It’s been an interesting week in the food blogging world. I have gone from being angry on behalf of some fellow bloggers to being amazed at the bonds that can tie together people who have never met and possibly never will. Let me backtrack a little.
Yesterday, I received an email (I will answer if you’re reading this! I just haven’t gotten to it yet!) that left me so very flattered. A lovely lady named Kris wrote and told me that she was starting a blog and that I had been one of her inspirations for doing so as I was one of the first blogs she had ever started reading. She then asked me for tips on blog etiquette. I was proud when she said that by watching me she already knew that one of the things you did was to give links back and make sure to say where you found your recipe
I found it ironic that she asked this now considering everything that has been happening in our little world in the last couple of weeks.
Most of you know that I am fairly new to the blogging world; at least the food side of it. My blog isn’t even a year old yet. But not once have I been made to feel new or unwanted or not a part of the community. On the contrary, even when I had bad days and vented via my blog, I was virtually comforted by many friendly hands and hugs. Over the past almost 8 months, I feel as I have become part of a family. It’s one that stretches across thousands of miles and more than one continent.
Unfortunately, every family can be dysfunctional at times & have members who make it hard on the others. The last couple of weeks that has happened in our world. Yet again though, I have been warmed by seeing the responses of others. When we all learned that a blogger we had known & trusted had been living a lie with her blog for over two years, when we saw more members of the family this week get recipes stolen from them… the whole community had each others backs. NEVER before had I seen the cohesion, the pure warmth and spirit, the feeling of friendship that I have seen in the blogging world in the last weeks.
So, I just wanted to say thank you. To you and you and you and you and yes, even you hiding there in the corner. And especially YOU… the person who was willing to put your neck on the line & take care of the foodie world like a virtual father. You all have my respect and admiration.
Thank you; all of you, for being my friend… thank you for being an examples to myself and bloggers even newer than I, thank you for making this community just that; a community, rather than letting the “bad apples” take over. Thank you for letting me be a part of the foodie world. Thank you for seeming to enjoy my warped sense of humor and my fattening recipes. Thank you for who each and every one of you is and the character you show and live. You are my heroes.
Very nice post and well said. Hope you have a very pleasant weekend.
Very well said. There can always be light in the midst of a dark situation, the light was that so many food bloggers found each other, found comfort in one another and stood together to get through such a frustrating situation. It’s wonderful to see the food blogging community come together this way. Enjoy the rest of your weekend =]
🙂
Thank you for being a friend as well Janet :)! I always enjoy reading your blog and drooling over your delicious photos of food :)! Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
Beautiful and inspirational post. I’ve only been blogging since July, and something you said resonated with me. When you said that you were never made to feel new or unwanted, I smiled and nodded my head. It’s the truth that other bloggers are generous and encouraging.
Thanks for saying those words.
Alaiyo
I am wayyyy new to the blogosphere..have only been doing it for almost 2 months, but I am loving the community spirit! Thanks for leading the way…
Very well said! I am *very* new to the food blogging community but I already feel very much at home. Thanks for posting this and being a great example.
GREAT post, Janet…and you’ve got to know that I think you are MADE of awesome! Love you, girlfriend!
Thank you for being OUR friend!
What a lovely post! And thank you in return : )
Janet….what an awesome post. So heartfelt and well said. You really are a source of inspiration for us all. And so let me thank YOU….for all the support! Looking forward to sharing in this wonderful community with you for a very long time! : )
Well said my friend. It should also be mentioned that the said site is no longer up. I went to see exactly what was taken, there is not access to it.
I have been a bit out of the loop of late and had no idea about this. It is great that the community rallied around we really do need to watch each others backs. So good to see the site in question has disappeared, the best weapon is vigilance
Yes, our little world called food community is just fantastic, and we have each other backs..It happen to me too..somebody stole my whole post and photos along and if I didn’t have bloggers to find that out and tell me, I would never know! Thank you for being here, for sharing your awesome recipes, and for writing such an interesting posts!!!
I agree with you about being a great blogging community. I am kind of in the dark regarding this “incident” that has rocked the community, but I agree that we band together when times are tough. You are a great example of a blogger buddy. 🙂
How sweet your write today post janet!
I’m glad I’m reading it 🙂
Tq also for being a friend in this blogging world, maybe we will never meet each other face-to-face but surely we can always “knock” and “click” to the blogger-neighbor beside our blog-dor isn’t it?
Tq for welcoming and invite me inside everytime I “knock” at your door sweetie 🙂
*Lovess*
Elies
Lot’s of love to you too, Janet!! We do have a great community!
I love the food community. I wish I had more time to interact with all the bloggers I have met, wonderful bloggers like you, who put their friends firsts.
Thanks you for being part of this big community and supporting others when needed. You’re amazing Janet!
It’s so nice to hear when a group of strangers who, as you said may never meet, rally together to help one another. It’s such a shame that others want to ride on other’s coattails. We all work hard developing, testing and writing recipes and to get that stolen for us is such a violation. Anyhow, I wasn’t aware of the website but I’m glad that it’s been taken down. Awesome post!
We love you too Janet and have been truly blessed by your presence in our community…. It’s so nice to hear that one of our friends has reached a new blogger and has shown them the way…sometimes unknown to us until they let us know what we have given them. We have all been touched by those who have helped us and stood by us, we do have such an amazing community of bloggers, they make me proud to say I am a food blogger, and even more proud to say I am a member of such a strong and caring community.
Best wishes for your continued success!
Dennis
The food blogging world really is full of love. It always amazes me.
It certainly has been interesting! The thing is, I think people like that will always be found out, and if the core of us are ethical and real, then they won’t get anywhere in the end. I do feel awful for the peeps whose recipes were stolen, though!
Well said! Great post 🙂
Thanks for being so positive–I am new to this as well and am not sure exactly what has been happening beyond reading Chef Dennis’ post over the weekend. Are there particular blogs/websites that have been stealing recipes?
Anyway, thanks for the positive message!
Great post! I have no idea what happened, but am glad in the end that the community banded together. Everyone that I’ve interacted with has been very supportive, helpful and wonderful. There are so many bloggers that I would LOVE to be neighbors with, and you’re one of them 🙂
This truly is a great community…always ready to support others when in need, or just because! I never thought I would make new friends when I started food blogging, but I definitely have!
Janet, you said this so well. And you have worked your way into so many of our hearts….with your recipes, your kindness and your fabulous sense of humor. We are a great bunch, aren’t we? And so glad you’re one of us!! xo
Kissie…smoochie! *hands Janet a coke*
We all love you to Janet. I’m so very happy that you are a part of the food community. Thanks for helping our new friend.
Sweet, sweet…. I love the blogging world, too!
What a sweet post, Janet, so much so, I really hope you get your Godiva, or the KA mixer! Unfortuantely there’s always going to be a few bad apples in the bowl of shiny ones,..can’t be avoided, and have dealt with some myself. 🙁