caught in the Web

I want to answer TWO tags today. First, is Ted's meme from a couple weeks ago. Sorry for dragging my feet, Bro!

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If it's okay Ted, I'll offer what I already did in May '07 (eight facts about me) and January '07 (five odd things about me). Check them out to see what I have to say about priesthood, peanut butter and lightnin'.

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Now, our dear friend LL Barkat, author of Stone Crossings added another. No--she concocted another. Yes folks, this one is her very own invention.

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The rules:

1. Write about 5 specific ways blogging has affected you, either positively or negatively.
2. Link back to the person who tagged you.
3. Link back to the parent post, so she can track the meme.
4. Tag a few friends or five, or none at all.
5. Post these rules-- or just have fun breaking them.

.5 Ways Blogging Changed My Life

1. I am learning how to talk to people. Those who know me, might not think that's a problem for me, but when I see that someone has joined a photo event, it's not enough to stamp "nice picture" on each and every entry. Plus, it's tempting to always talk about me, and I am trying to be less egocentric with my comments. I have found that it's easy to offend, so I try to be careful about what I say.
2. Initially, I thought blogging would bring more non-Christians into my life, and it has, but most of the Christians I know outside of the blogosphere are people who's doctrine lines up very close to my own. Blogging has provided a bridge to believers of varying stripes. I think I have learned from some, and hope that one or two have learned something from me as well.
3. Every now and then, I like to use a word that is specific to a situation or maybe punctuate something with a little pizazz. I'm no linguistic purist, but I just want my vocabulary to expand beyond the 500 most basic words in the commoner's tongue. While blogging, I have never once heard that phrase I dread: "Why don't you just speak English?" And when someone uses a word I don't know, it is sooooo easy to look it up, since I'm already online.
4. Did you ever pray with somebody real time, who is on a distant location of this planet? Praying with and for people is a wonderful privilege. It's special to be able to do that with someone who I never see face-to-face.
5. If my photographs were never viewed, but stealthily filed in a tiny chip, I doubt that I would be taking as many pictures and learning as much as I am now. The friends who take good pictures, and the friends who I take pictures for, these folks have sharpened my picture-taking skills far beyond what I would have done without blogging.

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Let's see... I think we might like to hear from

Carletta, Halfmom, Kim, Louise, and Sandman.

Of course, anyone can join in, who feels so inclined.

Lime, are you game? :-)