Wednesday, February 01, 2006

Seek and Ye Shall Find

Blogroll Me!

I don't know how I discover the things I do, or sometimes can't even recall when I discovered them.

But I'm pleased to have discovered them. Oftentimes a small discovery makes a large difference in my life.

Had it not been for once having discovered www.annaolswanger.com, a woman who'd send out quarterly newsletters of new releases of Jewish interest in the publishing industy, I would not have learned of Robert Avrech's Seraphic Press, his book, The Hebrew Kid and the Apache Maiden, or his blog, Seraphic Secret. I would not have learned of a California-based short story and children' s book contest, which I entered, but subsequently didn't win. I would not have learned of a Jewish literary magazine, Poetica Magazine, to which I submitted a poem, and the March 2006 issue will feature that poem.

Had I not discovered Robert's blog, I would not have discovered several of your blogs. And I certainly would not have begun one of my own.

Had I not discovered Robert and his blog, I would not have forged a warm personal friendship, and made a business contact. Primarily I would not have learned about Robert and Karen's wonderful, and very special son, Ariel -- a person to emulate and certainly a person to admire.

I have found that Google searches lead to magnificent discoveries, great and small. One of those discoveries is http://www.atlantajewish.com/, another online magazine I get. It arrives monthly in my in-box and features some good writing.

I'm sure that many of you have your own tales of online discoveries to share. Why not do just that?

7 comments:

cruisin-mom said...

Well, Pearl...as you know, the first blog I read was Robert's, but I got there through the Jewish Journal newspaper, not from something online. But...through Robert, I came to you and all of the other blogs I now read. And began writing my own, of course. I sometimes feel like I find everything on line though. It has become my number one resource.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it was a lucky day when someone in my office sent me the link to Robert's blog and through him I found you and many other wonderful blogsgers. I was lucky again when you decided to open my e-mail, although I stupidly called it "A Secret Admirer", not realizing that one is cautious about opening strange e-mails that might contain a virus. My family and friends who know about my blogging friendships, not being blog readers, do not understand how close you feel to some of these people. It is their loss and our gain.

torontopearl said...

Thank you both for your comments, and yes, if it hadn't been for Robert's blog, I wouldn't have "met" either one of you.

Some people believe that blogging friends are not like real friends; I disagree. I value my blogging friendships -- true, in person, perhaps we wouldn't have as much to talk about, but at least online and offline we find strong connections. And that's a heck of a lot more than many people have in their mundane, day-to-day lives.

So I thank you, ladies, for being two friends whose company I enjoy and appreciate.

Moochy said...

Sorry, what is Roberts blog address?

torontopearl said...

Moochy, click on the blog name link, and you should find it listed on his blog.

Jack Steiner said...

I stumbled onto Robert's blog when he was still using Blogger. It really touched me and threw me for a loop. For a while I was more of a lurker as I just wasn't sure what to say. But eventually I grew a little more comfortable and waded in.

It has been a enlightening experience in many ways.

torontopearl said...

On the Derech & Jack: I, too, discovered Robert's blog when he was using Blogger, back in October 2004. The tone of his early posts are so much more different than today's posts, but the man who writes them is still the same -- friendly, welcoming and generous with his time.

Mia: the Jewish blogging world is vast; I've only discovered a tiny fraction of it thus far and would need a lifetime to discover all its secrets.

As for Robert's book -- written initially for young adults, but everyone I know who's an adult and who's read it, loves it. You can't go wrong with it.