Comments on: Making more headlines…(and talking about taboo topics?)

By: Cathy Nickum

Cathy Nickum — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 23:12:19 +0000

Hi Julie, someone just sent me a link to your blog… what fun! Wish I had your email address, as this won’t make a very interesting post…

I’m glad you found the women’s loneliness column relevant. I received an anonymous letter from a woman who says she fits the description. No return address, just a heartbreaking confession of loneliness. *sigh* What to do?

I think blogging is a thrilling revolution in journalism, especially in communities like Bainbridge, where we’re isolated and stuck together at the same time — and have one local newspaper that doesn’t connect people.

I’m so glad to know about you, your site is wonderful. I’ll spread word of your blog. –Cathy Nickum

P.S. Blogs and websites offer too much creative potential to sit on the sidelines… I’m also experimenting with a website. I’ll let you know if and when it’s “live.”

By: annie

annie — Tue, 30 Nov 2004 03:57:03 +0000

I’m so glad you came out on this topic. You and I met over my frustration when I wanted to see mom-blogs materialize as a discussion topic at bloggercon II. I’ve heard moms say the words, “the blog saved my life” and more than a few meant it literally. The isolation you refer to isn’t limited to your beautiful island. Our suburban-oriented garage lifestyles leave the workplace as one of the only sources for social interaction and people who exist outside of that realm, be it for working at home and/or raising children at home, are lonely. I think this is the key reason more women blog than men. It’s a topic that fascinates me, and your bravado makes me want to explore it further.

By: Kai Jones

Kai Jones — Mon, 29 Nov 2004 21:38:13 +0000

I don’t know why we assume that loneliness is unappealing; I can be drawn to someone whose neediness is so easily resolved, with just some company. Take a chance and spend some time to see if we could be friends? Sure. Pretty low risk, and I get to feel good about helping the lonely person.

But that’s how I feel, too, when I admit that I’m lonely. Worse, I have a well-defined slot I wish I could fill, and I know both how awful that would be for someone to know (that they were applying for this particular slot in my life) and how unlikely it is that you can shape a relationship that way.