Where have all the bloggers gone?

Not quite a year has trickled by since the first tapping of keys created a semi-coherent post here on Cheeseismoldymilk. Like a lot of people who started doing this, I never really thought anyone would actually read this - except for a couple of friends of course. Imagine my surprise when I started getting comments.

One thing I've noticed about this blogging thing - at least among those who use Blogger - is that there's a lot of desire to read other blogs. I love finding new people who have interesting things to say. Sometimes, it's nice to see there are others with like opinions. Sometimes, it's just fun to be a voyeur. And many times, it's just amazing to see that there are so many people who write well and have a need to express themselves.

Who knows, maybe this all fills a need that's been created by our transient, insular society. Maybe, people do need to interact and form relationships that are deeper than a simple wave to the neighbor as we hop in our cars to commute to work. I like to think that people need other people. I hope I'm right, because an inherent need like that would be a strong force for peaceful coexistance.

Anyway, in the last eleven months, I've seen a lot of blogs and bloggers fall by the wayside. It makes me sad. Maybe more sad than it should, but I've grown attached to some of the virtual people that I share this electronic realm with. It's hard to read a person's thoughts and hopes and not feel an attachment.

I still forlornly check the old blog of one American girl who was living in London. She was in her mid- or late-twenties and wrote with some of the best clarity I've ever seen. It was like reading the real Bridget Jones' diary. There were ups and downs. And, there was growth. I found it sort of odd - and sad - that although she had been chronicling her life for over two years, there were no comments at all on her blog. Unfortunately, I found her blog near the end of it's run and my few comments remain the only ones.

She just stopped writing. Who knows, maybe she finally found that someone she hoped for. Maybe she just got tired of writing for herself. Or maybe something terrible happened to her. There's no way to know. So, I keep on checking back from time to time in hopes that maybe there will be something there. Sadly, I know there probably won't.

I'm not really sure what I'm on about here, but I think it's sort of left me with two goals. One is to promise to not just disappear without a trace. I won't ever just stop completely without warning...I promise. I hope none of you ever just hang it up and disappear.

Second, I'm going to make it a point to find more blogs and leave some comments. If nothing else, maybe it will make someone else feel less alone. I think we should all make that a goal.

So, go out and leave a comment somewhere. Make someone feel good.