I've read some really bloody good blog posts this week.

Earlier this week I went home for the night, which meant commuting to work the next morning from the suburbs.


There are pros and cons to having a longer commute from Zone 5 (aka The Sticks). Firstly, the seat-grabbing mentality is fierce out there. Seriously, I made a beeline for a spare seat at precisely the same time as an older woman from the opposite end of the carriage. We engaged in what can only be described as a battle of speed, agility and sheer-bloody-mindedness as we both held steadfast to our claim on that square of bum space. I won, but lord, did I know about it from the look on her face afterwards.

On the flip side, once seated I realised a commute above ground means internet signal. Having missed the Metro Newspaper gold rush (another downside; they're all gone by half past eight), I delved into my Google Reader and made my way through the week's blog posts.

Now I've got a job that demands I, you know, do stuff all day - sometimes it's hard to keep up. The evenings whiz by in a haze of pasta and catch-up TV, the odd bit of writing, or drinks with friends. Reading what other people have to say takes a back seat.

But that morning on my long commute, I read a few blogs that reminded me why blogging - reading, commenting, writing - is something that's worth putting time aside for.

1. This post on Team AWOT
The Awesome Women of Twitter does exactly what it says on the tin: a group of awesome women, who can be found on Twitter (or a bar in Shoreditch) and now on a blog. This blog was started last week and it's already top of my reading list because it discusses and engages with the important stuff on girls' minds. If you are female, or male with an interest in girls and what makes the awesome ones tick, then read this post on why our perceptions of our bodies are all wrong.

2. This post by Chelsea Talks Smack
I've been reading Chelsea's blog since I started writing this one, and if the starred items in my reader are anything to go by, this is one girl who seems to have hit the nail on the head a fair few times over the years. From love to heartbreak and everything in between; this week it was the following advice that made me think, once again: "Yeah. Nail, meet head."

"Oh and you should know this, but for the record, you should probably stop giving a shit about that guy. You know why? Because you're really fantastic and you should never need to convince someone of it. Bye. bye."

3. This post by The Unbearable Banishment
Perhaps it's because I'm part of the generation that has seen technology take its grip to the extent we see now, nothing worries me more than society's reliance on the little screens we all carry around, that no one can seemingly be without. This post just encapsulates perfectly the irritation I feel when people sit in groups, communicating with their phones instead of each other. Read the post, then catch yourself next time you find yourself reaching for the phone.

4. Coffee Helps by Hails
Ever been to Korea? Ever moved there and started teaching in a school? Neither have I. But Hails has, and most days she writes a blog about a culture which is so alien to anything I have experienced in any country, it just fascinates me. And seeing as I'm pretty sure I'll never go to Korea, this blog makes up for it.

Blogs can put into words what you can't, make you think differently about a subject, or educate you about something you know nothing about. And that's why I read them.

Keep up the good blogs, all.