The internet is all about connections. You read someone’s blog post, you decide to make a comment, you read someone else’s comment on that post, you click on their blog link – and voila, a connection is made.
That’s how I met Jim Schmotzer. I don’t remember exactly whose blog we were both commenting on, but that’s how we met.
He lives in Bellingham, Washington. He’s a husband, a father and a grandfather.
Jim’s blog is The Faithful Skeptic, and he posts poems and short, short, really short stories on it. That’s not entirely correct. He posts really good poems and short, short stories on it. One poem he posted in September is entitled “Thirty Five” – and it’s about a wedding anniversary. It especially caught my eye because a month earlier, I had celebrated my 36th. You can follow Jim on Twitter, too.
In November, Jim wrote what was only slight longer than a short, short story, called “The Tipping Point.” Two people commented – me and a guy named Fred Sprinkle (or that’s his online name). Fred’s also from Bellingham. I clicked on the link – and found a young poet and writer.
He says he grew up living on a sailboat, but that he can’t sail very well. Fred’s blog is I Force It to Rhyme, and he primarily posts poetry and short random memories. I really like his poetry; one example is “Produce of the Spirit” (“Give us cabbage/ in the kingdom/ of God”). And a random memory can be found in Random Memory 1. Fred can be found on Twitter as well.
(Over at the High Calling Blogs, we’re celebrating the 12 days of Christmas by highlighting a blog or web site of someone besides ourselves during this season of Advent and Christmas.) (Which is what we should also be doing the other 353 days of the year.)
I remember following one of your links to Jim's site, and I later went back to read more of his pieces. I like his style and his words. And who wouldn't like a blog called "The Faithful Skeptic"?
ReplyDeleteVarious tweets sent me to Fred's site. I like that I never know what I'll find there.
Funny how one thing leads to another. You almost have to wonder if the angels smile every time we "stumble across," a meaningful connection.
ReplyDeleteFred's poetry is so memorable that my husband actually remembered one of the poems (yeah, that's a compliment).
ReplyDeleteAnd Jim's place always makes me smile, even when he does sad stuff... the smile is for the gutsiness of it.
after reading, i decided to subscribe to the faithful skeptic.
ReplyDeleteand i love fred's blog. is poems are so fresh.
I'm heading over there now...
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