Remember back in the pre-Yahoo days when people actually wrote letters and sent each other cards through the mail? I sure don’t. As is the case with most people in their early- to mid-20s, I also have no idea how to use a card catalogue in a library.
   My generation was the first one to be exposed to the Internet at a fairly young age.  It no longer mattered if you were a genius or dumb as a brick. Everybody had the same, shamefully easy method of gathering information. All a person had to do was click a mouse, type in a few words, and a plethora of knowledge was at their fingertips.
   I don’t even think I ever had a diary when I was a ‘tween. Instead of writing to an audience of one, I decided to write to an audience of thousands. Blogging sites like Open Diary and LiveJournal were becoming popular in the early 2000’s. Blogs, much like notebooks or diaries, enabled people to pour their hearts and souls out through the written word. Most of the Web sites allowed users to leave each other inspirational or empathetic comments.
   It was like finding the Holy Grail to a 13-year-old. Suddenly, I had people cheering me on in my quest to date Ricky, the hottie in my third-period biology class. There were 30 different shoulders to cry on when again, Ricky did not ask me to the Homecoming dance. It was magical.
   Today, blogs not only serve a purpose for heartbroken teenagers, but also for politicians and journalists. They are a way to provide a specific audience with the information they crave. There are “foodies,” blogs dedicated to all things food, entertainment blogs, dating blogs, blogs about pets, and I’m sure there is even a blog out there about the joys of reupholstering sofas.
   Philadelphia even has its own circle of famous bloggers. In fact, there is going to be a luncheon to celebrate some of the city’s most famous. The Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) will be hosting a luncheon on Feb. 24 to introduce the public to some of the city’s most influential bloggers, including Dan Gross from Philly.com and The Philadelphia Daily News , Eric Smith of uwishunu.com, Hugh E. Dillon of PhillyChitChat.com, and Dan McQuade, who writes Philadelphia Will Do powered by Philadelphia Weekly. 
    The event starts at 11:30 a.m. and runs until 1:30 p.m. Tickets cost $45 for members of PPRA and $55 for non-members. The event will be held at the Radisson-Warwick Hotel in the Assembly and Grand Ballroom, located at 1701 Locust St., Philadelphia.
   For more information, and to order tickets, go to www.associationsites.com/page.cfm?usr=ppra&pageid=4843.