constant lack of organization preventing such things as on-time packages and the like) - and I am far from offering such treasures to those within my little blog community. But I would like to take a moment and recognize that such friendships are possible and I am thankful for people like Leslie that set this community in motion and offer us late comers some insight into how to make it more real. In Leslie's honor I would love to send any of you who are interested a copy of this year's holiday mix I am giving to all my friends. Just email me your address and promise me patience as I likely won't get it in the mail until after the holidays!