Following Other Hubbers
Lifelong Joy of Reading and Recent New Joy of Reading Hubbers
It's such a pleasure to meet so many really talented, inspired, humourous, and informative fellow-writers! When I joined, (at the invitation and for the sake of one writer I already knew who had become a member), I could not have imagined or expected the sheer pleasure it's given me since that first day. The abundant joy of finding, not just an occasional, but many people with something to say and the ability to express it well is almost too good to be true! I pinch myself frequently to be sure I'm not imagining all of it!
But how many of us hubbers take advantage to avail ourselves of it fully?
Do we read and comment on others' hubs faithfully? I confess that at first, I didn't realize that part of the package! I saw that people were reading my hubs and commenting, but I was naive enough to suppose they were the official welcoming committee or something! I was thrilled, of course! Gradually it became clear how it worked, that I could also become a follower and a fan and that I could read and comment on their hubs and that they actually valued what i commented! L'il ole me! WOW! I just had to tell them I appreciated it, I was so thrilled!
So my next question is, how many of us take the time to go back after we've first commented on some one's hub to see what has since been added? While we're there, do we take a moment to read the responses of others who've commented and, of course, note what the author wrote in response to OUR comments? Oh, I know that at times we are so rushed, we do well just to make the rounds. But isn't it a bit like stopping to smell the roses, not just tov observe them in passing?
Often times a small valuable discussion will have developed among the comments! This all really is good stuff! It's just too good to waste even a comment! As I wrote in one of my first hubs, our hubs tell a lot about ourselves; and I'm coming to realize that our comments do, as well. It's an education and it broadens one's horizons to expose oneself to so many intelligent responses as much as possible! This is truly a network that works! So very valuable!
HubPages makes it convenient, too. We can program our profile settings so that we receive email notices announcing new hubs from people we follow and comments on our own hubs so we can just pop over and read them! Then they even list our "hubtivity". which shows where we've gone to post comments on others' hubs - among listing other activities of interest. This is a great help if we don't want to miss those second followups to see what's happened since the first ones.
Yes, yes - I know, It's time-consuming to follow up consistently, but what a rich exposure to good writing and thinking among our hubber-associates! Besides, if one needs a some good "strokes" to get one's spirits up - they're almost always there waiting. Who among us can't use a few more of those in our days? We do seem to find time for the things we've learned to value. :-)
You know, we could be reading some of the the best selling authors of today and of tomorrow! Some of them may become the classics to future generations. Heck - maybe YOU or your first "fans" will be! And we knew them "when?" - NOW! What a privilege!
I'm so impressed with the quality of writing and thought, as well as the talent for humor and fun among us. And the quality of news around the world and at home is really professional. It's downright amazing, in fact!
The Good Ole Days
Remember when people used to read the newspaper from cover to cover? Well, perhaps some of you don't remember and maybe some of you still read it! I actually have some friends who do! Of course they have no computers! They read a few magazines and special interest books, but the newspaper is their real current events and editorial exposure, not that newspapers don't provide a lot. They used to supply the bulk of what people knew about, in fact. And perhaps they were the precursors of the social networks, chatrooms, and blogs of our cyber world.
We read the Editorials, the Letters To The Editor, the Business and the Sports sections, the "funnies", "Dear Abby", the editorials, the fashion and food news, the Horoscope, and even the Want Ads. We did the Crossword and Word Jumble. We couldn't get enough. Couldn't wait till Sunday when there was the Parade Magazine or other special picture suppliement. Gosh, some of us cut out the grocery coupons and coordinated them with the grocery ads for the greatest savings!
You'd read the "breaking story" on page one and then there would be follow-up stories till it was concluded, You'd be eager to get that paper in the morning and see what had happened that day and the next. Now we're so spoiled with the glut of news, we can hardly absorb it all! You'd race to the front porch to be the one to grab it and bring it in, maybe you'd get up early, soon as you heard the "thud" when the paper boy rode by on his bike and threw it!
We've Come A Long Way!
We still have our beloved books - both the ones we hold and whose pages we turn, but online books. And now - we have something else of great value! HubPages! A flow of wonderfully varied, well-written articles and stories from an array of different perspectives and interests, including different parts of our world! We even get to actually know the authors in this community and know some of their profiles and many other things they share with us.
I only regret being unable to read more of them! I so thoroughly enjoy reading all I can get read and the interesting comments others write about them, too. Sometimes it almost seems like an imposition to have to pause to do chores. And this is almost never wasted time or effort - as so much TV viewing turns out to be.
I don't know about newspapers these days. They're sort of desperate to get readers now. Our Dallas Morning News started giving away a small paper in hopes of attracting readers. But we stopped subscribing years ago - before the decline in circulations - when we were spending half our time at the ranch without one, as well as without the Internet! We got satellite TV and that was our only connection with the outside world unless someone called us long distance or vice-versa. (serviced by the Big Bend Telephone Co. - no cell phones work consistently out there). But there is something so real about it without all the conveniences!!
A Token Of My Esteem!
Well - it just occurred to me what a privilege it is to read others' reminisces, good advice and tips on myriad things from news bulletins to the most tender thoughts - all so well written! I couldn't help but feel moved to write a little about it - and to thank each of the folks who allow me to follow them and those who follow me. It's equally a privilege when they offer constructive criticism or direct me toward an idea on the subject I hadn't considered.
I've been online for a lot of years and have enjoyed some wonderful friendships and good times, but honestly, - - never so many really bright, interesting, outstanding people as I've met and am meeting here! It's truly an honor! Thank you!!
I find that I can't seem to conclude this without mentioning some of the wonderful Highly Esteemed Hubbers to whom I owe much in getting acquainted and settled here. I find that there are so many! So I'm going to start with the first folks who welcomed me and helped me.
It's a bit like deciding which special mementos to "put out" to see and enjoy. The ones displayed are no less beloved. So my very first filter is for those who welcomed and encouraged me even before I'd written a word.
In truth - for my list of favorites - see my followers and fans - there are none I value less than others! And several who were the very first to comment on my first attempts at writing hubs. I am so indebted to you! But then those who have become friends later on are special to me, too!
So I'm going to mention the two persons who welcomed me even before I'd found courage to write a word:
Fist, the one for whom I was already a fan before joining, who told me about Hubpages. His work is well worth following and he is a published writer, too -> Thanks to Merlin Fraser
The very next person I was to encounter was my first fan and the person I've looked to for example, encouragement and inspiration. He's every one's favorite but he truly has been mine from Day One! He writes some of the wittiest and most erudite hubs online. If you're not already his fan - you will be if you check him out here -> Thanks to De Greek