PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE COMMENTS
Feb 2, 10- (by Steve E.)
- 5 responses
- Sober Salon
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RANTING AND RAVING–NOT JUST IN JEST
A “good” blogger I am NOT. I got really hooked, became obsessive, and spent 8-10 hours a day writing, reading, and commenting…for a year-and-a-half. Three weeks ago I stopped blogging, just left it–with a goodbye message, of course. http://steveroni.blogspot.com if anyone’s interested…
In my blogging “career” I went from reading ONE blog post daily, to checking on about sixty per day, commenting on as many as I could. During this time I went from enjoying 1 follower to 164. (How many really followed I don’t know.) But my daily readership went from 1 to 101, then leveled off at about 70-80 per day. Daily comments began at a rate of 3, went up to the final, 50. Here is the punch line: I lived for the comments, positive and negative. Whether this was out of a certain pride, or self-imposed, sick need for validation I do not know, nor care.
I chose to begin posting here on The Second Road, because of course, I know the lovely, wonderful, friendly, helpful, generous, managers. But more, I agree–finally–with the concept of learning about and helping more than just my Druggie-and-alcoholic Peeps. I feel at home in a group of addiction Peeps who suffer from many uneasy diseases, and suffer from results caused by them.
My point here–I guess–is that comments, even discussion in commenting, are for me, what MAKE a blog worthy or not. If there is not an exchange, I might as well be writing emails to myself. I–and others–spend the time to pour out our hearts, our most hidden secrets in the postings. At this time, I have not the slightest notion whether anyone but ME has read my blog post. (Well, a few comments lately are happening!)
A law of averages must declare some readership is involved here, but who, how many, and from where do they come here? And the larger question I might have is: Why do they not leave a comment, if only to write, “I was here. Thanks for your effort. Although I disagree with everything you say.”
It may even be an anonymously posted comment.
Some could well believe I am way off base with my rant, and disagree. That is fine. OK! But please tell me, OK? While surfing yesterday I came across this paragraph in a posting by a photographer/blogger named Owen, lives in England. He can be visited HERE at his THE MAGIC LANTERN SHOW. He wrote this, and I have his written permission to copy:
“PLEASE FEEL FREE TO LEAVE COMMENTS ! Comments are the icing on blog-cake… Comments are the UFO in the twilight sky bearing news from other planets… Comments are raspberry vinegar in salad dressing… Comments are the cool balm of after-sun moisturizing lotion… Comments are the moment the band comes back out on-stage to play an encore… Comments are the gleam in the eye across the room in a smoky bar… Comments are the rainbow after the rainstorm…”
In the spirit of what I wrote here, I have been trying to comment substantively (maybe with MUCH TOO LENGTHY substance–grin!) on each new daily posting. I sincerely hoped some others would follow suit…or not. After all, we are now happy, joyous, and FREE!!!! …it says here.
Today, with me–PEEPS!
Be FREE
Be HAPPY
Be LOVING
Be at PEACE
PLEASE!!!
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Hey Steve- not quite sure how I found second road. I think i was clicking from blog to blog to blog, aimlessly. doing the electronic equivalent of judging a book by its cover and all.
I agree with your post about comments and how they help a blog evolve and grow and they encourage a writer to continue to share things that they feel the need to share. for me, blogging can be a little scary, and on the days that I don’t get a comment I wonder what ‘went wrong’
fyi….
i’m an al-anon, or whatever you want to call me. the man I love is trying to heal himself and I am working on myself. that is my story. the reason that I read.
Hi Steve, so happy to find you still blogging.. temperately! Yes it is an addictive process this blogging lark and the comments do help, good and bad, though the nice one’s more pleasing. I think blogging like playing so called free on line games is designed to be addictive. I don’t know how it works or why it’s not quite satisfying but there it is. I champion your choice and I am glad you’ve gone for temperance rather than cold turkey which for me seems just another extreme on the other side of the coin.
I will of course be checking in to see what you’re up to. As for commenting, I try not to get into the round robin of it, when I have something to say I do, if not I dont, sometimes I just say howdedoodee. howdeedoodee)
Happy day sweet,
Sarahxx
We all read and write for different reasons. Blogging includes conversation more than writing a book, but less than a discussion group. Discussion can be part of blogging or not. There are some excellent blogs that have comments turned off.
I’ve made a conscious effort to cut down on commenting. It takes a long time for me to formulate a coherent and intelligent response, and given the limited time I have to spend on my writing and reading, I don’t feel it’s the best use of my time.
If people take the time to read what I have written, it is already a great gift. If it touches them enough to make them think — wow, how blessed am I? And if they tell me that, I’m grateful, but if they don’t, it’s ok too.
Good for you to leave blogland for a time… No good to spend so long a time going to visit others… no matter how you like them, love them, expect from them…
No good to depend on those comments to believe you’ve really done a good job… Only 5 out of 50 REALLY appreciate what you do… and LOVE you! And of course your own satisfaction > the most important thing. But we depend so much on the others.
And you see? You seem not to be able to stop blogging and expecting those comments… Well I only came to say ‘Hey, i’ve been here, thanks for the effort , etc’ And I’ve spent about five minutes writing this. But such a sweet peep deserves a five-hundred and …(?)-minutes…or even more!
I’ve been reading you and I thank you. My journey is a slow one, I think I’m behind the curve; but you and other bloggers give me hope.