Relationships ... ...

... vary, depending on the situation.


At the professional level, whether in an office, classroom, or traveling on the road, we tend to keep ourselves 'at a distance', paying attention to the business at hand and trying not to let whatever is going on in our personal lives interfere with the job. We try to stay objective.

We are not always successful. I should be more specific and just admit that I am not always successful!


The fact that I am a woman probably has something to do with that statement. You know what they say about how women show their emotions more than men?

Well, that's probably true, but that doesn't mean that men don't have any!

I think they're taught -- from a very early age -- not to show them. Indeed, to suppress them. Consequently, in my opinion, many lose whatever innate ability they might have once had to deeply communicate with the opposite sex, to honestly and openly share their feelings.


By the way, this is not intended to be a psychological essay. (I am not qualified to write one, anyway!) Nevertheless, it will include -- as do almost ALL of my posts -- my personal thoughts and opinions.



When I first began blogging, earlier this year, it was with my daughter's encouragement and support. It was she who showed me how to set up my own site. It was she who suggested that I cruise the net. And, it was she who gave me my very first comment.


(It was also she who told me, when I first started driving a taxicab back in 1989, that one of the things I would find it almost impossible to predict was who would tip and who would not. She was correct, of course!)



If you have taken the time to "View my complete profile", you might have noticed that one of my interests is 'searching out/connecting with those I have known from the past'.

NO, I'm not trying to "start over". (There was a question on a game show recently. "If you could be any age at all, what age would you be?" Something like that, anyway.)

That's kind of an interesting question, actually. Hmmmm. I can almost see another post taking shape in my mind.


Let's say, however, that one of those from the past that you have been trying to 'search out/connect with' calls you and leaves -- not just one, but two voice messages! NOW what??

Well, that happened to me recently, and I found myself fascinated by the realization that my feelings had changed from anticipation before the two calls to reluctance afterwards to return them.

(I'm making a mental note here to do a post on feelings later on down the road.)



Blogging relationships, now, are interesting. This forum is somewhat new to me, and I am still learning the rules of engagement. (See my earlier posts labeled Blogging -- particularly the first one, 'Anonymity personified ... [part one] ...', published on January 30th, which tells the story of how "Goldenrod's thoughts" first came into existence.)

Sometimes there is no relationship other than that of a 'peeping Tom'. Some sites are meant to be seen and interacted with only by family members or known associates, and comments from outsiders are not welcome. (You don't usually know that unless you have added a comment or two. Then, all of a sudden, you discover that your latest comment did not publish. That's kind of a rude way to find out that you are not welcome on that site, in my opinion.)

A lot of sites have a singular focus. That focus could be politics, religion, family, the weather, education, current events, whatever! Many include photographs. Some even have music in the background.


My site does not have a singular focus. In fact, I'm all over the place! I have no photographs, nor do I have any accompanying music.

What I have, instead, are simply heartfelt thoughts ... some very well-written, others not so much (particularly my comments -- which cannot be edited later, as a lot of my posts are -- to some of yours!).


Every so often, after many exchanges of posts, comments, and e-mails, you find yourself in a very close relationship to a person you have never met (certainly no physical relationship!), but with whom you find yourself identifying more and more as you both seek the same end in a common endeavor.

A year (or more) passes. You have each gone a different direction. Then, you learn that this person has died. Your emotions overtake you, and you try and write a post that encompasses your feelings as tears roll down your cheeks.

You had not realized that blogging could produce such an outpouring from you. I guess my only comment here is, "You feel how you feel how you feel." -- or -- "Be prepared to feel how you feel." The important thing is the realization!


My deepest and most heartfelt thoughts go out to each and every one of you who has ever experienced the loss of a close blogger friend ... one whom you never knew personally, other than contact over the net in a common cause, but one you wish you could now meet face to face and give the warmest of hugs.

All I have to offer is this. If you feel that way, then the other person did, as well.