Why Blog?

I'm sure you've heard the saying, "everybody and his grandma". It's used to describe a multitude of things, from a bunch of people mingling around in one place, to having to wait in line at the store because "everybody and his grandma must be out shopping today."

It's that way with blogging now, "everybody and his grandma" has a blog. Anything you can think of is blogged about, somewhere, by somebody - or "his grandma".

Why do I blog? I blog because I have made so many new friends in cyber-space I blog to say hello to them every day or so. I blog to visit their pages, sites, and spaces to see what new things they are doing learning or simply babbling about...babbling...that's me, I babble a lot sometimes. I blog because I enjoy their company, their comments and stories, and their warm friendships.

Today's post is dedicated to those friends. "Hi there, friends. How's your day going? Hope you had a good week, also hope the rest of this weekend is nice for you."

For anyone new to "At the Starting Gate', if you're dropping in for the first time, I want you to meet some of the warmest, friendliest, most beautiful cyber-space friends a person could ask for.
First, there is Musings who moved back to Hawaii after living in Illinois 34 years. Musings is first because she was first to repond with a comment on my blog when I started out. She is a retired teacher whose blog is filled with beautiful photos with descriptions and explanations, warm family stories, general helpful information, and on and on and on. I could go on, but YGTP. Visit Musings and see for yourself.

Lin commented on my blog shortly after Musings and has been a frequent commenter and is now a loyal and inspiring friend. She is also a retired teacher and a published author who blog about so many helpful and interesting things it is impossible (for me) to sum it up here. Visit Letters From Lin, you'll see what I mean.


Another wonderful blogger friend is Mom/Caryn. She writes the most beautiful and heart-warming post. According to her profile, she is a realtor but, her everyday post reads like a sonnet or published poem, like she should be a poet. Visit her at HollowThoughts, you'll return again and again for the sheer joy of reading her up-lifting and soothing poetic posts.

Then, there's the witty and charming Teachersays who blogs about (in her own words) "Stuff from the head of a retired teacher, daughter, sister, wife, mother, and grandmother." In order to get the full benefit of her wit and charm visit TeacherSays, you'll be glad you did. She is another friend who makes my day.

Another reason I blog is to click on to see what new interesting things Mare might be sharing on any given day. Mare introduces herself, "Glinda is a leftie who is completely in her right mind. Her blog is intended to be a flo-ing series of musings and 'thoughts of the day' that should make you smile." Know what? She's right, she will make you smile. Find her at Zoaring With Glinda.

Petula, at A Woman's World is another friend who keeps me blogging. She is a warm friendly cyber-pal who balances freelance writing and motherhood and makes it seem like 'a piece of cake'. I'm sure it's not but, read her blog to see what I mean. She is dynamic and powerful at It's a Woman's World.


Could I make this any longer? Probably, but I'll stop now.


Please visit my amazing friends for some fun, some inspiration, and some just plain interesting stuff.