FredMcKinnon.Com

I’ve been on vacation earlier this week … and for whatever reason, I didn’t sleep very well.  (I suspect it had a lot to do with being out of my zone, combined with sharing a room with 5 other people, albeit, my lovely wife and kids).

I’m finally home, yet … here I am, typing into this blog at 2:08 AM.  Once again, I couldn’t sleep.  Don’t get me wrong.  I go through phases like this.  I hate them, but they are real.  I think I get “overload” in my brain and it’s racing so much that I can’t slow it down.

So tonight, of all things, I was thinking about you … the folks who are readers on this blog.

Some of you are family.
Some of you are locals who worship each week with me.
Some of you are friends from afar, we’ve met, shared meals and laughs.
Some of you I’ve never met.
Some of you I see every week, but you’re in the shadows, lurking secretly, never exposing yourself.

I started wondering about the community here, or lack thereof.   And I realized some things that I’d like to change.

#1.  I ask you to comment and create community, but I often neglect to reply back.  Recently, I commented on two of my friends’ blogs and I actually made myself somewhat vulnerable and asked a question in the comments … and I’ve gone back and refreshed those blogs countless times, hoping they’d answered.  The fact that my comment/question wasn’t answered left me feeling a bit rejected (get real, Fred!) … but believe me, I GET IT.    The email box associated w/ this blog has 206 messages in it right now.  I totally get it.  That doesn’t change the fact that I was hoping to have dialog w/ those authors and friends.

Nevertheless, I am going to try my best to stay engaged with you.

#2.  I don’t comment on YOUR blogs.

This is a biggie.  Here’s the honest truth.  My blog reader is still full of the blogs that I discovered when I first got into blogging.  I could rattle of dozens of bloggers who all started blogging around the same time I did.  We’ve met.  We’re friends.  But unless you’re lurking, I don’t think you are here anymore.  And I’ve not been reading blogs myself.

But there are so many NEW people here.  So many of you who have become the “new” community that is faithful to stay connected and engaged for this season of life.  And yes … we all have seasons.

So … here’s what I’m asking.  If you’re here, if you’re still reading, if you still want community in this little slice of cyberspace, leave me four things in the comments box:

1.  Your Name
2.  Your Location
3.  Your Blog URL  (I will subscribe to it and come visit when I can, and I will comment and show myself!)
4.  Your Twitter ID (I will follow you if I’m not already)

I’m going to reset my blog reader and fine-tune my Twitter list.  I’m ready to connect with you who are hanging here.   Are you there?  Can you hear me now?

Caption?  (Gross, put on a shirt, Fred!).

Ah … R&R.  Much-needed.

We, the McKinnon Family, took a much-needed get-away for Spring Break 2010.  Honestly, it’s one of a few we’ve taken as an entire family.  Andrew (the little stud on the side with his sporty Spiderman floaties) is now 3 … almost 4 … so taking family trips somewhere is starting to get easier.

We hauled south to the beautiful beaches of Melbourne, FL.  Why Melbourne?  Well, we wanted to get out of town, and it’s one of the spots I found on the east coast where I could get a good hotel on the ocean that had suites (big enough for a family of 6), and more importantly … one that I could use AMEX points with!

We’re back home today, home sweet home.

So what are ya’ll, my online friends, doing for Spring Break?  Anything at all?

So my friend Carlos Whittaker (@loswhit on twitter, ragamuffinsoul.com on the blog) and his family have gone “viral” … I just watched him on the CBS Morning Show.  It’s so funny how a simple video can become an instant phenomenon!  Of course, ‘Los and Heather are always blogging, tweeting, and capturing their family on video, so this is one of thousands that “caught on”.  It’s the kids singing along to Beyonce’s “Single Ladies”.

The video is of their adopted son, Losiah … well … you’ll just have to see it.  Carlos did an awesome job on CBS bringing adoption to the forefront.

Kudos, Whittakers!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sb9eL3ejXmE[/youtube]