hello out there

Is anyone there? Hellllooooooo. Tap tap. Is this thing on?

Are you a lurker? Lurkers are blog readers who don’t comment, so we never know who’s out there.* I was a lurker for a long time. I was reading blogs for a good two years before I started my own, and I always lurked.

I thought that the blog writer didn’t really want to hear what I had to say. That my comment wasn’t that important. Oh, how wrong I was!

What I didn’t understand, because I wasn’t writing myself, is that bloggers live and die by their comments section. I never imagined that bloggers might desperately check their email a thousand times a day, just to see if a comment notification has miraculously appeared. (Uh, well, that might only be me, not all bloggers…ahem.)

Now I write comments on blogs far and wide. I figure if it makes my day, it will probably make their day too! Although I’ve commented on some enough to qualify as a stalker, I swear I’m not, I just can’t shut up!

Anyway, all this is to say, somehow I missed that this was National Delurking Week, and today is the last day! So delurk won’t you, and make my day? (Unlike yesterday, which was a very very sad day, because no one, no one, commented on what I thought was a pretty dang good post! ~sniff~ Can someone hand me a tissue? Updated to add: Okay well there are comments now, but only because I guilted my twitter peeps into it! Just like I’m guilting you! Ha!)

* I really love my lurkers, because I can see that someone (!) is reading, but I sure would love for you to say hi! :)

January 10, 2009 | Filed Under blogging Tagged , ,

Comments

19 Responses to “hello out there”

  1. Liz on January 10th, 2009 9:13 am

    Hi! I lurk here on occasion. I completely understand your need for comments. I feel the same need, but what I’ve noticed is that very high traffic, high profile blogs get comments, and teeny weeny blogs like mine get none, even though I do sometimes have a steady flow of readers, and some regulars.

    I think that’s because people comment to popular blogs a) to promote themselves, b) because they want attention from a high-profile blogger (whether they blog or not – like a “celebrity” effect), and c) because their comment won’t stand out in the mob of other comments (strangely).

    Anyway, this is how I console myself. I check your blog now and again, and now that I’m here, I’ll subscribe, something I have only recently started doing. I enjoy your writing, and I love your design!

  2. bejewell on January 10th, 2009 9:25 am

    I live and die by the comment. Seriously. I think we all do. You’re no more neurotic than the rest of us. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but there you have it.

    I lurk a lot more than people realize (and my “people” I mean anyone who cares, which is pretty much no one), but I just don’t have the bandwidth to leave comments on all the posts I read. So I only leave comments when I have something especially brilliant or hilarious to say.

    Like now. Obviously.

    bejewells last blog post..Blogs, Badges and Bullshit

  3. Sam on January 10th, 2009 9:45 am

    ah well, that must be me then!!! Can I go back into lurker-dom?!

    Sams last blog post..Mama Kat’s Writing Challenge

  4. AndreAnna on January 10th, 2009 10:21 am

    I’m here. I don’t comment unless I have something important to say or add to the converstion.

    I like comments, don’t get me wrong, but I honestly don’t “live and die” by them.

    AndreAnnas last blog post..Some friends

  5. margaret on January 10th, 2009 11:23 am

    I’m hear and I feel the same way. Unfortunately, I’m also the first one to admit I suck at commenting. I just click through my reader and comment if I have a pressing need to add my 2 cents. Which unfortunately isn’t often.

    Are you getting more snow? My one hope is that the kids, you know, finally have a full week of school next week.

    margarets last blog post..Still here

  6. Meg on January 10th, 2009 12:01 pm

    The curse of the blog reader. :)

    Megs last blog post..36x365x136

  7. Krista on January 10th, 2009 12:43 pm

    I guess I haven’t left you a comment in a while, huh? I definitely understand the love of the comment though, it’s a little happy moment even if you’re having a crappy day. :)

  8. Daisy the Curly Cat on January 10th, 2009 2:22 pm

    I am subscribed to your blog! I have read forums and discussions about leaving only “meaningful” comments that add to the discussion. But then I think about the writer and how he/she must feel to go to all the effort to make a post and there are hardly any comments. So, I usually try to make some comment, even if it isn’t really deep and meaningful. At least I always do say more than something like “Nice post.”

    ps: Cute picture. Hahaha!

  9. Melissa on January 10th, 2009 5:42 pm

    Hi there! I feel like I comment a fair amount here. More so than on other blogs that I read regularly anyways. Rock on!

    Melissas last blog post..I love you

  10. Cass on January 10th, 2009 8:58 pm

    Hi. I’m still here. I just have rare two handed time to actually comment without wrangling a baby!

    Casss last blog post..Dear Lexi – Great Grandparent Memory

  11. Mary Beth (Cats, Books, Life is Good) on January 11th, 2009 10:27 am

    I always find out about these delurking weeks the day after they end. Shouldn’t there be a way, like skywriting outside my house, to let me everyone know that it’s a delurker week? I may just have to extend it for my blog:)

    Mary Beth (Cats, Books, Life is Good)s last blog post..LOVE ACTUALLY

  12. mumma boo on January 11th, 2009 10:33 am

    For me, comments are like little presents – I’m in the “check the e-mail a 1000x a day” category. I get a little thrill when I see a comment on my site, so I feel like I should share the love by commenting on others, when it’s appropriate. I do my fair share of lurking, but try to comment on those posts that speak to me in some manner. Which yours do. :)

    mumma boos last blog post..Honesty Is Such a Lonely Word*

  13. Pocklock on January 11th, 2009 1:13 pm

    Hiya!

    I’m here. I’m just a quiet one lately.

    PS: There’s a kid screaming in her crib right now.

    Ta!

  14. Mrs. Schmitty on January 11th, 2009 10:48 pm

    Thanks for de-lurking on my blog…now I found you and am saying hi to you too!

    Mrs. Schmittys last blog post..A Big Round Of Applause For Wegmans

  15. Scott on January 12th, 2009 4:48 am

    Actually, I clicked on this blog from “motherbumper”, but I like yours, too! I recently started blogging, myself, but didn’t know what a “lurker” was (other than a Peeping Tom)! Thanks for the info! (So what are you wearing?…Just kidding!)

    Scotts last blog post..THE CPS AND MENTAL HEALTH RECOVERY

  16. sam {temptingmama} on January 12th, 2009 12:59 pm

    Caught! Ya, that’s me. Always lurking never commenting!

    Happy De-lurking day!

  17. maggie, dammit on January 13th, 2009 4:05 pm

    So I’ve been offline almost a week. I didn’t even know about the delurking thing! I’m sorry I’m late. :)

    And I’m also sorry I missed your previous post, it was really well done.

  18. Mrs. Flinger on January 13th, 2009 5:17 pm

    :: waves ::

    Mrs. Flingers last blog post..Come out come out wherever you are

  19. beaglemum on January 14th, 2009 8:04 pm

    OK, then HI!