ICLW

It is ICLW (I come; [but] leave [as a] we, International Comment Leaving Week) and I thought it would be a great way to come across more blogs out there in the wide world of the internetz. (see graphic to the right)

So here's a run down on ICLW. Mel has a list on her blog where people sign up, and for one week the people on the list go around visiting other people on the list and leave comments on their blogs. Commenting week runs from the 21st to the 28th and everyday you are supposed to comment on 5 blogs and return 1 comment for a total of 6 comments per day. It is open to anyone, and has been running since sometime in 2008.

The lady (Mel) that started this whole thing is a big IF (infertility) blogger (and even has a book), so naturally that is the community that she has surrounded herself in, and that flock to her. Now I know nothing about IF, adoption, pregnancy loss, and all of the things that surround that. I started finding more and more of these types of blogs when looking for other parenting-type blogs and pregnancy blogs in preparation for the birth of bean.

So ICLW has grown through this community and of 130 blogs, 95% are about infertility, adoption, loss, adoption, and related topics. It's really cool to see this type of community and the benefits it brings; another benefit of this great thing known as the internet.

I have a small problem though, I feel out of place. I feel like an interloper. I feel like I'm visiting all of these blogs that are about topics that I know absolutely nothing about (though after a couple days of reading, I feel like I could hold my own in a conversation about infertility and the treatments surrounding it), and I feel like I'm intruding on these people's lives. It is a weird feeling, and something I've never come across in all my years of trolling blogs. I leave comments, but they feel weak and pithy. Why would this community care about the words of some random dude who has no idea what they are going through? Some guy that while he is going to be a dad, it was a surprise and hasn't spent thousands of dollars on it.

Now I don't know where these insecurities are coming from as these blogs are written by absolutely wonderful people; wonderful, kind, patient, loving people. I just feel like an outsider. But I guess that is okay, I can't always fit in right? I'm learning a ton about people with perseverance and patience and love and heart. I've come across a number of blogs that I'm really enjoying reading, and will definitely be adding to my list.