Bloggers night- IRL

I have always been a blogger. I’ve been blogging for as long as I can remember… actually I do remember and it was in 1998 when we hooked up to the internet for the first time and that dial up sound was one of the awesomest thing I have heard. Inspired by Doogie Howser, I have always wanted to have some sort of online journal for my thoughts and feelings. I wished I could say I was a writer. I am really not and I wished I really really was. But I am not. But I can blog… not that well, but atleast I can blog…

Just this weekend, I attended a blogger’s evening out at Expiatriatewife’s house. It was the first time I was going to meet her but I have always been friends with the co-organizer, Mitziemee, who helped put together the dinner. I was nervous and excited at the same time because it was also the first time I was going to meet up with some of the other bloggers whose blogs I get to read. I kept imagining how the night might turn out. I thought it might be quiet since the people who are going to be there are bloggers, and most people who spend a lot of time online are loners, people with poor social skills, or antisocial. Atleast I was a bit. But I was in for a really pleasant surprise because there was never a dull moment that entire evening. Instead the only periods of silence that was there was when everyone was busy stuffing food in to their mouths at the same time. Everyone took turns talking about their blogs, Kenneth with his handmade leather diaries and his travelling journal project, Pinayflyinghigh with the bountiful blessing of travel showered upon her, Lady with her techie manager/husband who helps her manage her popular blog, MrsJackofalltrades with her struggle to keep her shopping addiction under control and translating all that shopping energy into blogging, Circles in the sand with her quirky take on expat life, motherhood and being a wife, and our hostesses- Expiatriate wife with her fun adventures in Dubai, and Mitzie mee with her adventure in travels and food. With us was also a non-blogger but a writer, who talked about finally adjusting to the Dubai lifestyle after two years and finishing her book.

There was plenty of food to go around and conversation was also overflowing. We ate and laughed and cheered one another. We gave each other advice on how to work on the blog, how to deal with spouses who want our attention, how to deal with advertisers, with free invites, with rude online fans… Mitzie mee pitched that we all form a blogger group to support one another to grow (as bloggers) and we all agreed. I know I need all the help I can get. I went home inspired that night- with new ideas and the thought that I made new friends.

blogger’s night entrees. whipped cream cheese, crackers, grapes, chips and brie. Photo taken by kenneth

When you are online a lot, you create relationships with people you have never met. It’s always so much easier to meet people online and be great friends. Before there was facebook, blogging was always something people online have in common. When you read someone’s blog, you get to know a part of their life, a part of who they are. Bloggers night to me use to be an evening infront of the PC chatting in IRC with friends from blogdrive. We always planned an ‘eyeball’ (the pinoy slang for a meetup), but that never really happened. This bloggers night was a first for me IN REAL LIFE, and it was a good first. May we have more bloggers night to come!

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Check out this blog entry about the evening – There’s a special place in hell… by Mitzie Mee. You should check out the food pics- they are the evidence of all the things we ate.