Okay friends, family, blog lurkers. I have some thoughts to share and want to know what everyone thinks.
I love reading blogs. In fact, you could say I might be a little excessive. I read blogs of friends, family members, and strangers just like I am sure all of you do. I use google reader to do most of my reading and then go to the blog to comment. Is it okay to comment on a blog you "stalk"?? What do you think?? The reason I read that blog is because I think the person is funny, we have something in common, or I know them even though they might not know who I am for sure. Will it freak that person out if I comment and they don't know me?? These are questions I have been asking my self for awhile now.
What do you do? Do you sit back and read quietly or comment and hope to make a new friend? (hint, hint...all of you lurkers out there comment! I want to make some new friends today!!)
17 comments:
I have a hard time with this too. I'm never sure whether or not I should leave a comment. I love getting comments from 'strangers', but at the same time I dont want to come across freakish either.
I too love reading blogs, and some of complete strangers as well. I have lately been getting freaked a bit when I think of all the 'random' readers who I don't even know. I guess I'd rather them come clean than stay in the dark like myself. Ive been thinking about going private for a while now. Just as protection for the kids. What are your thoughts on that???
I am a copious commenter. If it's my first time to comment on a certain blog, I'll say "I came here from ______ and enjoyed your post on ______." There ARE some I lurk on and never comment, though. Those are the ones where I have seen the comment section turn ugly if there is a difference of opinion. ~shudder~
I love getting comments, so I figure others do too.
Allison, I am not sure about the whole going private thing. I have my blog set to where people can't find it by searching a certain word or image that brings them to my page. I also have it set so that it won't come up on blogger's list of blogs. That makes me feel safer. I do know that random people can still find the blog, but I'm okay with that. My address and phone numbers aren't posted on the blog, and neither are inappropriate pictures of my kids. I'll leave it public unless I have a huge reason not too! That's my 2 cents...
Yes, you should leave comments. Writers love hearing a response from people who aren't really required to read their blog but just enjoy it. Same thing as writing a letter to the editor of a paper, they don't have to know you for you to write a letter.
I think if you want to leave a comment, you should whether you know the person or not.
Also, the girl in the baby picture between Abigail and Levi is Abby. She is new and only 6 days older than Anna. She is the one that her mom may be interested in your old job.
It's great keeping up with you guys. I can't believe how big Brayden is. Almost a year. That's crazy.
I think if they are putting it up on the web, it is kinda assumed that anyone should be able to read it and with that can comment. plus, I am sure this person will appreciate knowing that you are connecting with her.
look at adam cleaveland's blog... i am sure he doens't know half the people that post on his blog.
I think you should definitely leave comments if you want to. It's always nice to know there's someone still reading and they care about what you have to say.
The weird part for me, though, is when you comment on a new person's blog and they don't respond. It's kind of awkward, in my opinion, and I wish there was some kind of blog etiquette that you should always respond to a new commenter even if it's just to say thanks for stopping by.
Also, with the going private thing, I'm a former nanny married to a cop so we're about as security crazy as you can get. We've talked about it numerous times and we've just never heard of any kids getting kidnapped or hurt from their parents writing blogs.
We've decided to revisit the issue later on if we hear of something crazy and as our kids get older and are not constantly in our care.
Plus, I love to read random blogs and lots of the ones I read have gone private recently. No fun!
So sorry for the super long comment!
I have posted on your blog before and I think you posted on mine asking who I was :) I guess I should've told you I was a friend of Bethany's the first time I commented.
I enjoy reading your blog and I do think if you visit a blog regularly it's nice to comment!
I found out I was on someones "blogs I visit" list by checking out my blog patrol counter, and that person hasn't even ever commented on my blog which I think is weird!
This is an interesting topic for blogging moms :) Thanks for posting about it!
I'm a commenter.....and I wish people would comment on my blog, but I don't always have anything to say either so I figure most people don't have anything to add to what I've written! :)
Hi, Jennifer! We sure do miss you guys! I rarely comment on blogs, but I am addicted to reading them, too! I have twice commented on blogs were I didn't personally know the blogger but they were more public blogs meant to reach wider audiences (versus a family/journal/scrapbook/baby book type blog), so I think it is a little different. That said, I think that you should feel totally free to comment given the nature of the forum.
Also, I usually read all my blogs in the google reader, but a few weeks ago I clicked over to your blog and found your pretty wallpaper. I followed your lead and changed mine, too. Thanks for the great idea.
~Cam (just in case it signs me only as "Mom")
I have left comments on other people's blogs that I got to from my friends, but I don't actually know them, or have only met them once or twice. ALMOST every time, they have come to my blog and left me a comment saying thanks or they remember me or whatever. There has been a few times, I have never heard from the person so I don't know if they think I'm weird or what. Most of the time it works out nicely, so I am continuing to comment. I LOVE comments just like everybody else, but I like to comment as well.
I don't comment on strangers blogs often but I feel like I should more. I love to know who is reading my blog. So I say more power to you to comment away!
Lurker here! Can't say who I am because my boss reads this blog and I might get in trouble for doing this at work! I do not usually comment on blogs - very insecure person here! Glad to see you are getting all settled in Pampa. Miss you guys! Love to all.
Aunt ???????
I am a stalker from time to time (if I have the time)but I never comment on the strangers blogs. But I like the idea up above about saying I got here from someone else's blog. I think I might try that!
Hi Jennifer, I haven't been on the internet much since Carys' birth. I'm way behind on reading your blog. :-) I'll try to catch up soon.
I wanted to write and say thanks for the invite to Kenny's installment service. I wish we could be there. We're excited that y'all are settling into life in Pampa.
I'll write you more later. Blessings!
Post away! If you are posting on a person's blog whom you wouldn't mind reading your own, go for it. It could be serendipitous.
I actually have a couple of "friends" that I met purely through blogging. One in particular is a guy that I found when I was REALLY bored on a "next blog" click...he had written a post that really struck home with me (can't even remember what it was!) so I felt compelled to comment and thank him for it. Apparently it didn't freak him out too much...now, at least a year later, we still read each other's blogs and comment every now and then. Totally random!
It makes me sad when blogs go private. :(
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