“Would you read my blog if I didn’t read yours?” someone asked me yesterday.
I was insulted. What kind of question is that?? Then I thought about it some more and realized it was a good question.
See, the Great Platitudists of Blogland have dictated certain netiquettes:
1) Never post pictures of your ass on a professional blog.
2) It’s rude not to respond to every single comment.
3) If a blogger comments on your blog, it’s only polite to return the favor.
I wholeheartedly agree with the first two. Unless your company sells assless chaps, in which case #1 would be ok. #3? Not sure I agree with that one.
If someone pops by my blog and comments, I like to check out where they came from. I like to know who my readers are. If it’s a blog I like, I’ll subscribe.Will I go so far as to subscribe to a blog, religiously read it and comment, even if I don’t like the blog (just to be polite)? Nope. Sorry. I think that would be more rude than plastering up a picture of my butt.
If you’re subscribed to my blog or commenting just because I read and comment on yours, I cordially invite you to unsubscribe today.
Elementary school is over.
I wear big girl pants now. I was finished with required reading lists many years ago. If I want to wear a skirt and join a book club, I’ll go see Oprah.
Life’s too short.
I don’t know about you, but I already spend about three hours a day reading the blogs I want to read. There are days I don’t make it to every blog on my reader. I subscribe to a lot of blogs. Why muggy up the list with stuff I don’t care about?
There are some things we just don’t need.
Assless chaps, for example, would be at the top of my list. I’ve lived in San Francisco and have seen enough pretty gay boy booties to last a lifetime. I don’t need to read a blog about it. Nor do I need a nursing bra. Your breastfeeding blog is probably lovely, but I’m not lactating at the moment, so I just can’t relate. Unless I really love you, or you’re wicked funny, I’m probably not going to be hitting you up. There are plenty of people out there who want to see butts and boobies. I’m just not your audience. It’s nothing personal. (I also don’t like gardening, scuba diving, or forex trading. In case you were wondering.)
Hypocrisy isn’t my color.
I’m too pale, too easily burned. I would feel like a jackass if I found out you were using me for cheap comment barter. If you’re going to use me, use me because I have something real you want — my knowledge, my skills, my contacts even. But don’t use me for my big mouth. Because that will piss me off.
Is there a value in obligation readers?
I honestly can’t think of one good reason to read a blog out of obligation (or to want someone else to read your blog out of obligation). If you don’t like a blogger, you’re not going to buy their products, click on their ads, or whatever. Are you? Hell, if it were me, I wouldn’t even be reading the posts. I’d just be dropping to the comment box and pulling something out of my ass to slap up on the screen. That would be just as good, wouldn’t it? Is there something I’m missing here?
Your turn.
Do you comment on blogs you don’t care about? Would you read my blog if I didn’t read yours?
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{ 86 comments… read them below or add one }
Amy, you know me better that that I comment when and where I like especiallly if I enjoy the blog.(where is spell check when you need it??)
as I enjoy yours. I have been guilty of reading a oposting and not making a comment just because I could not think of something to say. Do I owe a comment just because they left me one. I don’t think so.
I hope that you are having a good day!
Mike Golch’s last blog post..Prayer request.
Yikes, just don’t say that you don’t like yarn, books, or cute dogs, or we’ll never have anything to talk about….
I DO try to respond to every comment, though the methodology in my two blogging “worlds” (knitting and writing) is completely different and that sometimes throws me. Knit-bloggers respond to comments via email, almost never IN the comments. Writers and “professional” bloggers respond inside the comments, and very rarely in the email. This throws me because I’m just so used to hitting “reply” in my confirmation emails from Wordpress that, to other people reading Punctuality Rules, it could LOOK like I never respond … alas, alack! Except, of course, that if they DO leave comments, they’ll almost always get some kind of a response, somehow…
–Deb’s last blog post..MM: Do You Say Thank You?
@Amy
I try to answer every comment. And if someone gives me link love, I thank them. Nobody says I have to, but I chose to. That’s just common courtesy.
But that’s as far as my obligation goes.
I’ve ranted about this before. But it amazes me the self-imposed obligations bloggers put upon themselves.
Oooh, I better leave a comment on so-and-so’s blog. Oooh, I better let people know I wont’ post tomorrow. Oooh, I better ask permission to take next week off.
I think we need to get over ourselves. People, unless your blog is tied your livelihood…it DOESN’T MATTER if you don’t post twice a week. The WORLD WILL NOT END if you chose not to comment on the Cool Kids’ Blog.
There. I’ve said it.
Friar’s last blog post..Celebrating my Literary Ignorance: A List of Books I’ve Never Read
Well, let’s do the math, ( Not that I’m very good at it) I currently…if I have it figured out have some 3o ish subscribers and yet I read about 100 blogs that I am subscribed to. I get around 20 comments per post and I comment frequently on about 4o of them and the rest once in awhile as something inspires me. So I would say YES! I would gladly read your blog if you never read mine. In fact, I know a few who never come by, I wish they would, but I strongly suspect that I am just not their cup of inspiration and I don’t hold it against them…I still read them and comment often.
That being said…you do run out of time and I do try to make time for my friends who I enjoy their blogs and I have built a special friendship with and I do head over to their blogs first as much as I can.
Wendi Kelly-Life’s Little Inspirations’s last blog post..Remembering Pen Pals…
I always felt guilty if I didn’t read someone’s blog when they read mine. You know what cured me? Having a huuuuge project where I couldn’t read anyone’s posts for several days. Once I had a bit of breathing room, my reader was so full that I just started deleting feeds left and right. I’m now able to see a new post and NOT read it immediately.
I’m so proud.
After that bout of productivity, I realized how much time I was losing to just being polite, or entertaining myself.
It’s funny, we joke about people sending thank you cards for their thank you cards, but never think twice about “thanks for commenting on my comment”.
WordVixen’s last blog post..Contest: Win Hand Crafted Vegan Soap and Lip Balm
No…I don’t think I’ve ever left an obligatory comment. I will say that my drive to comment increased once I relished the rewards of reading what readers had to say to my own posts-so now if I have SOME reaction to a post, I try to leave my mark. But I don’t force it.
Almost all the blogs I read are written by people that don’t read mine. I’m a bit of an oddity because my niche interest to read doesn’t match with what I write….Maybe someday I’ll figure out how to balance that up with my more personal blog but who knows.
Completely agree with you…Visiting AND commenting just to visit reminds me of the pressure to let tons of people sign your yearbook when you knew you weren’t particularly friends and they had not the foggiest idea what to write to you!
Kara’s last blog post..Autumnal bliss
Mike — I read a lot of blogs and don’t comment for just that reason. Unless I can think of something interesting or worthwhile to say, I figure I should practice my right to remain silent and spare everyone else my drivel. However, sometimes insomnia slips in and I can’t stop myself. I’m not sure why anyone would want me to comment on their blogs, really.
Deb — I must admit I’ve never understood the responding by email thing. I think I’ll rant about that in #408. Some lawyers do that too. I think it defeats the point of having a blog. I wonder where that tradition started. Do you know? I’d love to understand the reasoning behind it. Oh, and I love your cute dog.
So we’re good. LOL But I think it brings up a good point. What do you do when you like someone, but you’re just not interested in whatever it is they write about on their blog? Do you still read and comment, or do you pursue a relationship via email or some other means? There are many folks I talk to online whose blogs I just can’t get into. I wonder sometimes if they think I don’t like them, because I don’t read their blogs. See what this netiquette business has set us up for? 
Friar — I agree with you. Wholeheartedly. We need to get over ourselves. Oh, and for the record, I do think it’s polite to thank someone who links to me. I try to always do that whenever I see an incoming link. I go over and thank the person. But yeah… I’ve never been the cool kid. And I’ve never really liked the cool kids, to be honest.
Wendi — No math please. LOL Someone asked me a few weeks ago why I don’t have a comment policy. I was like, “What the hell would it say? Anything goes at my blog, pretty much.” Now I know. New comment policy: NO MATH.
Seriously though, I’m like you in that I do have my favorites that I try to get to first. Some days those are all I get to. Ironically, most of my favorites are written by people who don’t read my blog, but a few of you do. Also, this touches on what Mike said too a little bit, often my favorite friends’ blogs are ones I don’t comment on all the time. That’s kind of ironic. I’d never thought about that.
WV — I know what you mean, and I can relate. I was really sick at the beginning of the year and didn’t get out of bed for a month. I couldn’t even work, didn’t even get on the laptop except once when a client begged me for an invoice. I did read a few things from my iphone but that was it, and it wasn’t every day. After I got a little better, enough to sit up and type at the same time again, I had no time for fun stuff like blog reading. And I cut a lot of stuff out. I even cut out blogging here and my other blogs for a while, because I just couldn’t do it. I lost a lot of readers, but I was genuinely surprised how many people came back even when I wasn’t reading their blogs anymore.
Kara — What you said about the yearbook, that is totally it! That’s exactly how I feel! I don’t want someone to come to my blog and call me their BFF and tell me to have a great summer when they spent the entire school year not knowing my name or trying to shove me into a locker.
I like how you have your personal blog set up, by the way. It’s about a lot of different things that are all a reflection of who you are, and I like that. Not many blogs like that anymore. Which is kind of sad, I think, since blogs started out as journals.
I just did another clean up of my RSS reader this morning. I’ve now got everyone sorted into categories and am trying a new reading routine: going through the new posts in each category throughout the day.
Because there are so many personal development/writing/organizing blogs out there, I’ve decided to get rigorous with my blog reading commenting. An article needs to keep my eyes on the words, if they start to slide away, the article for some reason isn’t grabbing me and I don’t post a comment. My reason for deleting feeds today: I hadn’t commented in at least two weeks.
Right now I’m on a Personal Development kick - adding blogs from PluginID’s list (at http://www.pluginid.com/personal-development/ ) - each one will get two weeks to connect with me (no matter how many other subscribers they have) and if they don’t off the list. When I’m done going through Glen’s list, I’ll start on Organizing blogs then writing blogs and continue the cycle using other resources until I’ve built up a good solid list of blogs that I love reading and commenting on.
I’ve allotted 3 hours a day for blog reading/commenting - and I don’t want to feel that I’ve wasted a moment of it.
(Can you tell I’m a professional organizer?
)
Alex Fayle | Someday Syndrome’s last blog post..Picking a Goal and Pursuing It: Harrison McLeod Interview
Commenting on another’s blog should be genuine, not obligatory. I wouldn’t want anyone to do me any favors just because they felt they ought to.
I’m pretty liberal when it comes to subscriptions, but if I don’t feel connected after a couple of weeks, I have to kick you out of the reader. I don’t have enough minutes as is, and you’re correct, elementary school is over.
Writer Dad’s last blog post..Farewell
I try to read blogs of people who take the time to leave comments in my blog. I tend to avoid leaving comments on the ones who don’t bother interacting outside of their own blogs. I might read them on occasion because they have good content. Sort of karma in action. I’m sure I’ve left comments in many blogs where the blogger didn’t stop by my site — and that’s OK. I’m sure I’ve overlooked some of my commenters’ blogs or they don’t have blogs of interest.
Meryl K. Evans’s last blog post..A Real Life Internet Fable
The post titles and pics you come up with are just TOO HILARIOUS, Amy! I guess I’ve been reading your blog since you first started it. I was really honored to find you read and commented on my blog sometimes after that but I would still read your blog even if you had never visited mine. I’m nice like that. And, I like to think I’m a big girl too!
*smiles*
Michele
Michele’s last blog post..Guest Post: Carve Out 15 Minutes to Write
Alex — I like that system. I’m the antichrist of organization, but I’m very impressed by folks like you who can make that work. And, you know, create a career out of it.
Kimberly — That’s how I feel about it exactly.
Sean — I’m pretty liberal too, I think. Probably too liberal sometimes.
But I’m with you — if you don’t capture my interest, I’m not going to hang on for the sake of hanging on. I don’t count the days. But maybe I should start. Two weeks sounds reasonable.
Meryl — Karma in action. I like that. And you know what, I think I do that too, come to think of it. I also refuse to leave comments on most blogs where the blogger doesn’t respond to comments on his own blog. That bugs the shit out of me. I don’t want to feel like I’m talking to a wall. Yes, Karma in action. That’s cool.
Michele — Thanks. I so LOVED that picture when I saw it. I’ve been saving it for a while. Then yesterday I was like OH OH OH MONKEY TIME!
I think you were my very first commenter. You should get a prize or something for sticking around this long. I’m totally making you a prize.
As much as I’d like to — I can’t respond to every comment in my own blog as some comments don’t invite a response more than a “Good point” or “Thank you.” Just hate wasting comment space for that. Yes, it’s polite — but it adds nothing new to the conversation.
I have blogs in my reader but I rarely remember to boot it up and take a look. I fly by the seat of my pants all the time, so I have no organized way of commenting or even reading blogs regularly. I do try and leave a comment whenever I visit a blog, mostly because I enjoy the comments that I get on my blog so I try to spread that karma also.
I’m turning this computer off and getting my butt in the van to go meet you for lunch.
Karen Putz’s last blog post..The D-Pan DVD Giveaway Winner!
Ah, now I’m sad.
I went digging through the archives and discovered “Angela” beat me - she’s the first one to ever comment on this blog. I came in right behind her, though. I was #2! 
Michele’s last blog post..Guest Post: Carve Out 15 Minutes to Write
Meryl — I respond, even if it’s just to say good point or thank you. Not saying everyone should do it my way, just that that’s what I do. I figure maybe if I acknowledge them, they’ll participate better next time. I’m usually wrong. But a girl can hope, right? LOL
Karen — You’re much nicer than I am, see.
Your karma has got to be SO much better than mine. I’m going to be reincarnated as a kangaroo. 
PS Karen’s coming for lunch! YAY. I’m so excited.
Michele — That’s my niece! You still get a prize for being the first non-family member to comment.
I like the monkey.
I have nothing brilliant to add, except you’re right. Butt cheeks should be used in moderation . Just like comments. That way they actually mean something. Comment footprint awareness. yep. It’s a very green concept.
Janice — Buttchecks in moderation. Got it.
Comment footprint awareness - I like that!
Monkeys, butts, and boobs. Ah, if every post was an entertaining as yours, Amy, I’d comment a lot more often. But fortunately for me and my business, I’m just too busy doing paying work to spread the comment love as much as I’d like.
Rebecca Smith’s last blog post..New tricks for an old dog
I would totally read your blog if you didn’t read mine. Even if it didn’t have pictures of asses or boobies all over it.
I do my best to respond to each comment on my own blog. If someone new shows up, I go check them out. I might even subscribe, and become a regular - but not always.
I’ve never unsubscribed from anything. I filter/tag the ones that are important to me (hint: you’re in there, as are a lot of your readers here), and I read those religiously.
The rest - well, I can speed read and if things catch my eye, I might read them - or I just mark all of them “read” and get on with it.
Every so often I have a look at my tagged ones, and untagged ones, and maybe reorganize them. But I can’t be bothered to unsubscribe - really, it’s just “bits” and I’m not willing to make the time to purge. Plus - you never know, a hidden gem might pop up…
-Brett
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
Aw, how sweet! Thanks, Amy!!!
Michele’s last blog post..Guest Post: Carve Out 15 Minutes to Write
Amy: This post totally rocks!!! I LOVE it. It was hilarious and very honest, too. I Stumbled it.
I have often checked out people who’ve come to my site and, yeah, I don’t subscribe if their site doesn’t interest me or isn’t relevant, as harsh as that can sound. I do feel a bit guilty, but your post has made me feel much better. I want to wear big girl pants, too.
I have zero interest in parenting, so I don’t tend to love parenting blogs or anything to do with kids. There are a couple of parents I read because mostly they don’t write about shitty diapers or lack of sleep or how to best get your newborn to latch on. Not that these blogs aren’t great — they’re just not great for me. In general, there are certainly blogs out there I just don’t want to subscribe to, and obligation is never a good reason to subscribe, or do much else, in fact.
Sometimes I really like a person I’ve met in the comments, though, and while I don’t read their blog because their topic (say how to do something in their field that I’m totally not in) is irrelevant to me, I can still interact with them in the comments on blogs we both frequent.
steph’s last blog post..Magic in the Air
Rebecca — I hear ya. Only so much time in the day.
Happy you found the post funny. I live to entertain, you know. 
Brett — You never unsubscribe? Wow, dude. You’re brave. How many feeds are in your reader?!?! You talented speed reader you.
Michele — You’re going to laugh when you see what I’m making!
Steph — You are hilarious. I’m going to have to find a guest poster to do a post on latching on. Just for you.
You make a good point about still being able to interact with people you like in other blog’s comment sections. That’s very true. There are a few folks I do that with. I’d never thought about it that way before.
I have people who finally comment on a blogpost and tell me they’ve been reading for a year (or longer). And I have to admit I sometimes read other people’s blogs but don’t comment. Other posts I skim. But I always do check out someone new who comes by. Thanks for commenting. I love the look of your site and your great sense of humor.
Delaney Kirk’s last blog post..Open Mic Night: Share Your Favorite Stories And Links On Teaching Or Training
Hey Delaney! Thanks for stopping by! I have people who read here every day and email me questions and stuff, and many of those people never comment. But that’s fine. I don’t think everyone is into the discussion part of blogging. And that’s cool. I’m always happy to hear from people though, one way or the other, even if it’s to tell me they hate the blog. Feedback is always good, I think. But I’m a lurker too, some places. So I can relate to not always wanting to join the party. Looking forward to getting to know you better at the open comments tonight.
Which reminds me… Everyone stop by Liz’s open comments at 7 central tonight if you have a chance. Delaney is hosting. She’s cool, and she’s a she. That much I’ve learned today.
It’s a fun party.
I just checked, I currently am subscribed to 215 feeds. I have probably 30 or so in my “must read” tag.
I batch read the rest, from time to time, or I just “trust the universe” to bring me the info I need. Sadly, so much of it is what I’d call “limited shelf life” that it won’t matter if I don’t read it…
Some folks might think I’m lazy for not cleaning it up. I just can’t be bothered to spend the time to do it, I guess. Kind of like email. Email comes in at home or at work, if it is actionable, I make it into an action. I might tag things that are somewhat more important than others. And then it gets archived, right away.
I throw nothing out - just archive it and index it with a search tool. My work Inbox has zero messages in it (or did when I left work today). My Gmail Inbox has zero messages in it.
I see people at work with 1200 unread messages in the Inbox and scratch my head… time to move all of them to a new folder, and start over!
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
Brett — I’m lazy and proud of it. I don’t even make my bed.
I totally understand. LOL Every day in my gmail, I select all and archive. If I need something, I know how to find it (search features rule). I do read the important ones as they come in, but I’m subscribed to way too many mailing lists. Lawyers mailing lists, FDA recall alerts, food safety lists. It’s madness. Some of them I don’t need, but I don’t unsubscribe. Sometimes there’s something interesting. So I’m right there with you, just in a different way. 
Amy,
You and I are so alike in many ways (archive and search FTW!) - I always figured I subscribed for a reason - it was interesting or whatever - and it may be interesting again some time.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
Brett — I’ve never understood why anyone thought beds should be made in the first place. I mean, we’re just going to mess them up again right? And dusting? WTF? I mean, it just comes back, and dusting just makes me sneeze. There are better ways to spend time. Like chatting online. You know, important stuff.
Do the blondies still play road? I so want a youtube of that. Oh and yeah, there are a few blogs I wish would get interesting again. Maybe mine has? LOL
You know what? I don’t even subscribe to anyone.
I don’t even know how to use RSS Feed or SEO or PBS or NBC or E.I. E.I.-Oh.
I just regularly visit a few bookmarked blogs. And there I find everyone else. And I make the rounds.
I might leave some comments, depending on how interesting the post is (or more, importantly) how whacky and hilarious the resulting discussion is.
Anyway, that’s how it works for me.
But am I the ONLY one who does it this way?
Friar’s last blog post..Celebrating my Literary Ignorance: A List of Books I’ve Never Read
Friar — I used to do it that way. Sort of. I had a page on this blog called blogs I like. I linked to the posts there and whenever I had time I would go through them. I finally gave in to RSS when the list got longer than a page. I was wasting a lot of time clicking on links to find the blogs hadn’t been updated that day, etc. But I’m thinking my old way at least was more reliable. No lost links.
Amy Derby you rock! I am so tired of bloggers saying you HAVE to reply to every comment or you MUST post every day and it’s ESSENTIAL to reciprocate every single comment. It’s just not humanly possible! I do as much as I can but sometimes I don’t post for a few days without giving my readers advance notice. Sometimes I go to a commentator’s blog and I just don’t get it, so I don’t leave a comment in return. Besides, even though blogging is hard work sometimes, it doesn’t have to be that regimented. Regulate the financial institutions, not the bloggers!
See you on the big kids’ playground!
Melissa Donovan’s last blog post..Writing for Change
Melissa — Amen (says the agnostic). As I recently commented on the Pen Men’s blog, I don’t think there’s any one way to do things that is going to work for everyone. What works for one blogger won’t work for another. I like what Friar said — we need to get over ourselves. People take this blogging shit too seriously and put too many rules into it that can’t possibly be one-for-all. We need a tire swing on that playground. Those rock.
@Amy,
Oh yes, they still play road - that’s a good idea, to videotape it - they won’t do it forever.
@Friar,
I suppose folks end up using a reader because it can make things a bit faster. I say can, because some folks then end up with hundreds of feed items… but I just have my important ones to check regularly.
The main thing is what works for you is what is best.
@Amy again - NetNewsWire is working really well for me. I’d used it a while back when it wasn’t free, but I didn’t buy it. Now it is free, so I can use it again. It is a really nice program, and they have a web interface just like Google Reader so you can use it on the move. Your local client syncs up with the web client. They also have a Windows client.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
Brett — If you tape “road” send me a copy. That reminds me, I still owe you a picture of my foot. Still don’t have the printer working. Oy. I might try netnewswire out this weekend.
Amy,
I will
and yes, whenever you can do the foot outline is great.
On Windows, NetNewsWire is called FeedDemon, but it should work basically the same way.
http://www.newsgator.com/Individuals/FeedDemon/Default.aspx
-Brett
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
Brett — Thanks for that link. Why do they call things different names? Just to confuse me I suppose… Like I need the help. LOL
@Amy
YESS!!! I totally agree. What you said: sometimes we take this shit WAY to seriously.
There are enough rules and regulations in life and things you “have to do”. Let’s not poison blogging with that crap.
Friar’s last blog post..Celebrating my Literary Ignorance: A List of Books I’ve Never Read
Friar — Agreed. 100%
@Amy
I really LOVE the chimp, though.
Reminds me of a job I used to do 2 years ago. Complete an assigned task…press the lever and AECK! (happy chimp sound), get rewarded with a banana pellet.
Friar’s last blog post..Celebrating my Literary Ignorance: A List of Books I’ve Never Read
Friar — I loved it the minute I saw it. Especially the tagline. It came that way. Just perfect.
Amy,
Pretty much what Friar said. And anything he missed, Wendi said. there’s polite, grateful, then there’s insane. I can’t go there.
At the risk of being banned for mathematics, I read about 30 blogs: I have folks I read and hardly ever comment on because they’re too big and it’s shouting in the wind, folks I read and rarely comment because i’d just be saying “Yeah, I agree,” and I don’t think that’s very valuable, a bunch that I comment on when time permits, and 5, maybe 8 blogs I just can’t pass up even if I’m in the middle of a hundred other things. I admire folks who put in several hours a day, but whew, I don’t have that time. Maybe an hour for other folks’ blogs, and that depends on the day.
A lot of times I read so-n-so’s 50th post on blog growth and I think, yeah. Gotta get me some of that. If I read-commented-Stumbled-Twittered-learned what the heck a Digg is, maybe folks would do all that back at me. I wish I had more comments, where did XYZ formerly frequent commenter go, etc. I worry about “falling behind.” I certainly don’t think these thinks often, but yes, I care. You know how silly that is?
Friar always says we blogofolks take ourselves too seriously, and it’s true. Sometimes the contrast amazes me.
In real life (outside of some clients), I don’t know One. Single. Person. who reads blogs. Even mine, unless forced. Really, as in I have to stand next to them and say, so whaddya think? to get them to read one doggone post.
I’m afraid this isn’t my job, this is me talking about my job, so I can’t do it. I want world domination [erm—"to educate and create a community with more people"], but it’s probably going to be on the 15-year plan!
So out with Stupid Blogger Netiquette. If I like ya, you’ll know. If I don’t talk to my real friends every single day, why must I converse on every blog every day?
Ooh, this was going to be a short comment. What happened?
Night night.
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..I’ll Never Fall in Love Again
Kelly — I’d ask you to marry me, but I’m afraid if I keep fake-proposing to people that eventually my fake-proposals won’t mean anything anymore. I could tell you I really mean it, but how would you know I wasn’t just trying to be transparent? (Or whatever the fuck color we’re supposed to be this week? Turquoise is nice…)
I don’t know anyone who reads blogs either. Funnier still are lawyers. At least my crew. I think one of them visits other blogs, but he doesn’t comment. He’s the same guy who responds to comments on his own blog by email. I have one client who refuses to allow comments on his blogs. I try to educate, but netiquette means nothing to these people. I tried “THIS IS WHERE THE MONEY IS, CUZ THIS IS HOW YOU’LL GET YOUR BUSINESS dudes” but it just bounces into their mental spam filters. These people have NO time. They blackberry from the potty (I know because they tell me when they’re doing it, which is a whole other problem but I’ll save that one for Nick to tackle on his new blog). They have to ask me how old their kids are and when their birthdays/anniversaries/next meals will come. Oddly, they teach me important lessons in balance, but I digress.
I think it’s all about what you want out of it. I’m not blogging for business, but if I were I’m not hurting for business so bad that I need to kill myself blogging for it. I know you blog for business, but I have a funny feeling that there are more direct/less deadly ways for you to get business than blogging or you’d be killing yourself more.
You dominate where it counts. I know you want more stalkers, but — well — you have me and James. And I have about 30 personalities, so that should count for something, right? [sarcasm] Maybe I should make logins for all of them and start stalking you under various accounts — would that help? — because that would be a really super fun way to waste my time when I can’t sleep. [/end sarcasm]
Oh hell, I can’t resist. PLEASE-OH-PLEASE marry me. You can even wear a suit. LOL
Hey looky. My comment was longer than my post. Neat-o-reeno.
You bet I would read your blog if you didn’t read mine. I love your blog! I had somehow missed the linkage thing and it wasn’t working for a while…but I found you again.
This is a great post! I do comment back to all my comments… I do not own assless chaps (it’s a good thing trust me) and I do try to visit some of the blogs of commenters. But I am not particularly fond of straight vent posts where there is no entertainment, feeling or SOMETHING I can derive from it.
You’re right…life is too short.
Grandy’s last blog post..Because Earth Has No Marbles
OMG! Grandy! How funny, I just found the link to your blog again via Michele’s blog. I lost it in the Great Laptop Crash of 2008. Michele gave it to me again, but I couldn’t get the link to work, and now you’re here. I love it. And I love your ostrich head in the sand graphic. Has that always been there? I also like that blog of the day doohicky you’ve got going on. That rocks. I love you for not owning chapless pants.
Amy,
I’m engaged to Bob Hoffman and Naomi at the moment. I’m thinking of starting a wait list. Or else we’ll need a very large bed.
Yes, I blog “for” business, but not in the sense that you fish “for” trout. See comment to Angie—I know it’s a LONG education cycle/seduction in my business, and although this is (in)direct marketing for me, it’s a heck of a long, intimate campaign. Can’t get that with a postcard series.
Of course, with a postcard series, nobody would ask me if I enjoyed the postcard they sent in return. Hmm.
Though yes, I want to be the biggest, best Experience Design blog out there (in case you only read mine, yes, there are a few others, and no, I’m not the biggest yet but mine rocks way harder because of my engaged readers and awesome comment section), no, I don’t sit up too many nights worried about it. Slow and steady beats the pants off those other bores.
Oops! Did I say that out loud?
So you don’t have to stalk me with fake accounts. But if you know 20 great Stumblers, send ‘em my way. (Did you read Skellie’s post on ProBlogger? “Make friends with 20 super-Stumblers, and add water. It’s that easy.” There, now you don’t have to read it. Simplistic and irritating.)
Note to self: get fake account to stalk self….
I will marry anyone who says “neat-o-reeno,” especially people who I rant based on their rant who then rant right back. Deep feelings on the Stupid Blogger Netiquette!
Can we get married in SF so I can have some good chocolate and see the pretty boys? We’re lacking in pretty boys here. *grumble*
Later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Inspiration Points: Cheers to Failure
@Amy
What about ME?
Weren’t you supposed to marry me, if we’re still single when we’re 50?
Friar’s last blog post..Celebrating my Literary Ignorance: A List of Books I’ve Never Read
Couldn’t everyone get married, sort of like a commune? It would be one giant *group hug*
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
Friar,
I’m prettier (she says, with no idea whether it’s true or not
).
Clearly, she won’t be needing that deal now. I’m very possessive of my three spouses.
Later…
Kelly’s last blog post..Inspiration Points: Cheers to Failure
@Kelly
Well, maybe I’m not missing out on much.
After all, Amy DID promise me, that if we ever did get married, we would NOT be sleeping together.
(Well, how much fun is THAT, then?)
Friar’s last blog post..Celebrating my Literary Ignorance: A List of Books I’ve Never Read
@Friar,
It’s like being married with children, of course.
(thank you, thank you, I’ll be here all week… and sleeping on the couch for a month)
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
LMAO!
Is it wrong that I would rather come home to group sex on my blog than group hugs?
Kelly — Who is this Bob Hoffman? If you’re in love with him, I should probably know who he is. Especially if we’re all going to be sharing a bed. Friar has promised to tell me his real name on our wedding day…. and he’s so funy and hates shakespeare and I’ll bet he’s really pretty cute in his own Friar way, so can’t we keep him? We can get married where ever you want. Anyone who marries me is going to need a LOT of chocolate. And maybe a stun gun.
Friar — I’m still for our sexless marriage deal if you are.
Maybe by the time we’re 50 it’ll even be legal to marry more than one person in San Francisco? If not, we can go to Utah….
Brett — We plan to come kidnap a few of yours. Would that be wrong?
Janice — Will you be our wedding planner? I think you’d plan a rocking group wedding. LOL
Group sex. Chocolate. Stun guns. Count me in.
Just remember, “the cook” eats a lot. Like, more than two grown men… so choose wisely…
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
Punk Duck Wedding Planning….LOL! Hm…whole new meaning to the term Bridal Party….woo hoo!
Janice — Punk Duck Wedding Planner! YAY!
Brett — I would say I’d take all three triplets — pitty to break up a trio — but I would need a seven or eight figure income to afford them all I think. Maybe out of the entire group pooling our resources, we could afford Ian?
Chick, I am on the chocolate issue. No prob.
(I hear Friar is a cuddly bear. That’s good for a winter night, so okay. He’s in. If winter ever comes to Delaware….)
Bob Hoffman has just become exhibit A that Amy indeed does NOT read all her fawning followers’ blog posts, as I called him one of the funniest dudes on the ‘net in a post a couple of weeks ago.
Find him at http://adcontrarian.blogspot.com/
Please read his post today and comment, as he is shamelessly looking for proof that new people come to his blog in the form of whining about it. Nobody rocks a ranting post like Bob does… present company excepted, of course.
Besides, he opens with a brief mention of…
Oh, darn, I can’t even type it without blushing. You’ll have to go read it, but trust me it fits right in with group sex and our rants last night. Nothin’ better!
Later,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Inspiration Points: Cheers to Failure
Hah, Brett just needs one of those bouncy houses… for the kids. Sheesh.
Get a Viking Themed Bouncy house, have it set up in the back yard with a chaperone…. keep ‘em busy for a while.
Amy, Viking kidlets are expensive. They are constantly burning their little boats, whacking things to bits and outgrowing those horns.
Janice,
Not only that, all of the damage caused by the pillaging raids… the neighbours are not amused.
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
Yeah, bet they want bells around the little darlings necks just so they can hear them coming. LOL I ‘d have to just put the offerings at the edge of the lawn….or actually put the little ones to work. Paint brushes for everyone.
Kelly — I just came from Bob’s blog. He rocks. Especially because I went to follow him on twitter and saw the only thing he’s twittered about so far is his bladder. My kinda man.
Brett (and Janice) — I think I’ve just figured out what’s wrong with my neighbors’ kids. They’re vikings! This explains so much. LOL
Janice — A moonbounce! Yes! We’ll need a moonbounce for the wedding. For the adults. The kids can supervise. I’m sure Brett’s triplets are more mature than we are.
Give the kids paintbrushes and postcards, and we’ll have Kelly’s new postcard marketing campaign all set out. At the bottom of each card we’ll print, please tell me how you liked my postcard.
LOL. Don’t forget the stun guns, we can put theme colored ribbons on those, they’ll come in the goodie bags with the chocolate. And we need that monkey and his train.
See, I’ve trained them to use little pointed sticks, and they’ve been working on their night vision… gotta raid at night, when all is quiet
Brett Legree’s last blog post..the thing that should not be.
ohohoh! I got some spam the other day about night vision goggles. Maybe they come in 4-yr-old size.
Janice, I have a call in to the monkey. He’s very booked with speaking engagements right now. He took that bus driving thing to new levels and is now an Idiot Consultant. So, as you can imagine, folks are all over him. He might have a brother…
Hmmm, actually got your own little commando team…hmmm, might come in ve-rrry handy. All kinds of raids and reconnaissance possibilities…’specially if we need supplies.
Kelly, you can’t marry me AND Bob. I have come out publicly saying that Bob is my new Dad. There’s bigamy and then there’s incestuous bigamy and we have to have some standards here, people.
Naomi Dunford’s last blog post..Consulting Goes Up To $250 On October 3rd
Janice — I like the sound of having a gaggle to go fetch my supplies. I am tired of grocery shopping.
Naomi — I can’t believe I suckered you into this conversation! I’m so proud!
I’ll let you and Kelly work out your incest issues on your own. LOL
I’ve had people put me in their blogroll, so once I noticed that, I would read their blogs, and comment, and then…… they would remove me from their blogroll! So whatever they liked about me passively obviously changed when I started being a ‘real person’ and politely disagreed or offered a different view about something they said.
Now I just click away if I think a new commentor is full of shit, but it’s still really hard for me to keep my virtual mouth shut when some dingaling rambles on about how they don’t understand how having a baby would change the dynamic in a couple’s relationship. Or a history student believing that facebook has permanently, positively changed the way humans communicate. Yeah, right.
Hi Amy - I’ve barely commented on any blogs for thelast week or so, because I’ve had the cold from hell.
At one point I stopped commenting on blogs altogether as I didn’t have the time. And now I’ve cut down, as I don’t have time to comment every day. The trouble is, because I’ve been blogging for a good while now - I know a lot of bloggers and I can’t read everything they write. And I would hate for anyone to thing they had to read all my posts religiously either.
I’ve not put a pic of my own ass on my blog, but I recently added one of some random stranger. I know a lot of folk will say it’s an unacceptable thing to put on a blog about business - but I don’t care. They don’t have to look at it if they don’t want to.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Don’t Add This Poison To Your Business Cocktail
Hey FP! I have trouble keeping my mouth shut too. I won’t even read certain blogs because I’m too tempted to start a riot or put my foot in my mouth.
I wish I understood facebook better. I honestly don’t get it.
Cath, I understand what you mean. I’ve cut way back on the amount of blogs I read and have cut back even more on the amount I regularly comment on. Now I’m going to have to stop by and see whose ass you put up on your blog.
Hi Amy - I didn’t put it in a post - it’s at the bottom of the main page. Got it off FlickR. It was kind of obvious she didn’t know it was being taken - so I really hope she doesn’t see it, or I’m in for some nasty emails.
Cath Lawson’s last blog post..Don’t Add This Poison To Your Business Cocktail
Oh, I see it now! Nice work.
Do I comment on everyone’s blog who responds to my posts? No. Sometimes it’s just not possible. What I will do is check them out. If it’s something I want to comment on, sure. If not, sorry. I don’t comment just to reciprocate. I comment to join the discussion. Hell, not everyone comments on my blog, and I’m fine with that.
Lori’s last blog post..Read My Guest Post on Biz Chicks Rule!
Hey Lori. Good to see you.
That’s pretty much how it goes for me too. I wonder sometimes about the folks who say they reciprocate by commenting to everyone who comments on theirs, when do they find time to do any work? Or, you know, sleep? I mean, I don’t sleep much, but I would have a really hard time keeping up with every single blog of everyone who reads here. And I don’t have all that many visitors. 
Do they actually sell assless chaps online! Sign me up for TWO pairs!
I don’t visit every blog that leaves a comment on my site, that’s insane! I do, however, expect you to visit mine now that I’ve left my words of wisdom on your blog. (Just kidding)
Jamie Simmerman’s last blog post..Pick the Brain of Harrison McLeod of Men With Pens
Jamie, I shall. But only because you demanded politely. LOL
Thanks for putting a name to the problem I’ve been thinking about: obligation blogs. So over it. There’s not enough time for me to hold everyone’s hand. I can take that time to write more or better stuff for 90 percent of readers, or I can cater to the obligation 10 percent. I feel harsh about it, but my current attitude is that if folks don’t find my content valuable enough to subscribe to just for the sake of it, then losing that reader is probably for the best for everyone.
Sara at On Simplicity’s last blog post..The Simple Truth? You’re Complicated
Sara, I’m SO with you. There’s only so much time in the day and only so much energy. I look at it like I can usually make more time (to an extent) but I don’t know how to make more energy (because I don’t like spinach). If I spent all day jogging around Blogland commenting out of obligation, then I’d be too tired to write my own blog.
Wow Amy!
You get quite the dialogue back and forth in your comment section. That’s a story in its own right. Congrats!!
Grandy’s last blog post..Farewell to a Classy Guy
Hey Grandy! Yes, I’m thinking of changing the tagline here to “We talk about everything, whores included” LOL How’s life in Grandyland?
Please do comment and discuss.
We love a good conversation!
Please use a name when commenting. Does not have to be your real name or full name. But responding to folks calling themselves "Make Money Writing Online" and such kinda sucks. Calling yourself keywords will likely get you thrown into my spam filter.