Blog Surfing and Spider Solitaire
Since I have been home this summer, my blog surfing has intensified. During the school year, I had four or five blogs that I checked daily, but only if I had extra time in the evenings would I check out blogs from these blogs' links. Especially now that I have a blog, I find myself jumping on the computer several times a day. I actually have a routine to my computer play. First, I check on my own site to see if I have any new comments. Then I go to my sister-in-law's blog. From there I go to H.G's blog, from there to K.G's blog, and then to my cousin's blog. Then I go back to K.G.'s blog to link to three of her cousins' sites. Those are the mandatory check points each time I get on. Then from there it can vary a little bit. I have 5-6 sites (okay, maybe more like 10-15, but come on, I am sounding pathetic at this point) that I check occasionally, and then if I am really committed to the cause, I will start randomly clicking on links to see if I can find someone that I even remotely know or once knew so I can catch up on their life. Through all of this blog madness, I have made several observations:
1. The longer you go between your posts, the more comments you will get. I've thought about trying this out; I've wondered since I am posting every day if that impacts the number of comments I get. However, I'm not getting hung up on # of comments, because I know the majority of blogs I read, I don't comment. It did feel good, though, when one of my posts broke the "10 comment" barrier. My cousin's last post inspired 3 quick comments. Then it rose to 6 where it remained for a couple of days. Then it jumped to 8, to 10, and last time I checked (20 minutes ago,) it was holding steady at 13 (and none of them were her replies - that's awesome, Jaena!)
2. When you post pictures of your kids or announce big news, you get more comments. When my sister-in-law announced she was expecting, the blog stalkers came out of the woodworks. Then when the news was magnified with the revelation that she was expecting not one baby but three, even the most reluctant to comment could no longer hold back their impulses.
3. Some people have only posted one time on their site. This one confuses me. If you are going to go to all the trouble to set it up, wouldn't you give it at least one more shot? Were they disappointed with the number of comments? Did they say all they needed to say in one post?
4. Some people who have really good posts have not posted in several months. One blog I am thinking of in particular hasn't had a post since April. I'm not really friends with this person, but I feel like I am missing out on their family's life. Why won't they update for me?
5. Each site has its own flavor. Some sites speak deep spiritual thoughts. Others comment on current events. Others are an update on family life and daily happenings. Some are a combination of the above. I like it when I can hear the author's "voice" in what he/she is writing.
6. One site I visited had the number of people who had visited that site. I would like to add that to my site, but I don't know how - then I would know how many people were reading, even if they didn't comment. His was over a thousand - wow! Of course he could be padding his own stats, there.
7. The majority of people I hung out with in college do not blog, or if they do, I have not stumbled upon them yet. I would really like to bulk up my link list, but I feel funny posting links to blogs of people I wouldn't recognize if I passed them on the street (it doesn't matter if I know their life story through their blog.)
After I have checked everybody's blogs and commented to my heart's content, I've usually had my fill of the computer for awhile. But today has been a little different. None of my faithful seven have blogged today. So I must resort to my other computer addiction - spider solitaire. This may be another post topic in the future - I'm not going to tell you how many times I've won (my win/loss % is pretty bad,) but to let you know a ball park figure on how many games I've played, I've lost 999 times. I'm scared to play again; I don't want to get into 4 digits. And this is only on the difficult level; I didn't check my number of games on medium.
In case you're wondering at this point, my kids really aren't raising themselves :). I try to do my "computer work" during nap time and bath time - they've taken some pretty long baths this summer!
This post isn't very thought provoking, but after the last couple of posts, I needed to express something a little more light-hearted. Now I'm off to a mean game of Go Fish with Elizabeth...
1. The longer you go between your posts, the more comments you will get. I've thought about trying this out; I've wondered since I am posting every day if that impacts the number of comments I get. However, I'm not getting hung up on # of comments, because I know the majority of blogs I read, I don't comment. It did feel good, though, when one of my posts broke the "10 comment" barrier. My cousin's last post inspired 3 quick comments. Then it rose to 6 where it remained for a couple of days. Then it jumped to 8, to 10, and last time I checked (20 minutes ago,) it was holding steady at 13 (and none of them were her replies - that's awesome, Jaena!)
2. When you post pictures of your kids or announce big news, you get more comments. When my sister-in-law announced she was expecting, the blog stalkers came out of the woodworks. Then when the news was magnified with the revelation that she was expecting not one baby but three, even the most reluctant to comment could no longer hold back their impulses.
3. Some people have only posted one time on their site. This one confuses me. If you are going to go to all the trouble to set it up, wouldn't you give it at least one more shot? Were they disappointed with the number of comments? Did they say all they needed to say in one post?
4. Some people who have really good posts have not posted in several months. One blog I am thinking of in particular hasn't had a post since April. I'm not really friends with this person, but I feel like I am missing out on their family's life. Why won't they update for me?
5. Each site has its own flavor. Some sites speak deep spiritual thoughts. Others comment on current events. Others are an update on family life and daily happenings. Some are a combination of the above. I like it when I can hear the author's "voice" in what he/she is writing.
6. One site I visited had the number of people who had visited that site. I would like to add that to my site, but I don't know how - then I would know how many people were reading, even if they didn't comment. His was over a thousand - wow! Of course he could be padding his own stats, there.
7. The majority of people I hung out with in college do not blog, or if they do, I have not stumbled upon them yet. I would really like to bulk up my link list, but I feel funny posting links to blogs of people I wouldn't recognize if I passed them on the street (it doesn't matter if I know their life story through their blog.)
After I have checked everybody's blogs and commented to my heart's content, I've usually had my fill of the computer for awhile. But today has been a little different. None of my faithful seven have blogged today. So I must resort to my other computer addiction - spider solitaire. This may be another post topic in the future - I'm not going to tell you how many times I've won (my win/loss % is pretty bad,) but to let you know a ball park figure on how many games I've played, I've lost 999 times. I'm scared to play again; I don't want to get into 4 digits. And this is only on the difficult level; I didn't check my number of games on medium.
In case you're wondering at this point, my kids really aren't raising themselves :). I try to do my "computer work" during nap time and bath time - they've taken some pretty long baths this summer!
This post isn't very thought provoking, but after the last couple of posts, I needed to express something a little more light-hearted. Now I'm off to a mean game of Go Fish with Elizabeth...
posted by Deb at 2:41 PM
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5 Comments:
It really is amazing how similar our days are. Take out the kid aspect and we're practically the same person! :) I checked alot less when I had to use the dial up at Sue's. Now that I have high-speed here at home, it's way to easy to jump on just to see if comment numbers have changed. You're right about posting less often getting you more comments. I'm glad you're not going to get caught up in the numbers game. It can get frustrating. Really the point of posting should be as an outlet for yourself. For me, it's to have contact with people I don't get to have contact with on a daily basis. It's put me back in closer contact with family and helped me develop better relationships with friends such as you and Jaena. We never really talked all that much except for church functions and now I feel like we have this bond! :) BTW- My favorite game-Spider Solitaire! How weird!
I'm a blog lurker. Occasionally I'll post comments just to let them know I'm watching. (like right now) I love reading them-even people I don't know. I've got some GREAT ones! I'll have to share them with you some time. Love yours! Shannon White
Deb, I check my blog often too. I think it's an addiction. (At the rate I am going, I may have to give blogging up for lent next year.)
Kelley, I feel like we are closer too...how cool is that! :)
Shannon, watch out - Deb was once a blog stalker, and now she has this amazing blog...you may be next!
Shannon, I had no idea you were one of us! There could be more of us around - I may be passing them in the hallway at church and not even know it! Glad you commented.
Oh Deb, you've made my day again! I just love coming here. I am honored to know that you look at my blog first! ;) Sorry I haven't updated lately...lots going on...of course! But hope to post on our doc apt...Burke wants to do that one tonight, so be on the look out.
I am impressed by all the comments you are recieving....it has really picked up...maybe it helps that a few of us have you on our link list. I have a friend who looks at my site and then goes down my list of "BLOG" links...she doesn't even know any of my blog friends or family members! Its crazy! Now, she just needs to start "commenting". HA!
Anyways...keep at it...as long as you are having fun with it...then I say BRING ON THE BLOGGING!!!
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