#reverb10 – day 7

December 7 – Community

Prompt: Community. Where have you discovered community, online or otherwise, in 2010? What community would you like to join, create or more deeply connect with in 2011?

(Author: Cali Harris)

This year’s community building was mainly done within work. Up until this year, I’ve felt like an outsider in my current and past positions, sort of someone just standing on the sidelines and taking everything in. When I got to Sacramento, I was already behind because I didn’t know everyone that needed to be known, and not putting in some time working in the legislature means you’re an outsider from the get-go. So, I gravitated more towards the policy I was comfortable with and away from the politics I had to maneuver. In my current job, I finally realized this year how insanely lucky I am to work with who I’m working with and that I needed to engage myself personally into this community and invest myself in it for good. And I did. I feel comfortable speaking and contributing to any discussion, despite those in attendance, and I no longer hesitate due to my “newbie” status. I just go for it. And in response, I think I’ve earned quite a bit of respect from my colleagues, supervisees, and others. I’m pretty happy about that.

Next year, I’d like to cultivate a few more friendships and help current ones grow into a larger community here. Baby time has taken away a bit from some of our social engagements, and I want to make sure that we keep making the effort to get out and be social, in our house or away. Not really too extravagant a wish, but a nice community hope.

And, as a side note, I’d like to thank the amazing blog community that is cultivated here, through all my Bee friends and new friends that I’ve met along the way. On days like yesterday, you helped me stay afloat and I’ve felt the love from hugs of arms I’ve never touched. Thank you for being a place I love to come back to day after day and engage with because I get so much more from it than I can ever give back!

Other readers who are playing along: Michelle at See Michelle Blog, EmilyB at A Leap Begins, Ali at His Birdie’s Nest, Koritsimou at The Pale Wisconsinite, Kelly at Glamour This!, Katie at She Likes Ruffles, He Likes Truffles, Liz at e.louise, Nodakademic,  Kasia at Good Finking, Kate at Marsh Mellow Goodness, Lydia at Nothing Rhymes with Lydia, Jenni at Moonlight & Magnolias, EP at Oh Baby!, Jen at Living a Brighter Life, Holley at Dead Flowers, Tara at Two Wishes, Marissa at marissamakes, Kinzie at KinzieSays, Nellie at Wired, Witty and Well-Dressed and Jen at A Tale of 2 Monkeys. (am I missing you??)

If you’d like to join, just visit www.reverb10.com/participate to sign up! It’s not too late!