Blogging Convention

Well, that was fun!

I got to stay at home with NBD and still attend the convention- at least while watching it from the blog feed and the chat room. It was nice- I got to chat with Harryer, Leora, Lady-Light, Mrs. S., and R' Gil Student...all others who were there and I forgot- nice to have typed with you.

I'm not going to run down the panel and the speakers- for all who were there, I'm sure you all found it as enjoyable as I did.

I liked hearing from the different bloggers who chose to identify themselves, the private bloggers that I read like RivkA, Baila, Batya, Rafi, HaMekubal's wife (the Rabbi's Wife) and others, and also the group/company bloggers who wanted to promote themselves and their blog.

I didn't stay past that to hear the Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister talk, because NBD woke up and wanted me- but all in all, a very interesting and informative event.

Maybe next year I'll get to attend in person!

Writing

I picked up a book from my local Feldheim store, with a rather interesting title: The Cliff Line. Now, I've never heard of a cliff line- sounding like a row of cliffs, but the back cover sounded interesting, and so I bought it. It's by someone known as M. Wiseman.

It was written in present tense- making it a tough read, since I'm very much used to past tense, but it was interesting, and fairly well written. Then I turned to the back, about the author, and learnt that this author was in seminary this past year.

That makes her younger than me. Younger, and she's already a published author. It seems she wrote the book in 11th grade, making her someone who's written a full fledged novel at a very young age.

There are other authors I know of who are like that- Christopher Paolini, that Eragon sensation writer, is a young guy. But this is one of the first that I've read from a young frum girl.

In one way, I'm so pleased that someone took the step like this. To go out, show their talent, and prove that we young people, young frum people, can head out and write novels, and do things, wherever our talent takes us.

On the other hand, the green monster of jealousy pops up. I write, I enjoy writing, but I've never attempted to publish a novel. Maybe I could, maybe I couldn't. But this girl went out and did it.

Sometimes we have to follow our dreams. R' Paysach Krohn, in one of his books, mentions that he wrote the famous book on Bris Milah. A well known Mohel came up to him and said, "I could have written that book." R' Krohn remarked to himself that that Mohel could have written that book, but didn't. If we don't take advantage of the times, to follow our dreams and goals, then they will slip past us. It's not the could have, should have, would have that counts, but rather the actualization.

So go out and achieve! Who knows, I may write a book someday too!