Thursday, January 14, 2010

Bloggers over Borders



“Two prisoners whose cells adjoin communicate with each other by knocking on the wall. The wall is the thing which separates them but is also their means of communication...Every separation is a link.”
-Simone Weil

  A while ago I discussed an idea that’s been brewing for some time, that is, making a connection with some of our BBs (blogging buddies) beyond these pages. I was inspired to do this by Mae, who came up with the idea of sending postcards to those who were reading her blog.
The purpose of this is to get to know each other beyond the confines of the computer screen, and is based on the idea of 'pay-it-forward'.

Here's how it works:

-this is open to everyone who stops by my blog, whether you're a regular follower/contributor or a first-time casual visitor.

-you'll be sending an item which says something about you to a fellow blogger. It could be anything that expresses who you are; something you’ve written, a picture you’ve taken, a trinket you’ve made, a collage with photos, etc. It doesn't have to be anything big or elaborate, but something that holds meaning to you and represents who you are.

-you'll include ten random facts about yourself, as well as a few words about something you've found interesting on the blog of the person you're sending to (you may not know them so this could entail a little reading through their site beforehand, which will only help familiarize us with each other).

 -if you'd like to participate, contact me at barryoshea69@yahoo.ca  (please don't use the comments section in my posts). You must be willing to provide me with a mailing address. It doesn’t need to be your home; it could be a place of work, PO box etc.  Please indicate the name you'd like used with your address, and include the address of your website.

-once the time limit has passed I’ll post a list of those participating. I'll then take your name and draw another one randomly from 'the hat' (this will be the blogger you're sending to) and I'll provide you with their name and mailing address by e-mail. Each person will be both sending and receiving, you won't know who is shipping to you until you receive it.

-your mailing address will only be provided to the person who is sending to you. After I've posted names of the participants, if there is someone whom you would prefer not to mail to or receive from (no reason needs to be given), let me know privately by e-mail and I'll adjust my distribution list accordingly.

-everyone has their own comfort levels so I'll try to accomodate any concerns to the best of my ability.

-you may end up drawing someone on the other side of the world.  Please don't enter unless you're willing to put in the time, effort and postage to see this through.

-when you receive your package from another blogger, please let us know about it in the comments section of my current post at the time.



Giveaway: I've set Feb 5th as the deadline to receive names.  If response isn't what I'm hoping for I'll extend it one more week to the following Friday and make an announcement that I'm doing so. Once I've stopped taking entries I'll draw five names the next day, and each person will win a softcover copy of the book "Toronto: A Photographic Portrait" by Mike Filey, with a note from me inside. I've chosen this book because it's filled with descriptions and lavish colour pictures of the city I've spent most of my life in.  It's very well done, you won't be disappointed.
  I'll mail these books to any destination in the world, no limitations.


This is the first time I've done something like this.  If there's anything I've overlooked or you have any other suggestions, I'm all ears.

Please pass word on to those you know, I'd like to do this big! 

-Barry 

Note: this post has been edited since it first appeared on Dec. 5th.  For those of you who showed interest in your comments on my original post, please e-mail me with your address.

28 comments:

  1. Love it love it love it!!!!!! Oh god I'm so excited! :)

    You make me happy, goddammit! Have a wonderful Christmas party, B. <3

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  2. Barry, I'm in. This is exciting.

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  3. interesting idea! hope it works out well :D

    n thanks for visiting my blog! i'm sure canada has its fair share of yummy yummy food! ;)

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  4. Hi Barry, it sounds an excellent idea! I've been wondering for a bit if there was a way of bringing bloggers together somehow.

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  5. this is a very good idea!!! I need to come up with something for my reader! Seriously I love this idea!

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  6. Sounds pretty cool. I'm in, and SC will be as well, I'm sure

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  7. You are amazing. This is a brilliant idea, Barry. Definitely count me in.

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  8. This sounds like such a wonderful idea!! Count me in too!!

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  9. I'm Aquiles. Pleased to meet you.

    This is my first time in your blog. I found out about you through Melanie who posted your award.

    I love this idea!!! I am absolutely in. I will e-mail you soon.

    I hope we can become friends. See you around.

    Buenos deseos,
    Aquiles from Minute by Minute

    thecoffeecup22.blogspot.com
    minutebyminute09.blogspot.com

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  10. wonderful blog! love the post :)

    xAZD

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  11. Hi Barry!

    This is such an inspired idea! I do want to join but I'm insecure about being the most uninteresting blogger ever!

    PS Please write more poems, Barry ... "Ode to Leah" made me smile the whole day yesterday. We need all the positive energy you're sending out to the world!

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  12. xAZD, thanks!

    Nina, I can promise there are things about you that people would find interesting. I'd really like it if you'd participate, and I'm going to sick Leah on you to change your mind.

    Yeah, I don't play fair! :)

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  13. Hi Barry!

    I'm too weak to resist you ... Yes, I will be joining ... You don't have to egg Leah to egg me on, ha, ha, ha! I'm sending you an email in a few minutes. Hold on!

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  14. Totally in! Going to email you now.

    I'm all about connections outside of the screen I'm currently staring at. I've meet a pen pal, one blogger in real life and one that I'm traveling too visit next month. Blogging can be amazing, especially when you can make that connection.

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  15. Nina and Jenni, that's great! You're on the list. :)

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  16. Hi Barry, thanks for visiting my site, and you are welcome about Leah's poem.
    Thanks also for the compliment on my site!

    Hope your weekend will be great!

    Colin.

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  17. hi Barry, thank you for visiting my blog and you're really welcome about the poem. that thing's so well-written :)

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  18. This is wonderful! Love the photo and the quote! Love the idea! Fantastic, Barry!

    Happy weekend! :)

    http://www.theflickrite.com
    http://www.lancelonie.com

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  19. this is such a cool idea! i would love to be part of it. will definitely be sending you an e-mail. xx

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  20. this is such an amazing project you're doing. i'll definitely be shooting you an email :)

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  21. what an awesome idea! good luck with that and thanks for visiting my bloggy world.

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  22. this is an amazing thing! I am excited to participate :)

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  23. Barry you are amazing! i just started following you after I saw your guest post and then the secrets and now this. You can me at...life. Ironically, my secondary blog has a similiar name to yours. Anyhoo-I am following and marking you as a favorite! Juliana from A Blonde Walks Into A Blog

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  24. Very interesting idea. The deadline has passed. How is it going so far?

    Thanks for stopping by!

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  25. Ohhhh this was such a great idea. Too bad I stumbled upon it too late :(

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