Blog Pondering

Posted on Wednesday, June 14th, 2006, 11:19 PM

On Amalah’s advice, I read this post over at Mom/Ma’am/Me about a fellow mom blogger who’s considering giving up her blog. This made an impression on me.? While I don’t know if, at least at this point, I could ever give up blogging, I can understand what she’s feeling and thinking.

I’ve often tried to figure out the whole “clique” thing and how I feel about it, where I fall in the grand scheme of it all.? I don’t think I belong to any clique.? Not because I’m anti-clique, but because I don’t think I have that far a reach.? I’m more of a “fawning fan” in the blog world.? I read a lot of blogs of people I consider a lot more “famous” (what is with the quotes tonight?? sheesh!) than myself, such as Dooce and Amalah.? And yes, even you, Zoot.? If I get more than four comments on a single post I think I’m doing pretty darn good.? If I don’t get any comments on a post or for several days, I don’t really think about it too hard.? Because I know I’m not up in the stratosphere.? And I’m okay with that.? I read a few big blogs, I read a few small blogs.? I don’t have time to read as many blogs as I would probably like.? And I have a hard time breaking out of my own self-imposed rut to try new blogs out.? I’m kind of a shy person anyhow and comments from me are pretty few and far between.? Rest assured, if I comment on a blog post that I feel I truly have something to say.? It takes quite a bit to jolt me out of my comfort zone enough to leave a comment.? But on the other hand, I know that’s a way to become more popular; to leave more comments.? I try.? But it’s hard.

The other issue mentioned is the blogroll.? I know a lot of bloggers use this as a social thing.? I put you on my blogroll so you should put me on yours.? If you’re on my blogroll then you’re my friend. :)? I guess there’s some truth to that, for me.? My blogroll, I think, is more me sharing with you what sites I think are interesting and worth a visit.? I break them up into categories so you can easily find what you think might interest you most.? I don’t update it often.? I add sites more than I take sites off.? I will say this; most of the sites on my blogroll are ones that I visit on a pretty regular basis.? The ones under “Daily Obsessions” are just that.? They’re blogs that I read every day and check several times a day for new posts.? But I wouldn’t put a blog on my blogroll if I didn’t want to visit that site or have one of my readers visit that site.? So I don’t think it’s political at all.? But maybe it is and I just know nothing of politics.? Entirely possible. ;)

I think a lot of blogging is what you make of it.? It can be hard to do sometimes.? You go into the whole deal just wanting to be able to get things off your chest and talk about your life in a fairly anonymous manner.? But sometimes it’s hard to keep it there.? I just have to remind myself of my original goal when I started this thing: I wanted to write for *me* and no one else.? If other people wanted to read it, enjoyed it, then that’s just icing.? But at the end of the day, this blog is for me and me alone.? Because as soon as I feel I’m writing for someone else, I won’t want to do it anymore.? It’s sorta like back in high school.? I loved to write and I would write until my fingers cramped.? But the minute a teacher assigned an essay, I had no interest whatsoever in writing anything.? I don’t want to be told what to write, even if it’s not aloud.? If anyone’s going to be doing the pressuring around here, it’s gonna be me. ;)

Anyhow, that’s my big ol’ tirade/diatribe/monologue on the whole thing.? And I’m not even sure what the topic *was* exactly.? And maybe you are all completely bored and have surfed away by now.? But that’s okay.? Because *I* wanted to write this and that’s what really matters. :)

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4 Comments

  1. Gravatar Posted by ankaisa (1 comments.) 06.15.2006, 12:09 am

    I could have written a very similar post myself. My blog is so far from being famous in any way and I’m just writing for myself. And I am really bad in writing comments.

    And just as well, as it seems that there is no much to say!

  2. Gravatar Posted by Nancy (68 comments.) 06.15.2006, 6:05 am

    Hey, thank you for the link. I am not sure if I will give up the blog or not, but the reasons you listed above identified with me — I did start off my blog to be for me and didn’t expect to make the connections I have. Ultimately, it is for me, but there’s also the “them” to consider — the connections I’ve made through blogging. I hope I can find a sense of balance to keep it fun and real and still maintain the blog relationships.

    “Blogging is what you make of it” — I like that a lot! :-)

  3. Gravatar Posted by Becci (25 comments.) 06.15.2006, 7:27 am

    Being a new blogger this is something I have thought about a bit, but not a whole lot yet… until I have seen several posts lately on random blogs that I read or run accross (being on bedrest I have a lot of time to read and comment!). I find it interesting that people would refer to cliques in blogging, and I suppose it can happen, but I think it is only natural. Some people connect with certain people more than others, so they will be more inclined to link them or comment. The thing about blogging is that it gets your thoughts out there. For me, I like to know that someone relates to what I am writing, and I figure no matter what the topic, someone out there has felt that way before. I have to admit, I do have certain blogs that I comment on quite frequently because I like them! That is the reason. For me, it’s not about getting comments back (but let’s face it, who doesn’t like a comment now and then?). Sometimes I even comment on Amalah. Because I think she’s a riot!

    Maybe I will have some stronger opinions about the blogger relationships after I am more “experienced”. Who knows. But I started my blog so I would not go mind-numbingly bored mostly… I never really expected to get hooked on reading other peoples’ blogs, but alas, I did.

  4. Gravatar Posted by Kentucky Girl (2 comments.) 06.15.2006, 9:13 am

    Ya know, when I started my blog (you were there!), I didn’t have a clue as to what I was doing. I don’t know how I’ve gotten so many “blog-friends” in this short amount of time. I truly enjoy reading more than commenting which is why I use Bloglines a lot. I’ve never considered giving mine up, short time that I’ve had it, but I can see where it would be a pull on a person if they became “famous” that they’d feel they have to do regular updates. I update when I get darn good and ready. Sometimes it’s more than once a day. Sometimes I go for days at a time. But they always come back. Is it a blog clique? I dunno. I don’t think so. I read & comment to some people who never read mine and there are people that read and comment to mine that I never visit. And there are some that I read and never comment. Like yours.

    :D


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