#Reverb 11 Day 1– One Word
One Word.
Encapsulate the year 2011 in one word. Explain why you’re choosing that word.
Now, imagine it’s one year from today, what would you like the word to be that captures 2012 for you?
For 2010, I chose the word Discovery.
Last year, I participated in Reverb10. I stumbled across it on one of my many jaunts through the Technicolor world of the Internet. This blog was relatively new then; a practice in dipping my toes in the world of public blogging after writing in private for a number of years. I had practically no readers and along with craving some kind of community, I was also woefully lacking in the subject department. Reverb10 came at a time when I most needed it although at the time, I didn’t know it. I discovered something that would essentially make a huge difference to me.
For 2011, I choose the word Kindred.
Certain things fall into place when you are not watching over them; when you cease trying to shape them and squeeze them into the awkward moulds you have deemed fitting. When you dispense with lists and criteria and must be finished by…
For me, 2010’s discovery of Reverb10 and the community that came with it sparked something. As with many of these things, once the month was over and people returned to regularly scheduled lives where blogging and connecting were no longer priorities, the herd thinned and people dropped off the radar. It was inevitable but nevertheless disheartening. I wondered briefly if any of the people I had met would still be around in the coming months.
And then something a little wonderful happened. At some point this year, somewhere between the comments and the twitter conversations and the days and days of talking and laughing and sharing; acquaintances began to shift until they became friends; the community morphing into something more like a family.
I found myself mentioning Kim or Dominique or B, Brandee, Matt or Amanda (and many more) in casual conversations I had with Mister or with The Parents Typewriter. That we were separated by thousands of miles and several timezones became something of a non-issue. When something significant happened to me, they were the ones I wanted to tell. When something insignificant happened to me, I still wanted to tell them. While I was busy living 2011, I was also busy forming what I know now to be new friendships; real ones. Lasting ones.
Sometimes, it can feel like there isn’t really a place where you can be completely yourself; that there is a need to censor yourself and change into a hundred different versions of you depending on who is around you. When you find people where the pretence is something you can fold and tuck away into a bottom drawer; people who laugh with you and enquire about your health and happiness; people who cheer for you and advise you and tell you things about yourself that even you didn’t have figured out yet; people who send you boxes of love and travel to Los Angeles to meet you in person during the ten short days you are there; these are people you strive to keep in your life.
I have been so fortunate this year. I have found that I have kindred souls scattered across the globe who share my penchant for snark, my burning hatred of vampire romance fiction and my love of writing. It’s a huge, significant thing to know that outside of the friends that I can visit at a moment’s notice, there are also those who I have come to love and whom I never would have met were it not for Reverb10.
For 2012, I’d love the word Badassery and because of my friends, I think it might just be possible.
PS. That we are having a Reverb11 at all is because of some of my friends who gracefully and efficiently took up the torch when a certain Ms. Bell unceremoniously whipped the rug out from under our feet. So thank you B, Brandee, Mark, Rita, Megan, Kimberly, Lauren and anyone else I am missing who is making this possible. You guys are awesome.
Please visit B’s site to sign up to the prompts.
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Stereo. 20-something aspiring bon vivant. London based. Exceptionally Nigerian. Partial to snark. My default setting is "wry". Jeans and blazers are my uniform. Landlady. Speed reader, tuneless singer, hoarder of words, drinker of Schloer; I am suspicious of most people, have zero tolerance for tomfoolery, have a vast DVD collection, worship at the altar of Al Green, own too many bottles of nail polish, have small eyes, small ears and giant hair and owe approximately 86% of my awesome to the Parents Typewriter.
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As always I love your words and the way you spin them. It is always a pleasure to read your thoughts. I too found many friends in the halls of twitter last year and am excited to be back again looking to add to that list. It’s going to take a pretty strong crowd of people to fill the shoes of the group that remains from last years. Love. muah.
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<3
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Oh, Love…I feel exactly the same way. I talk about my friends and I’m making a conscious effort to leave off the “online” qualifier. What a gift you have been to me this year. You have always been so encouraging, willing to share the snark and friendship.
I have so enjoyed getting to know you this year and I am so glad that we are friends!
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I can’t wait to see what you get up to to make 2012 worthy of the term badassery.
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Badassery is the best Word of the Year EVER.
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Badassery?! I want that word! Awesome word. I might just use it somewhere else. And Reverb10 brought me to you. There was NO way I was losing YOU this year!
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I had some amazingly beautiful things to say about friendship and the like, but then I saw a blinking light and got distracted and forgot what it was I was thinking about.
I am always saying things like, “I was just talking to Stereo about that today on twitter.” Depending on who I’m around they just roll with it, my family and friends are internet people, so for the most part we’re just used to it. Most of my friends are online friends or texting friends.
So, yeah. Reverb is pretty great, and I’m not making sense because I’m hopped up on cold medicine. So… I’m going over here to the fuzzy light to take a nap. Yeah. That’ll work.
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you know, the theme through my 2010 reverb posts was loss. the concept of kindreds has always been one close to my heart, and they are so very rare. so. rare. the more we communicated this year via our blogs and twitter, the more i knew that i’d found another, and i feel like the very luckiest – i had come to the point where i really believed i’d exhausted my lifetime supply. you are an absolute gem and i am SO VERY grateful to know you. if there’s anyone i think could make badassery into a year long mission, it’s you. i’d love to join you
let’s have some romps through my city and yours.
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I’m sooooo pumped to have met my London soul seeeeester. And BADASSERY is THE word. Muah
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Badassery.
The best word EVER! Love you so much!
Thanks for the shout + for EVERYONE’S work to make this happen
How blessed we all are to be here create, share + engage.
it is beautiful – much like you!
Twitter + the interwebs would be a lot less interesting without your musings!
Here we go!
<3 + badassery
MC
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Kindred has been one of my favorite words ever since reading Anne of Green Gables as a child. I caught the tail end of reverb10, but hope to make the friendships you speak of this time around. Connection is such a gift!
Thanks for expanding my vocab with ‘badassery’. Every single mama should own it!
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Badassery is a GREAT word for 2012. I would be happy if I found that to be my word at the end of next year! I kind of feel exactly the way you described feeling about the evolution of writing acquaintances to friends to family. It’s awesome and beautiful and you captured it perfectly!
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I agree that Badassery is the best Word of the Year EVER!!!
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First of all, I love you. Secondly, I am so grateful to have you as a friend. Through you I met Brandee, Mark, and many other wonderful bloggers I wouldn’t have known otherwise. You are an amazing person, and I am ever so grateful to have you in my life.
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I LOVE your words and LOVE you. I may be a day or two behind but I’ll do my best to jump back on this bandwagon. Reverb10 brought so many wonderful friends, including you, into my life.
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<3 You're so much wonderful.
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In case I’m not on the Burning Hatred of Vampire Romance list, please add me. But let it be known that though kissing vampires do not make me weepy, reading the comments on this post and feeling the love of this community does.
You’re already the definition of badass, love, but hell, why not devote a year to honing it?
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If I ever grow up, I wanna be cool like you.
I totally get what you mean regarding the community of Tweeps and the like…totally get it.
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hi, i’m so glad that all over the internet folks are picking up and continuing with reverb/resound. i myself was looking forward to it because just like you said i’ve met great people through that community. reverb is where i found your great post and eventually had a few twitter exchanges. when you needed word it was as if my next door neighbor needed it even though you were across the pond. i’m sorry it did not work out but anytime i can help i’m here. now good luck on this month of post and wish me luck as i hope to do it as well.
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Yes, very grateful for you. What a year. What a year. Thank you for your friendship.
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Badassery – what a great word for 2012!
This is my first time visiting your blog. I found you via #resound11 on Twitter & will keep dropping by to see how your month is going!
Nice to meet you!
~Tui
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first, that may be one of the most beautiful photos i have ever seen.
and second, as always, you leave me chuckling…
here’s to badassery!
love you!
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Badassery is an awesome word….I know I will once again be enjoying your blog like I always have ever since reverb 10.
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first, ditto kelly. that is one fabulous image up there.
second, i read this morning, hours ago, but before i could comment, my carzy will-not-leave-me-alone-always-has-a-drama-happenin’ neighbor showed up at my door. i coulda used some badassery and will be the first in line to sign up when you offer the e-course.
love it.
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If your word isn’t already BADASSERY, I’m a donkey’s paramour. You crack me up and color me green with envy at your twists of phrase and are on my own list of People I’m Grateful To Have Met Through Reverb.
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[...] a one word sort of pony. But I’m giving it my best shot here, especially. My soul sister, choose Kindred, and I’m frankly jealous but I hope my word lives up to the level of amazing self-discovery [...]
You signing up for Badassery for next year is like the kid who signed up for Russian 101 at college with me… the dude who’d spoken it at home with his Russian family his entire damn life.
I like that you used kindred, which feels so much stronger than “family” to me. Family feels like a social construct; kindred feels like blood and sinew. And burnt-in love.
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December 3rd, 2011 at 01:21
Kim–I love how you’ve defined kindred versus family. It’s so true. Kindred is wildly powerful and absolutely ‘burnt-in love’. Love that…and you!
(I’m really so happy right now).
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This has definitely been a truth of this year through and through: “Certain things fall into place when you are not watching over them; when you cease trying to shape them and squeeze them into the awkward moulds you have deemed fitting.”
I am so grateful that #reverb brought me to your blog. The way you describe your stumbling onto the initiative and the void it filled echoes my experience. And, for the record, I might just have to borrow your word for 2012. I definitely need some badassery next year!!!
So looking forward to reading you all this month (and beyond)!
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This post and all it represents is absolutely stunning. Reading this has warmed me through and through. Kindred is such a beautiful word and I am so happy that this year has brought you such wonderful people.
I am delighted to have found you this year. Your writing, honesty and humour bring me such joy. I simply cannot wait to read your upcoming posts. Much love, Stereo.
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Badassery….copyright that word. It rocks…keep kicking as cos i love reading about it…x
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Do you know something this really filled my heart. I know, or at least I hope, I said this at the time, that you made a huge difference to me in Reverb last year. Your single-handed cheerleading of my writing when I had kept it hidden was the one biggest thing that has kept me writing. Reading this just reminded me of that again. You know throughout the year I was just so looking forward to Reverb11. I was shocked to plug back in yesterday to find that they’d just gone ‘we’re not bothering with it this year, soz, over to you guys’. So I am SO glad to see you and the people you mention are giving it life. I’m on board and following your blazing light. BADASSERY! yes! You rock my world lady. Good to be back in touch xxx S
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