Reading Post Secret a couple weeks ago, I came across this postcard:

It's as if the act of getting to know someone has gone by the wayside with the advent of blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and the like. I write something on this blog and you know about it without ever having to talk to me. I Twitter what I'm doing and you can seamlessly add my thoughts into conversation even though I never expressly told you anything. I post a link on Facebook and you know what I'm reading, what I find interesting, and what I enjoy. You can literally read up on someone before you meet them just by Googling their name or reading their blog. Not only are we no longer anonymous, we no longer have secrets that others must discover about us. Going on a blind date? Perhaps read the guy's Tumblr first and it won't even be necessary. Considering a business partner? Not with a LinkedIn like that!

Since I love interpersonal and nonverbal communication as much as I love the media part of my chosen field/major, I find this fascinating more than I find it progressive. What will this mean about people's "getting-to-know-you" practices? Will we ever interact with different-minded people again? Even if every blog, Twitter, or Myspace incorporates individual thoughts, will we ever experience something totally outside our thinking or interests if we only follow or interact with those who lead lives similar to ours?

Heavy right? When Twitter goes mainstream and invites in all who aren't "social media experts," PR branders and media fiends, I'm going to follow someone who does something totally different than me. Any suggestions?

Hey y'all. (What? No? Okay.)

Anyway, unsuprisingly, I've found myself up late distracted by the Internet (and Father of the Bride), and I've added some new features to this thing! I've switched my feed to Feedburner (because apparently that's what the cool kids do), so you're gonna want to subscribe to me HERE now! See that lonely, sad looking zero in my counter? Let's not have that be there tomorrow, k?

Alas, for those of you who aren't up on the whole feed reader thing (which I would imagine would be most of my hometown buds...), you can also now get my blog e-mailed to you! Gasp! That is so cool! Right? RIGHT! You'll see the convenient box to the left in which you can place your e-mail address.

Reading me just got easier, people. And now you have very little excuse. Tell your friends!

I went a little widget crazy today (check it out, yo), and I felt as though you should reap the benefits, too. Have fun, procrastinate, laugh ... whatever. And find the big version here.

Well, my little blog platform, it is beginning of a new year and soon a new semester - and we've been through bunches. In a short month and a half we'll be coming up on our half-iversary, and while that may have been a good time to assess what I've felt about you, I think now - a time of newness in all its glory - is the perfect time.

I was hesitant to join you, OnSugar. You were new, which I liked, but I feared that meaning you were immature. How could you compare with your friends Wordpress and Blogger? They seemed to be the norm in the blogosphere, but I liked your spunk (and your chic design). With you, OnSugar, I was able to blog with the sophisticated coding and design options of bigger platforms, but with the ease and fun of all sorts of different post types. At first I thought the spreads and chats and quotes would be childish and other bloggers would poitn and laugh at me, but now I see their brilliance. A fellow student journalist and blogger commented on you to me recently; she was surprised when she stumbled upon my blog and realized that it would be possible to create a whole online magazine here.

And we all know my aspirations ... now, don't we.

And since, my love for you has been solidifed, OnSugar. In addition to your social-networking features, instant help when I need it, and growing options, you have given me the opportunity to be more creative and bold than I would have been able to with your older buddies. And while in the future there may be a Wordpress blog I call my own - whenever I get a hold of this whole web design and coding thing - it is here I will stay for now. I expect to continue to receive the praise I have had for my blog as of late, and for that, OnSugar, I thank you.

However, I do indeed have one request. Although I've mentioned it on the OnSugar Help forums before (and you have told me it is coming!) - you would really make my year if you would allow non-members to comment on my blog posts. Now, I know, you want to be exclusive. You want to pull people into the Sugar community, not allow them to dance around the border. But don't you see, my dear OnSugar, that you will never truly be a part of the blog-platform club without this feature? You wouldn't want to become passe, now would you? With your numerous style blogs that you encourage, I would think not.

I hope you've enjoyed my posts, OnSugar. I can't wait for what's to come.