July 10, 2004

ADOPTEE VS. NATURAL BORN BLOGCHILD

In the comments to a recent post, the Bartender of Madfish Willie's Cyber Saloon asks a very insightful question:

What is this "adoptee" bullshit?

It's like this. My blogchildren are the formerly blogless people that I talked into blogging when they had no specific plans of doing so before making the mistake of commenting at my place (sound familiar, Bartender? :-)

Adoptees are people who already HAD blogs, but upon whom I've a had a strong, positive influence in their growth as a blogger. Not to say that they wouldn't be blogging if it weren't for me, but just that I gave a lot of encouragement, support, feedback, etc.

As Pam can probably verify, adoptees are not loved any less for not being "natural birth". Whatever it means to be a Bad Example blogchild (and the jury is still out on THAT question), the adoptees are every bit as much if not more so.

The ONLY reason I make the distinction is that I don't want to mistakenly be given credit for getting these folks to start blogging in the first place, which is what "blogchild" normally means. However, if the adoptees are freely willing to claim that I was a benevolent influence in their blogging careers, I will return the honor of such an admission with what small honor of my own that I can bestow.

Which is NOT to say that becoming an adoptee is as simple as saying "Gee, Harv, I read you every day, and now I'm a drooly, lusting, semi-middle-aged perv-o just like you". It has to be the kind of reciprocal relationship where I make a particular effort to stop by & leave comments on a regular basis (even during those dry spells when almost no one else does). Wouldn't you agree, Jeff & Tom, Joey & GEBIV?

The point is, if you're on the list of family, you're family, and you're special. If I make a distinction, it's a distinction without a difference.

posted by Harvey on July 10, 2004 at 01:07 AM | Permalink | 3 Liars | Blogging
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Comments on ADOPTEE VS. NATURAL BORN BLOGCHILD
Trey Givens exemplified on July 10, 2004 08:33 AM

So, this is what it's like to not get enough hugs as a child.

*sniff*

Madfish Willie exemplified on July 10, 2004 12:04 PM

You are a world class fruitcake...

Tammi exemplified on July 10, 2004 02:15 PM

Mama always said being adopted made me special. We Were CHOSEN - so there! :P