California

One of my blogging friends, Gay, was forced to evacuate her home due to the wildfires in California. She has been posting updates from her cell phone. I would ask that you keep her and others affected by this disaster in your thoughts and prayers.

Someone I hold in very high regard has frequently referred to “blogging communities.” And it’s true. As we read about each other’s lives, we become like neighbors. We laugh when they laugh. When they’re happy, we’re happy for them. And when they’re sad or struggling, we’re concerned.

By the same token, I’ve always thought of America as one big community. When times are toughest, that’s when it seems we are at our best. Whether it’s thirteen miners in a coal mine or thousands devastated by a hurricane, we hurt, we cry, we pray, we look for ways to help.

We are them. They are us.

It’s both frightening and sad seeing the devastation caused by these wildfires and that eerie red glow in the sky. And that’s just from watching on TV. I can’t imagine what it’s like to be there.

The following is something I wrote about California, a place I’ve visited exactly once. I wrote it over a year ago and it’s been stuck in draft ever since. Today felt like a good time to post it.

California is just another place. Until you’ve been there.

It’s just a name. An idea. A shape on a map. The setting for a million stories. It’s Hollywood and LA and movie stars and the ocean. Late nights and late mornings.

It can be a lifelong curiosity, or a dream. But one thing is for certain. Once you’ve been, it’s none of those things, and at the same time, it’s all of them and more. It’s a feeling of free you had forgotten you could feel, or maybe never knew at all.

California stays with you. Maybe not always in the front of your mind. But it’s always there, somewhere. It gnaws at you, some days more than others. And you long to return, again and again.

“And it’s one more day up in the canyons, and it’s one more night in Hollywood. If you think you might come to California, think you should…”

Cinco de Bone-o

If you went out today or tonight, you may have noticed large numbers of revelers celebrating, socializing, and drinking themselves into a stupor. Reports have been coming in from around the world of people partaking in various ceremonies and festivities.

In Kentucky, they staged a horse race, and even invited the Queen of England as special guest.

In Virginia, they postponed the NASCAR race, originally scheduled for tonight, until tomorrow, no doubt in observance of this day.

And around the nation, many people did not go into work today.

“Why?” one might ask. “What’s it all for?” Well, I’ll tell you.

Today is a special occasion. The Mexican people refer to it as Cinco de Mayo. That’s because in Spanish, there is no direct translation for “Bone’s bloggiversary.”

Yes friends, four years ago today, I began blogging.

Four years. That’s a lot of posting, commenting, typing, and yelling at Blogger (which, by the way, has been eerily glitch-free lately). How does one celebrate one’s four-year bloggiversary? I don’t really know. Although I am open to ideas. I thought about celebrating on the Monday following the weekend, like Lincoln.

Looking back over the past year, there was the first ever Bone roast. That was… mostly fun. I proclaimed one week as 80’s week, with nothing but 80’s related posts. (By the way, I think that will be an annual thing from now on.) I began doing 24 recaps. And, of course, there was Reveal Your Blog Crush Day and the Thinking Blogger awards.

Also this year, Three Word Wednesday had it’s beginnings. On a Thursday, nonetheless. I didn’t really think about how long it would last. But nine months later, and it’s still going. It has introduced me to quite a few new bloggers. And we even have a button now!

The blogosphere is massive today, made up of thousands of communities of bloggers. One of the most rewarding things about blogging to me are the friendships and relationships that are forged.

It has been a blessing to meet more of you this year, and get to know all of you a little better thru your blogs and comments. It’s always cool to discover we have something in common, whether it be a TV show, food, music, things we struggle with, whatever. One of my perpetual curiosities is how people find my blog and what causes them to come back.

I’ve said this before, but I could never emphasize it enough. Somewhere along the way, blogging reminded me that I love to write. And many of you made me believe that I could. You have all affected me in some way, whether it be an encouraging word, offering your own perspective, a virtual hug, making me smile or laugh, or just letting me know that I made you smile or laugh or feel.

Thank you.

“We’re going to party, karamu, fiesta, forever. Come on and sing along. All night long…”