"My name is Annelyse, and I am a blogger." (in monotone drone) "Hello, Annelyse."

I think, in a way, blogging has created a whole subculture of people who feel like they are invincible online. To feel this kind of confidence and strength can be addictive. In addition, when others acknowledge you and your thoughts as valid the effect is euphoric. Think, it is the perfect venue to divulge personal thoughts and discuss uncomfortable things all without the fear of confrontation. You can write a blog entry at any time of the day or night and make a post as often as you like.

I feel as though all bloggers (regardless of theme or topic) are unofficially part of a little club. We appreciate the effort it takes to organize thoughts in an appropriate way to be read by others. Essentially, as a blogger, I feel it is my responsibility to read and acknowledge other bloggers from across the spectrum. Reading the thoughts of others written on a page always causes me to become introspective and reflect until my opinions and life experiences past and yet to come.

One common theme I have found throughout all of the blogs I have read is that everyone is trying to figure something out. In our age of instant communication I think we often forget to listen to the words we are saying to one another. We are always devising a response; we speak and then think about what we are going to say next and then say it, and then think about what we are going to say next and then say it, on and on. People are tired of speaking and not being heard (granted it is a vicious cycle and we all do it).

Blogs are a perfect response to this overload on the verbal airwaves. When I write I am always trying to learn something new about myself, and often I do. I have this habit of looking out the window while I type; I don't look at the keyboard and I just let my hands sift through all of the thoughts in my head. Of course, this method calls for heavy editing in the end; I am prone to much rambling and poor spelling.

Really what got me started on this tangent was reading a blog that my Mom suggested to me. It is a blog kept by a guy my age, just graduated college and diagnosed with cancer. From what I have read he has it in different places all over his body. To read what he has to write is often inspiring and very scary. Our lives are wildly different; the struggles in his life are very real and of a life or death nature. My struggles seem insignificant and silly when I think about it. That doesn't mean it doesn't count when I am sad or mad, it just helps me to be sad and mad much less.

So in the end, we are all just trying to figure things out in our head, delve through jumbled thoughts to find clarity and meaning. And delayed communication can often be the best prescription for what ails your mind. Everyone needs to speak and be heard; and everyone needs to take their turn being quiet and hearing. If that means we have to get off the phone, walk away, sign-off instant messangers, so-freaking be it. Write a letter, a journal entry, a new blog post and read over what you have written. Take the time and effort your thoughts and feelings deserve and afford others the same courtesy.

There is a point buried in all those words.