My Blogging Mentors -Part I of ??

Anyway, a day late and a dollar short, I just wanted to tell you that you'd be on my short list, too.  You are brave in a way that more of us should be.  I love you.

Belinda ( http://www.ninjapoodles.com )

I discovered many websites recently including Twitter mentioned above by someone else. I have to admit that this wave of new websites, incuding fecabook is very addictive. You'd spend hours just browsing people's lives each single day.

I believe Erin should frame this one. Also, I'm betting you have inspired a good number of women in a similar way.

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings ( http://www.flamingohouse.net/ )

My sister was my first foray into the Blogging world, she blogged every week of her pregnancy and has since continued everyday of her son's now 5years.  It was because of her that ALL of my family - from senior citizens (my 79 year old Uncle still blogs weekly) to teenagers blog often to keep each other in touch.

But you, Erin, were/are my mentor to realize, I didn't have to blog just for my family.  That I could blog for ME.  That was such an eye opening, that I don't even think I have fully realized it yet.

Blogging Mentors? How the hell did you choose??

I started blogging "officially" whenever blogger came out with blogspot.com 9 years? 10? But I used to hand code my HTML and post my proto-blogs on my website as far back as 1996.

Yet still, I have so many "mentors" who have influenced me even in the past year.  Every time I start really getting into a new blogger, s//he influences me in ways that change how I write, how I come across, what I'm doing.  You count in that for sure and you know, we've only "known" each other on Twitter a little over a year... But you're the reason I went to BlogHer, the reason I checked out BlogHer.com and the reason I connected with the "new and improved mom-bloggers" - you know, the ones who don't just write about potty-training and preschool art but who also write about the stuff that impacts all of us, mom, dad, child alike.Without you, I think I'd still be back in my cave doubting that anything outside of LiveJournal held any appeal for me any more.

Thanks for writing this Erin - and you know what? All of the women you listed in this one are truly awesome - so it makes sense that they played a role in making you the awesome BlogHer you are.

 p.s. where the heck is Belinda hiding these days? I need to go poke her with a stick.  She's the reason I met you! :)

Lucretia (aka GeekMommy)

Raising a child in a digital world, still a digital girl

I had the most *awesomest* idea for you for #suckit schwag this year for BlogHer... but I'll have to DM you so you can revel in the awesomeness w/o revealing it! :)

Lucretia (aka GeekMommy)

Raising a child in a digital world, still a digital girl

because you've also mentored me to think like a 12-year old boy

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain ( http://queenofspainblog.com/ )

You've come to the right place!

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain ( http://queenofspainblog.com/ )

 I think I teared up a little.

It's funny, I was just telling someone today that you were the one who introduced me to BlogHer and then Lisa Stone and in turn got me this job.

Sometimes mentoring works two ways.

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Sports and Fitness ( http://blogher.org/topic/sports-fitness )
Sarah and the Goon Squad ( http://sarahandthegoonsquad.com/ )
Draft Day Suit ( http://ronmexicosblog.blogspot.com/ )

I'm brand new to social media. Finally gave in to social network requests a few months ago. Discovered Twitter recently. And started my own blog (something I never thought I'd do) about 24 hours ago. The folks you've listed, and those in subsequent comments, are great for a newcomer to check out. Thanks.

At first I was thinking blogging Heroes. That seemed wrong.

Then I was thinking blogging role models, but that gave me people I wanted to 'be like.'

So when I forced myself to come up with mentors, it was an actual list of people who have literally mentored me through the blogging process.

And there you have it. ;)

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain ( http://queenofspainblog.com/ )

I like your list, but it isn't what I expected. Well it's sort of what I expected but ... I don't know what I expected, exactly. I just knew you were the right person to write this topic because you'd bring something interesting to it.

You listed a lot of different types of mentors and I think it's important for us to have different types.

Unfortunately, instead of answering email, I've been sitting here wondering who I would put on my list. People I thought I would put on my list are maybe not mentors so much as role models and there's a difference, right?

~Denise
BlogHer Community Manager

Flamingo House Happenings ( http://www.flamingohouse.net/ )

I taught you #suckit.

:P

Politics & News Contributing Editor
Queen of Spain ( http://queenofspainblog.com/ )

Thanks for this post, Erin!  You taught me so much via twitter :) Also Shireen Mitchell ( http://www.womenwiredin.com/ ) (@digitalsista), Deanna Zandt ( http://www.deannazandt.com/ ) (@randomdeanna), Jen Nedeau ( http://womensrights.change.org/ ) (@HumanFolly) and Cynthia Samuels ( http://dontgelyet.typepad.com/ ) (@csamuels) and - lest we not give credit where it's due - Sarah Palin provided the daily inspiration to learn while doing.

 I'm still figuring out as I go along.  Thanks for this post. 

 PS- GoodSquadSarah has me in stitches.  She's fantastic!

 Also is it bad I think of people as their twitternames now? oh well

Clearly I have done a good job. I almost chocked on my coffee when I read that. 

BlogHer Contributing Editor, Sports and Fitness ( http://blogher.org/topic/sports-fitness )
Sarah and the Goon Squad ( http://sarahandthegoonsquad.com/ )
Draft Day Suit ( http://ronmexicosblog.blogspot.com/ )