Monday, March 30, 2009

blog and dine


This is my last week at work. But before I get back to work, there was Sunday. A day to worship. A day to meet with friends old and new.


Sunday is billed as a day of rest. Today it was a day to enjoy people.


Other than the time I spent at the office trying to catch up on the still-growing pile of work on my desk, I spent time cultivating relationships.


Following Sunday school and church, I shared part of the afternoon with a friend from our church who is completing a course in video studies. As we were walking the dog on an amazing sunny Spring day, I chuckled that we could be in a remake of War and Peace -- where friends take meaningful walks past rows of Lombardy poplars while the cello-filled score conveys deep thoughts.


Well, it looked like that. The only thing missing was the deep thoughts. We were simply having a good time. Not planning the death of Napoleon.


Then the special event of the day rolled around. Teresa, a frequent commenter on this and other blogs, joined Cynthia and Mike (and me, of course) for dinner at Bentley's -- one of Salem's fine dining establishments.


The meal was not extremely memorable. But the company was.


Teresa regaled us with tales of her charity run for breast cancer, her experiences in Mexico, and her two remarkable sons. Cynthia and Mike offered additional stories on their work and life in Mexico.


Following dinner, they came back to my house to meet the famous Professor Jiggs -- and to share additional tales.


It was a great evening.


I have mentioned before how special this community is. I am amazed how close we can grow to people in such a short time. I felt as if I knew Teresa, Mike, and Cynthia before I first saw them. What is it that lets us know each other this well? Like Will Rogers, I haven't met a blogger I didn't like.


So, all you bloggers who are attending the Second Annual Latin American Blogger Get-together, we are getting the jump on you.

6 comments:

Islagringo said...

I think that blogging is about the best thing ever invented for the internet. When I hosted the first Blogger Meeting, as everybody came through the door, I felt like it was an old friend returning to visit. I'm lucky enough to live close enough to some great bloggers that we can visit with each other often and I now have a whole group of new best friends.

Calypso said...

And a fine looking crew it is. I now see Teresa is as lovely on the outside as the inside.

Those other three I have seen (well photos) also lovely ;-)

Frankly Ronda said...

I agree that it is amazing how you feel like you "know" fellow bloggers.

I am often find myself wanting share information with others (non-bloggers) relative to things I have learned on other LA blogs. My first inclination is to say "one of my friends says ..." but then I realize that someone who does not blog within a community may not understand how I think of my fellow LA bloggers and how trusted they are.

Steve Cotton said...

Islagringo -- I see that Jonna made similar comments today on her blog.

Brenda Maas said...

Sounds like a good time was had by all.

Babs said...

It REALLY would be a great sociological study to figure out why we all feel so close. Is it that we reveal more of our inner thoughts on the blog, because in a way it is "anonymous"? Or is it that we share so much of our hearts in the subject matter?
Whatever, as I traverse this journey I think of many of the bloggers on a daily basis. Very surprising to me......truly friends.