I'm NOT. Not sure what I am and, frankly, I don't want anyone telling me what they think I am. LOL
Anyway, there's been a lot said lately about Active Rain being nothing more than a social blogging platform. There's a lot of griping and moaning (to put it nicely as I can) as to its professionalism. Should we have POINTS for comments? DO we really need those dorking contests? WHY are people blogging/posting about their dogs or rashes on their behinds or weekends sipping margaritas?
I'll tell you why? BECAUSE they CAN! And shouldn't they be able to? Who says you have to read a post? (I am a scanner). Unless someone is holding a gun to my temple, I'm not reading or penning anything I don't want to read or write. PERIOD. And if I read a post, I have the right to comment--within guidelines--as I wish: silly or serious, depending how I feel about the posts content.
ACTIVE RAIN is a wealth of information; some we can use or some we just laugh at/with and enjoy and most we'll never know about. This place is HUGE!
Have's the smorgasbord at ACTIVE RAIN:
- Bloggers that invite us into their lives..in and out of Real Estate
- Bloggers who don't blog, instead sit on the sidelines, reading and learning
- Blogger who write technical or helpful pieces regarding computers or websites or real estate
- Bloggers who just need to get something off their chest
- Bloggers that makes us grit our teeth
- Bloggers that can DO IT ALL
Are you any of these? Well, it doens't matter if you are or not. You don't have to be a SOCIAL BUTTERFLY or techie to be a member of Active Rain. You just need to be alive.
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Hey Kat......so, tell us: How do you really feel? It's good to see a post from you. I'm with Mary about just writing whatever strikes my fancy (as you know). It appears as though you did the same. :-)
I am soooo jealous of your 72 degree weather in Sonora........We're probably in the 90's somewhere!
See, I'm learning about our smileys thanks to you.
Active Rain makes me smile. What better reason to hang around.
Active Rain is what every you wish it to be.
Mary: you write exactly what and how you should--and that is what you want. You keep it up! Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it so much.
Teri: My SMILEY pal, THANKS! Love the butterflies....you're a quick study. LOL I always value your comments!
Hey--don't be jeaous, we're heating up to the high 90's.
Honestly, isn't it so much nicer to come to one place and meet 20,000 other real estate professionals? Who wans to go and try track down each of their individual blogs!
Lexa Montierth
Oh my ....does that poor guy need a glass of ice tea up there!
I am with you on this one....and then again...some just rile everyone up so they can rack up points. Weird. Just do what you do and write what you write....
Lexa...it's over 38,000 now!
WooHoo-thanks for dropping by! OH yeah, as to the riling-up bunch (and I do get riled up by some). You know, I stopped looking at points a while back. It wasn't serving me any use...so I just write when I want, just like you said.
Yeah--that dude above really needs a drink! Someone help him out.
How's this choice? Ice cream and a nice, tall, glass of water. Hey Kat, I LOVE these fun smileys!
Teri: I know what you mean---loads of fun with the smileys and GOD knows we NEED fun in our life. And how cheap is this kind of fun????
Teri is our Smiley CHAMP
Wonderful post, Kat ! I read it while eating my Saturday night dinner of vegee turkey on wheat-free rye bread....an excellent way to spend a Saturday evening .
Yes, I am a blogging butterfly, meaning I touch on a little of everything in my blogging. And I say, ain't it grand ?!? I have to go with the flow of inspiration as it comes my way. As for being a social butterfly, I am not quite sure. I have my favourite blogs that I subscribe to (I just subscribed to yours ) and they are amongst the most positive and inspirational blogs that I am able to find here on AR. I don't believe I am a big social butterfly, no, however once I find a flower I like, I revisit regularly. (((-:
I hope you have a super good rest of the weekend,
Jo
LOLA: Absolutely true!!! Thanks fro commenting
Jo-ANNE: Are you a vegetarian? Or vegan? I am (the latter)...a newbie one. Thanks for stopping by.
Okay, let's see if I can do something like that. That is such a hoot. It only took me three times.
Hi Kat ! I am a vegetarian in that the only animal products that I have eaten in the past 16 years are salmon, eggs, scallops and shrimp. In the past 6 years I have stuck to mainly wild salmon and eggs. Other than that I eat only rice, vegetables, and other plant foods. I am highly allergic to wheat, dairy products, garlic, chocolate and msg so have to avoid those food products as well.
I feel exceptionally healthy as a vegetarian and I would recommend it to everyone. It also helps our planet immensely. Why did you go the vegan route, Kat ? For 8 years I was strictly vegan however found I was not getting enough protein and was also becoming very anaemic . Important to eat a lot of beans and spinach and things like oatmeal for iron. Also, Vit Bs usually need supplementing if you are strictly vegan.
Jo
Here is why I started the vegan lifestyle: UNHAPPY CALIFORNIA COWS An awakening day for me.
I do think I need more protein, not sure how to handle that, yet. I do take the B vit's. I am still wrestling with the protein thing.
Thanks for sharing!!!
Sarah: THANKS so much for stopping by! I appreciate it. Hope your weekend was a good one....
Kat,
You are sooo much fun to have here in the rain, I love reading your comments and seeing you around the rain! :)
Suzanne: That is so nice of you!!!! Thank you. I have a lot of fun here--blogging with a lot of SUPER peeps (oh yeah, that includes you!).
There are times when I am miffed, also. But don't we all have miffed moments? Gee, that's a good title for a post, don't you think? LOL
How was your weekend?
I'm off... heading to the HOTTEST LITTLE FAIR in CA. Mother Lode Fair
Kat...
Personally if everything on this site was real estate related I would have dropped out of the rain a year ago. Real Estate is a huge part of my life. I love being able to come into AR and get away from RE if that's the mood I'm in. Sometimes I am so bored with RE that I feel like holding a gun to someone's head :)
TLW...ROAR!
Kat,
Awww... thanks! I had a great weekend with my family. Hope you enjoy yourself....:) LOL @ TLW but sooo true!
Thanks for clearing the "blogging" air! There certainly are "blogging" properly thoughts on how it ought to be done properly & what are we "blogging" here for anyway - their "blogging" way of course. Well we aren't all in the same space - thank god - it would be very boring talking real estate, SEO, blogging & business all the "blogging" time, like that's all we're here for, now wouldn't it?!
Roight Prohhpuh Powhst!
Great blog!
i am a blogging butterfly and proud of it girl!
Hi, Kat! I think this is a great post. I've read a couple lately in which people complain about the blogging topics. And I think, if you don't like it, don't read it! Just move on and read something you do like!
That is one thing that I really enjoy about AR. You can find a little bit of everything and there's something for everyone.
One blogger was recently berated in an anonymous comment about posting to her blog about her weight loss...and she was posting it to the AR Fit Club, etc. - groups that specifically were created to talk about those topics! Sheesh!
I like my blog to have a healthy balance between serious, real estate related posts and the more lighthearted.
And you know why? Because I can! =)
~Maura Gebhardt
KAT, great post and one I've needed to see because I feel somewhat out of place in AR at times.
See... I got into this real estate business only a little over a year ago (after watching over my wife's shoulder for almost 15 years and not really paying too much attention.... DOH!). I'm pretty much learning as I go with the job. Luckily, my boss is great and has been a huge help in my learning process (and it just happens to be my wife. This also gave me another idea for a blog). Because of this, most of my blogs tend to be towards the things are a little closer to my heart such as my family and my music or things that I have a little more knowledge about such as photography, web tech etc.
Points? Yeah, I'll admit it... they're fun to go after. However, I'm hoping that what I post is info that will interest someone or that I'm passing along info that someone else might not know. And, being the class clown I am (according to my wife) I'm hoping I can give someone that needed laugh along the way. If this puts me in a bad light with some of the more "hardcore" members of AR, so be it!
I'm sure once I'm more comfortable with what I'm doing I'll be able to contribute something a little more substantial. Until then, as the Joker once said...
"Haven't you ever heard of the healing power of laughter?"
TLW : I'm WITH YOU, girl! Thanks so much for stopping by. I value your feedback.
Suzanne: The fair was awesome--watched the demolition derby (been 30 yrs since I've been to one of those) and the Mother Lode's version of American Idol AND had a delicious FRESH pretzel. Too much fun.
Deborah: Right on! We're not ALL in the same space. OR, moment or mood. We ALL are all from a different mold....thankfully. Thanks for commenting!
Maureen: And a GREAT Butterfly you are...I enjoy reading your posts! Thank you for stopping.
Maura: I'm so Glad you like my topic. I KNOW the poster you're talking about (the weight issue), and that was so wrong how she was berated. The ANONYMOUS commenter didn't have a gun to his/her head making them read! Lotta people in the world (and AR) that eat nails for breakfast is all I can say.
Randy: What a super comment. Thank you. It's people like you that put smiles on our faces. I LOVE class clowns.
THANK YOU ALL...Keep posting what you want...when you want...because you CAN
Kat,
Good morning, nice to see you had a good time! That pretzel sounds good, did you save one for me...:)
It is nice that it's not just about real estate. That's what work is for. We've got to have fun and games and stress relief sometimes. Thanks for the post.
Suzanne: SORRY, I ate them both. LOL (just kidding, only had one). Know how good I was? Nothing on it--plain, warm and yummy.
David ad Kristin: So, so true about the fun and games helping to rid of us stress. And God knows, this business can be stressful, can't it?
Kat, the cow story was a very sad one. I can't imagine they treat animals that way; well, actually I can. I have been to the sales barn and I see how they poke and prod them and I know all about how 'veal' comes to be and the horrors that happen in slaughterhouses.
I hope you find enough protein products to supplement your vegan lifestyle...beans are a good choice. Tofu dishes are fantastic too. I really like Pad Thai made with tofu.
Later alligator,
Jo
Hi Jo-Anne: Thanks for the concern and encouragement. I actually do eat a lot of tofu (like it, in fact). But I am going to incorporate more beans into my diet (even though the results may NOT be pleasing to my loved ones) LOL.
I have read and learned so much about the treatment of animals, that I cannot ignore what I now know. My lovely daughter-in-law is also a big source of knowledge for me. She's been a vegan for 4 yrs (I think).
Thanks again.
Have a SUPER rest of the day.
Kat-great post and I can't agree with you more. Activerain and Real Estate the same, independent contractors, we decide we work a little or lots.... I can assure you I am here because of the wide variety of topics, styles and opinions! I love it.... I think that is why it is so successful.....a very human real estate industry community.
Midori: Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting. I really appreciate it! AR is such an amazing place and there is something for everybody here. Isn't that wonderful?