Friday, June 5, 2009

In a Blog Fog

Art by Vicky Enright

I have a multiple-personality disorder, and we are having an identity crisis. What's the point of our blog? My different selves have different answers.
  1. Smarty Marty thinks my wisdom is necessary to hoards of readers.
  2. Charty Marty thinks it's all about site-meters and comments.
  3. Party Marty thinks writing a post for three hours each night is recreation.
  4. Half-hearty Marty thinks everybody knows my posts are lame and I only have five or six readers anyway, and blogging is on it's way out, and I'm a narcissistic loser.
  5. Arty Marty thinks creating a sidebar is an art form.
  6. Fool-hardy Marty thinks everyone yearns to share my form of therapy.
  7. Imparty Marty is sure my posterity will cherish my memoirs.
  8. Sweethearty Marty is offering mankind snippets of delight.
  9. Farty Marty knows I'm full of it.
  10. I have run short of personalities.
We have these recurrent bouts of paranoid soul-searching. After the spasm runs its course we usually pick up where we left off and continue on our way without even tweaking our behavior. But this time we want your feedback.

  • What kind of blogs do you like to read? (Infomercial, daily diary, advice, photography, pour-your-heart-out, sarcastic, rants, upbeat . . .)
  • Do you go back and read comments on somebody's post after you've already commented?
  • If someone asks a question in a comment, how do you answer them? (In a follow-up comment on your blog, in a follow-up post, in an email . . .)
  • When you link to another blog, do you email that blogger to let them know?
  • If you comment on a blog, and you get no response, do you stop reading that blog?
  • How do you think of blogging? (Hobby, addiction, learning experience, waste of time . . .)
  • Do you feel funny talking about your posts in real life to a reader? Do you feel embarrassed or complimented if someone refers to what you've said?
  • If you could read your great-grandmother's experiences on a blog, would you?
  • How do you think reading blogs has helped you?
  • Do you spend more time reading blogs or writing posts?
  • Do you comment on blogs you read? Why, or why not?
All of us Marties are sitting around awaiting your thoughts!

Art from Read Anything Good Lately? by Vicky Enright


12 comments:

Tiffany said...

LOVE all the personalities. Sybil would be so jealous.

To answer your questions:

I read all types of blogs.

Sometimes I go back to read comments. If there seems to be a good conversation going on in the comments, especially.

Sometimes I answer questions in the comments, but I usually reply by email.

No, I haven't emailed someone to let them know I've linked them. I give credit in the post. (Although emailing seems like a smart idea.)

I keep reading, even if my comment goes unacknowledged.

Hobby, addiction, learning experience, waste of time? YES! I work from home alone. Blogging fills a social aspect in my day. I also use it for writing practice.

Yes, I feel funny talking about posts in real life. And I feel embarrassed and complimented if somebody mentions something. I love it and hate it at the same time.

YES! I would love to have my great-grandma's blog! Heck, I'd settle for my grandma. Or my mom!

Blogging has helped me make incredible new friends, educated me in a variety of subjects, and helped me practice my own writing.

More time reading, for sure. I write fast and spend very little time editing when I'm done. Too lazy and impatient, I guess. I just want to hit Publish because that word gives me goosebumps!

I comment on a handful of blogs, ones I feel a real connection to (like yours!). But I read several others (through Google Reader) that I don't comment on. Simply not enough time.

Keep on keepin' on!

Jake said...

This is why I am on a blogging break...just thinking about it all gave me a headache. But I do love that it is an introspective/social activity all rolled into one.

I think I would like my great-grandmother's blog. I'm assuming, of course, that she would have a lot to say and probably use some poetic license--as all the women in our family seem to do-- so I would really only believe about half of it.

Diane said...

I for one would be sad if you stopped blogging, whether or not is on it's way out. I love your insights - you make me think, and you make me tempted to try and write (more than my blog). I'm still only on the temptation level, but it's getting stronger.

I read mostly blogs of people I know personally, one photography blog, and a few quilting blogs (for ideas). A friend suggested I would enjoy your blog, and she was right! I don't care for blogs that are sarcastic, and ones that only rant. Occasionally someone will rant about something in their life - that's okay. I like to feel better after I read blogs, not worse.

I spend more time reading blogs than writing posts. I need to know that I have more to say.

I enjoy blogging - but often I waste time doing it, because it serves as a handy excuse to avoid doing something else (like right now I should be cleaning bathrooms). I don't read that many blogs that it takes up all my time.

I would love to read my great grandmother's blog. I love reading my children's blogs for the same reason. It gives me insight into their minds and lets me know what they think about their own lives.

I rarely comment on blogs of people I don't know personally. I think about doing it, and as you can see here, I am branching out by replying to your blog.

Keep up your blog! All your Martys come through, and they are delightful.

Bev said...

I wrote a whole post to answer your questions! here's the link:
http://randomthoughtsofanagingartist.blogspot.com/2009/06/thoughts-on-blogging.html

great topic!!

mama jo said...

is it on it's way out? I must be out of it! anyway...i like to read everyone's different blogs because it shows everyone's different personality...people fill different needs for me...luckily you have so many different personalities, you about hit everyone of my needs! don't stop!

mama jo said...

another thought....if we didn't blog, who on earth would listen to us? our children moved out so we can't bore them any more with our wonderful wisdom...so stay at it!

Polly said...

I love reading our family blogs to keep up with what's going on. That's pretty much all I read except on rare occasions! I feel that blogging is an artform and a way of expressing ones self. A great way of journal keeping that I would never do, with pictures! I think it will be a lot more interesting for posterity than something I would write in a regular journal. I would love to read one my mother or grandmother wrote.

clair said...

I would love to have a blog to read that was written by my mom, grandma or great-grandma. I love family history so a blog from them would be a find!

There are so many blogs that I like to read except blogs that only rant.

I love your blog, and feel you are a friend. I can tell you are a wonderful and kind person. I think that is something we all need...friends who are wonderful and kind!

diane said...

I'm totally addicted but really I have nothing else to do. Being under house arrest stinks so blogs help me feel connected to the outside world.

I am currently obsessed with fashion blogs. I like the sarcastic and funny ones too. I read a few mommy blogs but sometimes I really can't read another potty training or my kid lost his tooth post.

I love all the ideas you share about being a grandma and I adore being an armchair traveler with you. You give me things to think about and really I just wish we could go to lunch. You are witty, wise and wonderful.

Sheri said...

Blogging is on its way out? Yikes! Nobody told me. I must be really out of the loop. Shoot, I'll have no social life at all if blogging dies.

I read all of your blogs and can't wait to read the next one no matter what personality you are feeling that day. You are wise and witty and I wouldn't miss that for anything. I'm so glad I've gotten to know an old friend through this medium. Don't stop whatever you do!

Who wouldn't love to read their ancestors thoughts? What a treat your grandkids/great grandkids will have someday getting to know their fabulous Oma through her words.

Jenibelle said...

I love reading your blog and often wish I could write, think, impart wisdom, express myself the way that you do. I think blogging is an interesting phenomenon, 90% of your readers are total strangers and yet through the medium/art form of writing, we paint a picture of ourselves. Most choose to paint a glorious picture of bliss and perfection. My blog is my journal and it is what it is. Imperfect and a little off center, just like me.

My life hasn't been a cakewalk and I haven't known my relatives well, so I guess I would like to read their thoughts so I could learn of them.

I am very open in and about my blog, no embarrassment at all. I yam what I yam.

katrina lauren said...

a fun post indeed! i very much enjoyed it and it made me smile...so thank you for that!
-i like to read design blogs with lots of ideas, photos, & inspiration galore and i like to read sweet diary blogs full of wonderful thoughts
-i will read other comments from readers...but only if time permits! the world of blogging can be very time consuming....and i have to prioritize ;o)
-i don't know what to do about answering questions asked in a comment? to be honest, i don't get a lot of questions...
-if i dedicate a whole post to another blog...i will let them know, but if i am just linking a photo etc than i don't
-i don't stop reading if they don't comment on my blog....but i am so tickled when i get a comment from a favourite fellow blogger on my little 'ol blog!
-it is my hobby/addition...oh the time that can be spent at the computer!
-what a compliment it is if someone takes the time to read what i have to share.
-i would love to read my g-grandma's thoughts, experiences, life tips, cooking tips, mothering tips...i would love to read it all.
-reading blogs has helped me to stay true to my creative self, to think positive, to see the beauty in the everyday normal...i love to read true & honest thoughts of another person...
-i read a lot of blogs and this takes a lot of time...but then it does take me a long time before i'm ready to actually hit the publish button. i wish i posted more frequently and often have blogging guilt.
-i like to comment on blogs...the sharing of thoughts and ideas is fun!