Jennifer, I can really relate to your comment about social media interactions replacing the "water cooler moments" when you work from home. Those exchanges are important to make us feel connected to others throughout the work day, but they need to be enjoyed in moderation, just like they do in an office setting. It's all about self control when you don't have a boss giving you the evil eye, isn't it?

Modern Gal, time is a good thing, isn't it? Sometimes I jump immediately into "writing" the comment, but I do it in my head while I'm exercising or gardening or cooking. Then it has some time to work through a few versions before it shows up on line. Also, you have a great social media "testimony." Don't knock it until you've tried it, indeed.

Tracy, I've seen lots of comments on funny blogs that make me think either "this is a super-literal person who doesn't get what's going on here" or "this person has a very quirky, deadpan sense of humor that's not fully translating in this medium." And this is SUCH a great perspective: "What I’m finding in my own life is the less I fear speaking up and the more confidence I have that yes, I am a person with ideas worth sharing and promoting, the less it bothers me that other people are taking these risks, too."

Btw, in case anyone's interested, the person who posted the original comment on the Radiant blog, "Garbo Speaks," responded to my response. Sort of. http://www.radiantmagazine.com/2009/05/what-do-you-call-that-other-kind-of-believer/#comments