Thanksgiving on Good Friday--a family tree of Bloggers...

First, let me get this out: It's Good Friday and my apartment appears to be the site of a tsunami attack, my bank isn't open (it's a credit union) (don't get me started!) and I have to have $ in my account by Monday to file my IRA contribution, and I think women should get extra money, you know, for heating pads and other "time of the month" supplies.

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Okay. So this is a pretty secular post for a most holy day, but I'm feeling crappy (see above) and so I'm just taking inspiration from bobbie, one of my favorite blog-people. She's going to to a blog family tree, like how did you get started blogging, who inspired you, etc.

The first person I knew that had a blog: Babelbabe. I was insanely jealous. I read it and the madness began. (That was like January 2005.) The first person that made me think having a blog was an easy enterprise and something I could do: Jessamyn West. She came to our library's Staff Day, and I started my blog almost the very same day. I named it "Pink Sneakers and Pocket Books." Over this whole time, Marian the Librarian was a cheerleader, having her own virtual world with some friends from college.

My first entry was on May 21st, 2005. I wrote it before I went to work. Around this time, John and BJ were thinking about blogs, and I knew that Alyssa already had one. Reading the Blogger Blog, I found the link for a concert pianist who had a blog and he became one of my first outbound links.

Through Babelbabe, I met Joke, Blackbird, and other wonderful bloggers, including Badger and Poppy. In November, bobbie and I had dinner. Then she moved to Canada!! In December, I decided I would go to the PLA conference in Bahston in March and Joke and I started communicating via email. He has become a dear e-pal, with a lot of "older brother" wisdom. He has an uncanny knowledge of the Scriptures.

For my birthday, in November, I got a digi camera, the same one as Babelb, so that I could participate in Blackbird's weekly "Show and Tell." Here I met some other folks that I sometimes converse with: Lazy Cow and Mrs. Pom (who, when S&T moved to Thursday at the start of the new Survivor season, started "List Friday.")

I had a panic attack sometime before Christmas, when an ex-boyfriend googled me and found my blog. I shut down and changed the name a couple of times, but within two days, I regained my sea legs and returned, with the current name, Pink Sneakers N'at (n'at being a Pittsburghism meaning "and that.") John kindly said, "But we love your blog," when it looked like I was going away.

In January, I was at a party and a guy came up to me and said, I read your blog, it's good. I phoned a friend in South Carolina and he said, I read your blog. So I kept writing, for those who comment and for those who lurk. For a while, my sister Beppe and my best friend Susan were regular readers and commenters, but their lives got busy and I miss them! (Coming soon--a post highlighting the fun I had while spending time with Susan and fam in New England, complete with pictures of the EZ Bake Oven opening.)

In January, I also started corresponding with Erin, who runs the Biscotti blog. She and I are on very similar paths it seems. Oh, and in October, I met Marlaena, who works at a church in the South Hills, but we've fallen out of touch. Life gets busy!

In March, I blogged for the PLA conference, which was fun. (PLA=Public Library Association.) I got to see Jessamyn, always a plus, and meet some other bloggers.

There's more, of course, but I can see your eyes are glazing over. Anyways, it's been fun, it is fun, and I thank everyone who has encouraged me along this road.

Because of blogs, I have read books I otherwise wouldn't have (am starting the first Sherlock Holmes!), forged friendships with people that live 37 states away (it's a Joke joke), and entertained myself and countless others. (Over 10,000 page views!)

Thank you, and good night! I'll be here all week (and for a long time after that...)