Sunday, November 16, 2008

Dear Lurker: A love letter

"Lurker" has such a negative connotation to it. I prefer the term "Friends without Comments", or FWOCs. As is often the case, yesterday I started out at a blog that I read on a regular basis, found a comment that peaked my curiosity, which lead me to numerous other sites. One of the blogs I went to was called Blog Around the World. It's a really cool site where fellow bloggers can get tips and share ideas. There's even a little button widget that you can paste on your sidebar. I considered putting it on here, but it seems that the target audience is female. And while I am a female and most certainly write from that perspective, I don't consider this a "women's blog". I hope it's not, anyway. Okay, that last post was not something many men could relate to, but I don't write too many of those. That post has, however, inspired me to re-write the lyrics to Kelly Clarkson's song "Beautiful Disaster" and devote my version to my new friend Beth. I'm calling it "Muffintop Disaster". (That STILL cracks me up!) But once again, I digress...
Anyhoo, here's where I was going with this: In researching this post, I found some blog articles that were centered around why people should comment on other people's blogs, how to get people to comment on your blog, yadda, yadda, yadda. If I'm being honest, I WOULD like more people to comment. Partly because it is a boost to my ego (a bad thing), and partly because I'm really curious who is reading and why. (Well, maybe not so much why. I'm not even sure why I WRITE some of the things here.) If you scroll waaaaay down to the bottom of HLAC, you will find a site hit counter and a cluster map. Now, the counter updates each time someone views my blog - even me - every time they check my blog. But, according to the FAQs on the cluster map feature, it only counts the hits from any particular html (or whatever it's called) in one 24 hour period. And while I think cluster map has some kinks in it (for instance, I know Mare checks in on a regular basis, but there's no dot in Nigeria), using my daft math skills, I figure even with my chatty girl blogger pals going back and forth on each other's blogs, there's still quite a few others reading and not commenting. Besides, with the exception of Mare, we're all here in the states. I have friends that have told me they read this blog, and I can see their dots on the map, but that doesn't explain all the dots in states where I don't know anyone or the dots in South America, Africa, Western Europe, Indonesia, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, et. al. Incidentally, Australia and New Zealand are the two places I most want to visit before I go to heaven. Although I'm sure Aussies probably want to kill us when we go over there sporting horrible Crocodile Dundee accents and saying things like, "Gooday mate!" Just as I'm sure Kiwis probably roll their eyes when a bunch of silly Americans come over there looking for Hobbits. I promise if I have the privilege of visiting "down under" I won't do that.....much. Yet again, I digress.
The point I was trying to make about 100 words ago is this: Whether you comment or not, I'm incredibly humbled and grateful that you would take the time to check in on me and my ramblings and rantings. I hope that I have provided a giggle or two; maybe even challenged you in one way or another. So, again -- thank you so very much. If you have any suggestions or ideas about the content of this blog, feel free to leave me a comment...(Hey, it was worth a shot.)

And speaking of being grateful, I am incredibly grateful to my blogger pal Angela, without whose help I would not be able insert hyperlink codes with such annoying frequency.

10 comments:

Helen said...

Just me. I know how you feel. It feels good to connect with other people. I think you want a community rather than an audience. I like blogging a lot better now that I don't feel like I am talking to myself, but like I'm introducing a topic of conversation instead.
Love,
Your chatty girl blogger pal
Helen :-)

Sherri Murphy said...

Just me..another chatty girl blogger pal (CGBP)

For me, the response represents a connection. It feels weird to bear your soul and no one responds...you're like, "What Did I say"? Am I weird?

In the face to face world, if you shared a heartfelt emotion or a funny story to a group and suddenly...it's silent....you start retracking your words. Certain that you have misspoke, or offended or they think you're stupid...and so on.

Being a woman who has misspoke, offended and has been viewed as stupid in large groups, I think I just transfer those feelings into the blog world.

And yes, I must admit that it is flattering to hear from people from the "Big CITY" (Helen, from
CHicago) that still seem to connect with this crazy country girl.

You people give me WORTH!
Keep commenting! It gives me reason to get out of bed in the morning! I live for comments!

(Let's see if that works today)

Sorry. I sell advertising for a living. I've been trained to talk people into things

Mary Ann said...

So I checked out the link you posted on SCL. J knoxville is my family member...we're so "proud." A little distant, but nonetheless he is kin. My grandmom used to be so ashamed. =)

As for this post, I'm with Sherri. Hooray for a community!

Beth said...

No way. Johnny Knoxville is related to YOU, Mare?? That's nuts.

I have so much more to say and comments to leave on other blogs...but...I promised myself that I'd get some housework done. Boo. I'll be back later.

Your Muffintop Disaster,

Beth

Helen said...

Fart humour? We find fart humour funny? Oh we would have loved the second grade class I had 1998-1999...much more than I did by myself anyways... I only had four gray hairs until I met them....I spent advent praying every morning Jesus would come before class starts...they were good for my soul....


My word verification is ifyin. Ifyin then whynotyang? That is the question...

Anonymous said...

Hahaha I'm still impressed that you pulled it off, even with all the kicking and screaming. :)

And I agree with you. Like Sherri said, it just gives you some verification that where you're coming from isn't totally out of left field. Unless you're doing it on purpose, and then you want the comments so you know people recognize the humor...

katdish said...

Well, I started to leave a really long comment, I mean blog post long. So guess what? I cut and copied it. I'm such a slacker.

So, for now let me just say,

Sherri, I can totally relate to the whole "foot in mouth" thing. Except that instead of backtracking, I often just keep digging the hole deeper and deeper hoping against hope that they will finally understand that I WAS KIDDING, REALLY!

Johnny Knoxville, Mare? I'd like to be a THAT family reunion. (Then again, maybe not.)

And Helen, passing gas is a perfectly natural bodily function. Do I like fart humor? Darn tootin!

Beth, housework is way overrated. You spend all day cleaning and 6 months later you have to do it all over again.

Angela, I have a theory that MOST people secretly think that they're out in left field on some level. If someone actually thinks they've got it all together, then what need do they have for a Savior? Plus, they're probably incredibly boring...

Jamie {See Jamie blog} said...

I am cracking up that you actually have a label called "but I digress." Hilarious! And I love that little clip art in this post. :-)

Helen said...

A toot in time saves nine?

wv is routsymp: when the usual way you travel seems melodious. There was no traffic on my way to the store today, making it a routsymp experience.

The one minute writer on Sherri's blogroll has a fun one minute writing suggestion today!

Sherri Murphy said...

I'm lovin' the "tootin" comments.
Let me just say, I have 3 grown sons and the tootin' never gets old. For me, yes. For them? Never!