I am having a little dilemma that I need your help with, readers.
Whenever I see comments on my blog posts, I usually think to myself in my li'l noggin ('cause that's where all my deep conversations take place), "I KNOW! Ain't it the truth?!" or "Ha ha, Girlfriend, you are SO funny!"
Unless it's one of those comments that makes me think to myself in my li'l noggin "Uuuummm... are you NEW here? I have SEVEN children, LADY! There's no time for me to check out your website about innovative yarn spinning techniques. ~shrug~"
And I totally think of the shrug spelled out with those little squiggles. I don't actually SHRUG, because that would be downright freaky! And then I think, "Wait a minute. Was I just moving my lips, because that would explain a lot of the looks I get."
So, where was I going with this?
Oh, right! Comments!
My dilemma is whether to carry on a discussion in the comments section or to keep it in my li'l noggin (where all my deep conversations take place).
Do y'all come back to the comments after you have left one to see if I have responded? Because most of the time I consider leaving a response, I talk myself out of it thinking no one will see what's there and I'll just be talking to myself. Which is different than talking to myself in my head because... well I'm not sure why, but it seems different.
SO.
What d'ya say? Do you like to converse in the comments? Or are your comments more statements that don't require responses? I PROMISE I'll respond if you leave a comment!
24 comments:
Sometimes I check back to see if a blogger has responded to my witty comment, or if other respondents agree or disagree with the point I've made.
In your case, I'm not offended if you don't reply since I know you have more important things to do than monitor your blog. But it is nice to know that the blogger actually read it, and either agrees or thinks it was funny or whatever. A stony silence is very effective when the wrong thing has been said, and I sometimes fear I've crossed a line or was misunderstood if I don't get a reaction. Kinda like when Goober said, "You don't sweat much for a fat girl." ; )
Thanks for the feedback, Alice. I do read and appreciate every comment.
Usually my silence means nothing more than the baby has decided to finger paint with the contents of her diaper AGAIN and I still haven't put that load of clothes in the dryer and I wonder how much longer they can go before they start smelling and oh forget it I'll just run them again and speaking of running, why is the 3 y.o. running around in the front yard in her panties.
I like it when you respond to me or someone else. I really like "discussions" that others are having that I can just be nosy about...
So, comment away!!
Okay, Lene, I'm going to work harder at responding. And I make the solemn promise that I will NEVER type "LOL".
Oh... wait. I just did it.
I think it is wonderful when conversations take place on the comments section. It allows the commentor to feel like her comment was recieved :)
I like when the poster responds to comments when she can. It makes us commenters feel like we're part of the discussion and not just strangers who happen to like to read what she wrote (and I LOVE to read what you write). But don't stress it -- I mean, every comment doesn't need a response, and you can always lump a bunch together ('cuz really, we're just a bunch of strangers who love to read what you write LOL [I did that just for you] ). Anyway.
The point is, dirty diapers and 7-kid pileups and heck, even a good coffee take precedence. But if you have the notion . . . I'll second that emotion.
Rachel
By the way, I"ve found the most INTERESTING technique for spinning Gimpy's hair into a dogsock for his sore leg. You can find it at my website ... idonthavekidsbutwillonlyclothdiaperwhenido.com
hee hee (or LOL, if you will)
I think it depends on the conversation. If the comment is worth a development of conversation, go ahead. If not, don't worry about it.
Even if I don't respond to a comment through my own page, i try to visit the page of the commenter, if that person has one.
Have fun,
Terri H
Like several others have said, I enjoy reading a response if someone has something to say back, but it isn't as though I am offended if they don't go through and comment on their comments. Your blog is just a joy to read, period. Anything on top of that would just be a bonus.
I don't know if blogger does this, but in wordpress, there's a feature that allows me to log in and reply to the comment, and it will also send my reply to the person whose comment I am responding to. So they know I'm talking to them and can talk back if they want to. I don't think I've ever had anybody respond back in the comments, though, they usually just email me. But I haven't explain that it's an option, either. Might be worth looking into if Blogger offers the same thing. That's a good way to make sure SOMEBODY'S listening to you.
I'm going to be watching this thread because I want to know.
As a commenter, I want a reply if I ask a question, otherwise it's nice to have some interaction, but not necessary.
I try to respond to all the commenters that ask questions about one or two times a week. I know it's not much but it's the best I can do.
Lora Lynn,
I need to look into the option to email when I reply to a commenter, since I don't often reply the same day this would probably make sure that they see my response and help me avoid talking to myself!
Thanks, everyone for the input! It is good to know that folks don't expect a response after every single comment, but do enjoy some conversation.
Rachel, your "dog hair spinning website" CRACKED us up!
Lora Lynn, A lot of times Blogger commenters don't have their account set to show their email (not sure why!) so I can't email them directly. I guess I could go to their blog to find their email, but then there's the whole "house deconstructs as soon as Mommy turns her head" scenario I'm SURE you are familiar with.
Watch out, Connie...those comment boxes can get a girl into trouble.... :)
I guess that when I comment here, I don't really expect you to answer me - it's more just that I'm letting you know that I'm reading and I'm saying hello.
When I read blogs by bloggers that never reply to their comments, I don't post any comments because I feel like if the person can't take the time to at least post once in response her 47 comments "Thank you all for your input!" or something appropriate to the content, then I assume she doesn't even read her comments. As you so adequately put it, when I take my eyes off my two toddlers, things tend to deconstruct rapidly. So I want to know that my comments (composed sometimes over the course of hours in the spare seconds between screaming kids, diaper changes, potty training, the little one eating crayons and the big one coloring my kitchen table, and figuring out what's for dinner), are actually being seen and appreciated.
But as others said I don't expect a personal reply to every comment by any means. It's just nice to see one by the blog author occasionally so I know my comments aren't just floating around unnoticed in cyberspace. ;)
Oh yeah... hehe... your actual question as to whether or not we come back and see if there's a response... Yep. I do. Sometimes it just takes me a few days, but I do like to check back IF I've posted something I think might be responded to.
Hi, Holly! (waving vigorously)
Okay, got it, everyone... my replies let you know I hear what you are saying and value your thoughts and the time it took to express those.
And as an added bonus, having the last word is FUN! (wicked cackle)
Sometimes I come back and check other times I don't.
As for blogger, you can go in the setting and then comment section of settings and enter email addresses for comments to be emailed to. Then you can just reply to the comment and it goes to the person (even though you don't see their address). I only recently changed the settings but I was getting replies (from blogger blogs) long before that.
Hmmm... Christi, I do get the emails whenever I get a comment, but most of them are from "noreply-comment@blogger.com". I just assumed that meant, "Don't bother trying to reply to this by email."
Same here - I reply by e-mail. If they don't have an e-mail, I asume they don't want to talk. If I adore their comments, and they have no e-mail, I leave a comment on their blog and offer to teach them how to add an addy so I can respond. ;-)
Very interesting discussion because I have often wondered this very thing myself. When I don't reply to a reader's comment I feel like I am ignoring them, but I COMPLETELY get what you're saying with the whole not wanting to be talking to yourself thing.
That said, I usually DO check back to a comment list to see what other commenters said and what, if anything, the blog author said. So.... I guess that means I see comments as a discussion and should, therefore, be leaving some comments in my OWN blog!
Whew. Thanks for helping me work out my own crazies. :)
This post is perfect timing. I was coming back here to see if you or anyone had responded to a comment I made, lol.
April C.
This is a good discussion. I liked to it on my blog, hope you don't mind.
You're welcome, Amy! I am a "crazy" expert. It's a gift, really.
Mirage, Thanks for linking. I'm glad you enjoyed the discussion!
Lately I've been subscribing to follow-up comments and so I prefer the author respond to comments within the comments. Plus, If I'm the 23rd commenter, I it helps see the continuing dialogue if the author responds in the comments.
I don't subscribe to follow-up comments on those blogs that have 80-150+ comments. Who wants that kind of emails? Besides, it'd probably just make me jealous cuz bigger is better, right?
I chose both, because honestly I don't do such a great job of responding to my own comments on our blog. But I do appreciate it (though I don't expect it) when someone else does.
DOH! Such a hypocrite!
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