Since the day my blog was born, way back when, I have been struggling with how to handle one issue.
And just in case any of you fear I got hit on the head and am wandering through life thinking it’s 2015 and I’m happily living in sin with Anderson Cooper and my skinny self, rest assured. I know perfectly well that it’s 2008, that I’m nowhere near skinny, that I’m happily living in wedlock with Nate, that my blog was born a mere seven months ago and that seven months does not, in any way, constitute “way back when” unless you have barricaded yourself in your closet with your pre-maternity clothes because you’re huge, retaining more water than the Hoover Dam, and are sick to death of everyone yelling MY GOD, HAVEN’T YOU HAD THAT BABY YET? WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WAITING FOR?
So I’m aware we’re talking about a youngster here. I mean my blog, not me. I’m an oldster. With cellulite. But that’s neither here nor there. By the way, Anderson? Call me.
I’ll come back to the aforementioned blog issue in a second because I’m fairly sure I bought a round trip ticket on the Tangent Express, so just bear with me for a moment while I stop off at Left Field and tell you about the time when Zoe was eight or nine and there was a guest speaker at one of her girl scout meetings. The speaker was rambling on and on about how teaching methods had changed since she had gone to school – I wasn’t really paying attention because there were other moms there and I was in my glory playing grownup and having a conversation that didn’t include me yelling BECAUSE I SAID SO.
However, I did happen to catch the speaker’s words at one point. And judging by the clamor of jaws dropping to the floor all around me, so did every single mother around me.
The speaker was describing how she had been taught division in elementary school, which was “back in the day.”
She couldn’t have been a day over twenty.
After we scrounged around for our glasses, dropped to the floor amidst creaks and cracks and pops and groans, retrieved our jaws, reattached them to our faces and slowly tried to stand up as straight as our joints and bloated reproductive systems would allow, we stood there, looking at the blasphemer. She of the peaches and cream complexion, bright eyes, shiny and shimmery bobbed hair, perfect boobs and lithe body. No wrinkles. No cellulite. No age spots. No gray hair. No stomach. No visible veins, varicose or otherwise. No mortgage, no car payment, no husband spending $80 on two chia pets, no kids playing Who Can Kill Mom First Using Just Their Thumbs. Nothing but taut, unblemished skin for as far as the eye could see. She had to be at least 2.5 kids, 42 Halloween costumes, 903 renditions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on a leased trumpet, 872 soccer games, 12 camp outs, 2 bouts of chicken pox, 4 cases of poison ivy, 695 scream fests and 3 MOM! I NEED TO BUILD A FOUR FOOT DIARAMA BY TOMORROW MORNING’s away from her first botox injection.
Back in the day? What, when you were an embryo?
Come back when you have a stretch mark or two and gravity is no longer sending you Christmas cards. Then we’ll talk.
OK – I’ve disembarked from the Tangent Express and I’m quite exhausted so I’ll get right to the point. Since I started blogging, I have struggled with one issue. Actually, I’ve been struggling with lots and lots and lots issues, only some of which are actually blog related.
If you leave a comment on a blog, oh say, this one, do you expect to get a reply from the blogger, oh say, me? And are you completely ticked off at a certain blogger, let’s say, me, because you’ve received no such reply and you’re wondering if I’ve got the social wherewithal of peat moss?
If so, I just wanted you to know that I mean no disrespect to anyone and I am not related whatsoever to any decomposed plant food, even if my skin says otherwise.
I typically don’t post replies to individual comments in my comments section. I actually never knew that any blogger did this until recently and then I thought to myself: Holy damn crap, am I doing this wrong? Because that is what I say to myself whenever I do anything new or strange, like give birth or raise a teenager.
Unfortunately, there’s not enough time in the day for me to reply to individual comments on a consistent basis and if I can’t do something consistently at 110% with absolute perfection, my borderline OCD condition doesn’t let me do it at all. Between writing my epic long posts and making sure my family is fed and wearing clean undies and my kids are doing their homework so they don’t become dumber than dirt and my husband is not outspending God and buying the entire world off the Internet, I have approximately three hours left in the day and I spend them trying to get some sleep which is no easy task considering I sleep next to a 6’2″ tall, dark, handsome, diesel engine. I’m speaking in a strictly snoring sense, mind you.
There were a few times at the beginning, way back when, when I emailed a few people in response to their comments and then I never heard from them again. I have visions of them looking at their inbox and running in the opposite direction, screaming something about some crazy ass stalker. And then my paranoid self said to my schizophrenic self HAH! THEY DON’T LIKE YOU ANYMORE. YOU SMELL.
Nevertheless, I love your comments. Adore them. I have, in fact, become quite addicted to them, much to the consternation of my family who would like me to develop other, more family oriented addictions, like, say, vacuuming.
While you can’t see me from your side of the monitor, over here on my side, I jump up and down excitedly each and every time I get a comment, yelling at no one in particular OH MY GOD, SOMEONE READS ME, I ACTUALLY DO EXIST at which time my family shouts up at me in no particular order #1) can I keep it down; #2) can I get a life; and #3) what’s for dinner.
So, if you’re a blogger, what’s your take on the comment scenario? Reply? No reply?
And if you’re a reader, on what side of the fence do you stand? Or sit?
I used to be able to sit on fences, way back when, before my hips cloned themselves. Speaking of fences and hips, if anyone needs some tickets on the Tangent Express, let me know. I’ve got plenty to spare.
.
58 thoughts on “All aboard the Tangent Express …”
I am a blogger and I do not reply to comments unless asked a direct question. I do however try to visit and comment on bloggers that comment on my blog. Don’t know if that is right, just what I do.
*grins* You’re so hilarious, even tangentially…
As a blogger, the only time I write a response is to a direct question, or if it’s a close friend (which, ok, I’m not that popular and so most of my comments happen to fall in that category, but if I WERE super-popular [you got room next to you on that TA?], then that’s what I’d do). A lot of times a commenter won’t leave an e-mail address (even though it says it’s required, I have no idea where that info is stored), so I can’t answer. Sometimes I might go explore their blog, too.
As a reader, no, I never expect an answer. I follow a lot of blogs, most of which fall into the category of design hero or scrapper hero or hilarity hero (that would be you), and I’m sure the writers don’t have a single solitary clue who I am, nor do they care. I guess I leave comments because I’m chatty, and I know I like getting comments… but I still don’t expect a response.
Mmm, did that answer your question in a 100 words or less? Heh.
As for replying to comments, I do it if it’s a direct question, or a really nice comment, or I just feel so inclined. I like it when people reply to my comments, but it doesn’t bother me if they don’t.
I really LOVE when people visit my blog in return, and comment there. That’s the best way to reciprocate, if you ask me. Which you did. Sort of.
I don’t expect you to answer me. I’m just a blogless blob in cyberspace. Why do I leave comments at all, then, I wonder…? Does it make me feel good to think that I’m making you feel worthwhile by responding? Does it make me feel like I’m an itsy bit more significant? Who knows?! Strange thing this blogmonster!
I don’t reply because I figure that the person asking the question isn’t really going to come back for an answer. Unless it’s you, however. If you leave me a comment that’s a question, I’ll answer it. Maybe twice!
I’ll answer direct questions either by e-mail or in the comments. I try to visit the blogs of those who visit me, but life gets in the way sometimes. I don’t read blogs and leave comments to get comments on my blog. I read blogs because they’re interesting to me, and I leave comments because I just can’t keep my mouth shut.
Okay, did you read Preston’s post too? Is that what sent you onto your tangent? Because if so, (um and even if not), that is what sent me over to the same area of the blogosphere – yes, that was me waving frantically and shouting “Amen, Sister!” from the platform at that particular stop of your Tangent Express. (I was waiting for the local…)
I don’t know what to do – sometimes I respond to the comments people leave me via email, every once in a great while I respond in my own comments section, but here’s the thing with that: I barely have enough time to read the various blogs I stalk – erm, I mean *follow* – and I really don’t have the time to keep popping back to follow any dialogue that is subsequently occurring in the comments section of said blog. I too absolutely adore getting comments on my blog. I love leaving comments on other blogs. I love it when other folks respond to the comments I’ve left for them via email. But I just don’t know that I can sustain a comment-section conversation, so I fail by Preston’s standards! Le sigh.
Anyhow, I have troops to rally and breakfasts to cook and lunches to make and showers to take and here I sit, commenting into the void of the blogosphere……. I suppose I should get to it.
Maybe I’ll check back here later to see if you’ve responded to my comment via your comments section and then we can engage in some witty repartee. Yeah, like I’m even gonna remember…
I don’t reply to individual comments unless they’ve got that special something….you know…that pizzaz. Though, that would require me to actually GET comments, though, wouldn’t it?
Okay, who’s Preston? (Will you answer that? ) 😉
Hmmm, I don’t really expect an answer from blogs with 472 followers and regularly get 287 comments, but on blogs that are less busy and develop a “community” of their own, it’s fun to get into an occasional “comment conversation”.
Some bloggers will do a comment response summary sort of thing, where they check in and answer or comment on several comments at once.
If I remember, I go back and check comment sections of my favorite blogs to see if there’s follow-up to my or someone else’s comments.
I know. I should be cleaning or something.
Personally, I don’t think *every comment needs a response, but some just beg for one even if it’s not a question, kwim?
For some weird reason, the last 3 lines of my comment are in a different order than I wrote them.
:::cue Twilight Zone music here:::
I love getting comments, but I don’t necessarily reply to them. Every now and then someone will ask a question, and then I’ll try to reply. I don’t think people actually come back to the comments section of your blog post (do they?) to get a response though so I usually e-mail them (if I’m allowed) or post on their own blog comments. But no – I don’t think anyone expects you to respond unless they’ve asked a question. I don’t.
I blog, tho these days well in fact even way back when its no where near as entertaning at yours. and usually only quartley. I usally read your’s and have my hubby ask what im laughing at. Anyway, back on track, I get off it a lot… I only reply to comments if its a direct question, but i dont expect a blogger to reply.
then again , you’d get no sleep and that could be very entertaining reading, But just knowing you’re jumping up and down in your chair at each comment is enough! lol
PS thx for such an entertaining & enlightening Blog YOU ROCK!!
I have read many many blogs in the past 4 years since I started blogging and you are one of only a few blogs I try to read every day. Why? Because you are FUNNY. I try to be funny but I think I’m not, most of the time [sniff sniff, having a pity party here].
I don’t reply to comments unless I get a question, even though I am southern and was raised to always write thank-you notes, even for Christmas cards… So don’t sweat the comment thing.
I loved your remarks about the speaker. I cannot seriously listen to anyone that is younger than many of my shoes…
Oh, hate to tell you but Anderson Cooper is gay…
I’m kinda meh on the comment thing. If I leave a comment for someone, I don’t expect them to run over and comment on me. It’s feels kind of like myspace here in blogger world sometimes. Like, “OMG! I’m not on your top blog list?!?! We are SO OVER.” I get the ‘holy cow, I’m back in high school vibe’ once and a while.
I love Anderson as well. He is one handsome man.
-Jess
As a reader and a blogger, I don’t expect a reply. I don’t always comment either on someone else’s blog. My blog is really just for me, and maybe a couple of friends and family who really want to know what’s up in my world. I usually lurk, am pretty quiet, but do enjoy an occasional comment if someone happens to feel so inclined. I have been making more of an effort to leave comments on the blogs I visit, not just do a hit and run.. 😉
BTW, your blog is hilarious. You say and write things that I can relate too…….I just don’t articulate as well as you do!
I’m excited to get comments on my blog, and I read them all — they come to me in my email. But since I’m at a job all day, I usually don’t have the chance to respond until evening after all the family life has quietened down. And by then, I doubt the commenters care if I respond. And I then start working on my next post, so I sometimes forget to respond.
As a reader, I don’t make many comments (that whole “don’t have time” thing), and when I do, I don’t expect a response unless I asked a question.
Now, if I had a cushy set up like you, as a stay at home mom, with nothing more to do than read blogs all day, and eat bon bons while the kids . . . wait, ladies? Wait, no, put down the knives . . . I was just joking, you know, kidding. Really. Please . . . Momma help me
I just installed the intense debates comment thingy which makes it easier for me to reply to comments on blogger. It really just depends on how busy I am. I am doing good just reading blogs right now, much less replying to comments. I know I had a couple of replies to your comments on my blog, but I wasn’t swamped then and was having fun beign able to reply directly for the first time… I’m not saying I’ll make a habit of it though.
I do try to always go visit the blogs who comment me though… just out of respect and also because I wanna keep the few readers and commenters I do have!
I’ve been thinking about this all morning . . . ok, ok, I was stuck in a PTA meeting and would rather think of this than a debate about recess being before or after lunch. (and I’m trying to honor your tangent express theme here)
Anyway here’s my thought on comments. First, getting them on my blog. I adore them. Love them. When I have the time, I’ll click and visit their blogs. But, more often than not, I don’t have the time.
It’s not that I don’t love them. I do! But making peanut butter chocolate kiss cookies, in my house, usually take a priority. But if a name pops up a few times or they say something really sweet or helpful or meaningful, I click on over.
When I leave a comment, do I expect a reply. Nope. Especially blogs I visit for entertainment value, like yours, or informational value, I never expect a return visit. My leaving a comment is my way of saying thanks for the laugh or the information. I already got my love just be reading!
I come to you not for reciprocation, although, believe me, when you do leave a comment on my blog, I hop around the house, flapping my arms, singing, “Andy left me a comment!!” But that’s only because I stalked you, in a “non-scary, you are unknowingly were my digi-scrap mentor” way when I first start digi-scrapping.
That’s the long version. Short version . . . I leave comments with no expectations!
I’ll take one of those tickets, please…
Sometimes I’ll reply to a comment, but only if they were asking a direct question, or the comment was just screaming for me to follow up. Otherwise, I do the same as you: get all excited that someone actually read what I wrote AND felt compelled to comment about it. Then I move on.
I don’t think there is any right or wrong way when it comes to blogging. It’s your blog. Do whatever the hell you want to. It’s probably the only part of your life where “do whatever the hell you want to” actually applies. Embrace it.
PS: If you don’t reply to my comment, I’m never coming back. Just kidding. Maybe.
I reply or acknowledge comments in my own comments section, but largely I already know these folks– they’re fellow bloggers I might virtually “hang out” with, most of the time. So we will get a little dialog going.
In terms of going to their blogs then specifically to return the comment? No. I might check out a blog, to see who someone is. If I like the blog, I might return. But the tit-for-tat commmenting can really be time-consuming.
My recommendation to you is, just blog in the style you feel comfortable with.
I wish you much luck.
I love your blog and your sense of humor. Please don’t change a thing about your writing style. It’s so refreshing and so very funny.
I’m also grateful for each comment I receive. I try to answer each one received on the post by posting my own comments there. I do not email replies. At this time of the year our business is extremely busy. We are processing last minute orders, so I don’t have the time to individually reply to the wonderful comments I received on my latest post on my personal blog and that makes me feel bad. I posted a single comment telling everyone how I honored I was to receive all the comments and now I must press on doing the work that brings in my income.
You crack me up! I needed to read that to keep me from falling asleep at my computer (again). I never get enough sleep — it’s this darned pc’s fault!
I do somersaults and cartwheels when someone leaves me a comment (only in my head, otherwise I’d probably break something!). After that, I try to find time to visit that bloggers corner of the web and leave a comment. That’s inbetween scrapping, laundry, scrapping, cooking, scrapping, yardwork, scrapping, cooking, scrapping, yelling at my 5 kids…well you get the point!
Have a nice day!
It’s OK, I completely understand. I have the opposite problem, I can’t NOT reply. My OCD gives me heartburn until I address each and every good point and false accusation made in my comment section.
Oh the wonders of compulsions.
Very funny tangent, by the way.
Sometimes I do, sometimes I don’t, really depends on how much time I have and the kind of comments. I like the back and forth banter, but sometimes life gets so busy it is hard to visit all my fave blogs and leave comments, let alone reply to all the one’s left on my blog.
Enjoyed your post, nice writing.
I think I have only once every responded to a comment on my blog in the comment section & that was only because it was a request for clarification about my post I think was needed. I do email responses to direct questions. I try to visit & comment on everyone that comments on mine’s blogs (ok I don’t even know where to begin on the grammar issues in that sentence).
I don’t expect responses to the comments I leave on other people’s blogs. I tend to email people if I have a direct question I really want the answer to.
I am a blogger and a big blog reader. I have been reading yours for 4 months and this is my first comment, so is that rude of me? I get very few comments on my blog, so I tend to answer them all. But as a blog reader, I rarely leave a comment, but when I have, some bloggers have responded, some haven’t. I do like a response, because it shows me that it was worth the effort it took me to leave the message in the first place. But I also understand that some blogs get like 60 comments on each post, and that a blogger has to have a life (and time to blog) too. So I say answer the post if they ask a non-rhetorical question, if they write a response that involves a personal story more than 60 words long, think about writing a response, if they say “Very funny”, thank them for the response in silence to yourself.
Cheers!
Rachel
(PS I expect a response back to this muahhahhaa)
Look how many comments you have already received on this (hilarious) post. You certainly would not have time to compose more wonderful posts if you spent all day replying to comments.
With my own blog, I love the comments, and if they leave an email address I aim to respond if there is anything to say (I can usually think of something!), and definitely if I get asked a question.
If the commenter has a blog, I try to visit and leave a comment if I have anything to say (again, I can usually think of something!) and have found some great blogs this way.
Do I have too much time on my hands, or too few commentors? Don’t answer that!
I love it when bloggers, whose blog I have commented on, reciprocate with an email back, or visit my blog….but don’t lose any sleep over it if they don’t.
it really depends.. with blogger unless you know who the comment is from tracking down an email addy can be hard.
My husband replies to bloggers in his comment section, I rarely do or I will find their blog and leave a comment there if I really feel the need.
and yes we all love comments and that bit of extra contact, I really don’t think people expect a reply, it isn’t set up like that. I think we would just like something more conversational sometimes
I’m a tangent queen and ride on that express quite often. And if you don’t comment back, I might not remember to come back to your blog, but I promise not to hunt you down and hurt you! Thanks for the laughs!
I have been answering all the comments recently, it can be time consuming, but I figure it is better then have someone leave wrong information in the comments, which rarely happens, but then when I answer that one, then I feel bad cuz the other commenter’s will feel left out! Ugh!
Thank goodness most don’t comment or I would never be able to leave the computer! 🙂
I don’t expect a reply. I just enjoy reading your blog. You have a very unique and funny way of explaining things and for that I am grateful. And..I don’t always leave comments on the blogs I visit either.
As a reader (and fellow blogger) I expect nothing when I comment. If I comment it is because I am compelled to say something. I don’t comment everytime I read something so I don’t expect that kind of response from anyone else.
As a blogger, I don’t typically leave comments on my own blog unless someone asks me a direct question. Someone (who I don’t even know, btw) asked me a question about getting the curls in the twins’ hair for Christmas pics. I wrote this huge reply but have no idea if she ever came back to read it and since I don’t know who she is, I can’t ask! LOL
🙂
As a blogger, I don’t typically leave comments on my own blog unless someone asks me a direct question. Someone (who I don’t even know, btw) asked me a question about getting the curls in the twins’ hair for Christmas pics. I wrote this huge reply but have no idea if she ever came back to read it and since I don’t know who she is, I can’t ask! LOL
I don’t expect comments back to my comments. I will reply sometimes, but not a lot. I like it when I get a reply back, but my feelings are not hurt if I don’t.
Oh, don’t stress over it. I would say just be you. If you feel like responding to a certain comment, respond. I don’t really see people coming back to a post they have already read. Of course if there is a direct question I would answer it. I do agree with others who have said visiting other blogs and commenting back is the biggest thanks you can give.
Amen sister. You need a halulia to be added in unity. I’m your gal.
Okay, I have yet to get a direct question from anyone. Though I specifically tell anyone viewing my blog to email if they have questions. Its plainly posted at the introduction at the top.
I have replied to a friend leaving a comment. She was helping me set up my blog “back in the day”. Oh did I go there?? Ooops forgive.
I try to leave comments on those people blogs that leave comments for me. Though being a mom, a preschool teacher, a wife, a taxi driver for all the lessons, or the oops I forgot to get this at the grocery store runs, and finally the ever run to the doctor for one of the kiddos errands. I sometimes don’t get all the time i want to go check out others blogs. I sometimes feel mine isn’t quit up to par…if you know what I mean..
I get excited when I get a reply myself. As to my being a black sheep in all in most situations.
I reply to my comments because I have this wonderful plugin that allows me to reply on my blog and it automatically emails the commenter (is that a word?). But I used to do it the old fashioned way, which is very time consuming.
I’m from the “way back when old school” where I was taught to reply to comments as a gesture of thanks. I love when I get replies to my comments because it means the blogger actually read mine.
Now if I get to your status and have tons of comments on each post, I doubt I could do it because of time constraints.
Sorry no funny for me today. Just real blogging business which in reality is quite humorous.
I asked this very same question awhile back (back in the day…hahaha…just had to throw that in there) on MBC b/c I was curious as well. I don’t reply to comments on my blog b/c honestly I wasn’t sure if those people really come back and see the reply. But I do always visit the blogs of those who comment on my blog and, if they’ve asked a question in their comment, I’ll either respond back in my comment on their blog or e-mail them personally. Okay, I just read that back and it sounds kinda confusing….
The line “what? when you were an embryo?” cracked me up…I’m still laughing!
I LOVE reading your blog – it often makes me LOL at work (usually its lunchtime & I have to either clean the monitor off or stop myself from choking!). I usually don’t comment….so if I don’t comment, you don’t have to reply…..deal??!
I don’t reply to every comment left on my blog (not that I get many) and don’t expect other people to reply to my comments on the rare occasions I leave them. I read a number of blogs, but don’t comment often, myself…and don’t expect a reply when I do 🙂
Very funny post and something that I have thought about a lot. For me, nope I don’t expect an answer unless I have asked a question., although it is nice to get an answer sometimes. As for me, well I reply to some things….the crieria for which is “as the mood takes me”… 😉
I want an answer, and I want it within 10 minutes of me leaving a reply. 😉 I come here for fun and your wit and often reading just how I’m feeling. You see, I’m older than dirt too! I certainly don’t want to be accused of stealing a few minutes of your sleep. Love your blog Andrea!
Don’t even think about it. I know a lot of people that read your blog (I’m one of them, without a miss) and most of them don’t leave a comment, but we talk about you (did you already read the Junkies post today?) and refer to your little mishaps in life and than we laugh and roll around all over the place. And we are so happy that it happened to you and not to us (sorry). Keep up and continue to make our day that little bit sweeter. Don’t worry about those silly people that require a comment (just remembered that I insisted that you write me an email)*oops*, lets forget about that one, I was young and naive back then and I thought that I was special. All grown up now and full of experience in the world of “leaving comments”. And anybody reading my comment, yes I’m aware that I have a strange way with words, I’m a foreigner you see?!
But here is food for thought; what happens if you (Bloggers) all of a sudden decide not to report on your lives anymore? Will we suffer withdrawal symptoms, might that become a new kind of medical condition, will there be a patch that we can stick onto our body which will hopefully help us with the cravings for our beloved blogs?
Let’s stop here. I don’t make sense anymore and I start to scare myself.
Greetings from Australia
If I got 43+ comments on my posts, I wouldn’t reply to them either. :p However, as I only get 4 if I’m lucky, there’s no hassle to reply to all of them, and most of the time, I can’t help myself from replying anyway. I enjoy having a bit of a conversation, especially if people have a different point of view to what I wrote. (Usually everyone agrees with me of course and that’s why they don’t comment so often – that’s what I keep telling myself anyway!)
I don’t MIND bloggers not replying to my comments, as I don’t usually go back and see if they did or not, but I do see if they reply to people commenting before me, and how they respond. The conversation, you know. If they don’t… I have to admit the reaction can be a bit negative… So I expect them to take part into the conversation, but not necessarily reply to me personally.
Can I just say how much I enjoyed my visit to your blog? I’m adding it to my favorites. (no reply needed :)).
Orna
Not a blogger myself, but as a reader and sometimes commenter, I don’t generally expect a response. It’s really nice when I do get one occasionally – maybe only because I’m NOT expecting it. I don’t know if there are ‘rules’ for this sort of thing, but here’s how I think it should go: If you know a commenter (as in have physically met the real live breathing person), then a response via email would be kinda nice. But only if it’s something for which a response would make sense – not just a ‘thanks for your comment’ thingie. However, for the millions…okay, thousands…umm, dozens? of other-worldly-somewhere-out-in-the-blogosphere folks who leave a comment – like me – you’re under no obligation to respond. How does that sound? (no response necessary)
As one who is prone to really long borderline run on sentences, tangents and topic hopping mid conversation I love reading your posts. Always good for a laugh or at the very least smile and the realization that I’m not the only one with a brain that works that way.
I love your blog and didn’t expect any reply when I commented.
I’m not a blogger so can’t answer your question about answering comments!
I am a fan of yours and have to say you make my day with your humerous take on life….keep on writing, love your stuff.
I respond as much as I am able… as it is I get up at about 5:30 each day to get a post together before my artistic day starts, and there are only so many hours in a day.
Loved your post… thank you for a good laugh.
Andrea, you CRACK ME UP. Too many things to point out, so I’ll just say that this post was a masterpiece. Anderson Cooper? From The Mole? From The Vanderbilts? Be sure to let Nate know that he is gay (Anderson, not Nate), so he’s got nothing to worry about.
It’s hard being a woman. We agonize over each and every little thing, don’t we? I say do what comes naturally to you. If something makes you feel odd or uncomfortable, it’s not for you. I comment on individual comments because I just can’t help myself. And each and every time I do I fear that I’m irritating the commenter beyond belief. “Hey, I just left a comment here so you’ll comment on my blog. I do not expect nor do I want your feedback, weird woman.” But still, I can’t help myself. So I hope people will forgive me. Sometimes a comment really doesn’t need a response, but I will leave one so people don’t think, “Hmm, why didn’t she leave a response to my comment, she left one for everybody else. Doesn’t she like me or appreciate my time”. More agonizing.
Once again taking inspiration from you, I’m going to leave responses to comments that call out to me for a response, and leave the others in their original unresponded to glory.
Oh yeah, and I like to reciprocate when people leave comments on my blog. I appreciate when people do the same. I realize some ladies are too busy to do so, so I don’t expect it all the time. But it’s pretty much blog etiquette, isn’t it? We help each other out and for a community, something larger than ourselves? Like The Superfriends? (Or in our case, more like the Super Fiends.)
FORM a community. Not FOR a community. I’m going to scuttle off now…
I am totally addicted to your blog… I am not a blogger, and if I leave a comment, I don’t expect a reply. I’d rather you keep writing so I can get my daily dose of laughter from you.
First I would like to say the title to this post sure fit the content. LOL
I usually only post comments if I have something worthwhile to contribute. I was brought up if you don’t have anything nice to say, keep your mouth shut.
Especially if it’s on the Internet!
I’m a long time lurker of your blog. I read and only a few times have I commented. You’re funny, witty, and make me giggle till I almost piddle.
Anyway, I’m the same way about comments, I have NO idea who’s reading my thoughts, and I wish I did. Maybe I’ll call out all my blurkers one day. Maybe not. We shall see on that one. I’m ok without the comments, but I do love them. 🙂
Dear Creative Junkie,
I’ve been reading your blog for awhile now. Haven’t ever left a comment before so don’t much have an opinion on the reply or no-reply question.
Just wanted to let you know how much I thoroughly enjoy reading your posts. Your sense of humor is FANTASTIC and you are a fabulous writer. You should write books. Please write books. I’ll buy them. For myself. For friends. You have a talent. 🙂
A big fan,
Cindy