Hubby Speaks

Always good to thank people for visiting your blog, and often nice to visit those visitors' blogs once to see what kind of people read your scrawling. Totally optional to visit more than once or become a regular reader; taste is seldom a mutual thing, especially if Goth youth agree with what you said one day. :)

There seems to be some set of politesse used in blog commenting and responding to the commenting (browse your wife's blog responses for how that works) which can be a tough art to master if one does not have such a gene already. (I don't but can act like the natives oftentimes, and when I can't I say little to nothing.) Do what you can to keep up, don't be too bothered if you can't (some folks have lives!), and think in terms of the Hippocratic Oath -- do more good than harm.

And be realistic about how often you can write. Some people expect daily results, some (like me) can pull it off once a week or once a month (but it's gotta be good if it's monthly!). And parethesis are your friends, heh. Speak from the heart and what you know or imagine; there are too many stilted bloggers out there trying to impress people with their styles -- not here on Blogspot, elsewhere. :) Folks appreciate genuineness just as much as creativity. Present something worth reading (in others' eyes, not necessarily your own), and the readers will come.

Oh, and be considerate of the readers on dialup: limit the photos to one a day at most. (Ask your daughter how that works.)
 

Mushroom: thanks for the advice. I fear that reading comments everyday about what people think of my writing may crack my soul so much that I'll need more spackle.
 

You're starting to figure out why so many bloggers are stressed and depressed.

I only say thank you when my head gets so big, it's on the verge of explosion.
 

Funny post, Hubby. I'm so confused now! I hope I'm not arrested for breaking any blogging laws.
 

Hubby: I understand that completely. Coincidentally, I carry a full supply of spackle for the soul... :)

(hmm, validation word is "fekhedwl" - I've been called that before!)
 

I have to change the name of my blog. Having mushroom call me hubby is just way too weird.
 

Tough questions here.
No one is obligated to write, read or comment on any blog. It should not be a labor.

Some blogs I read daily because I've come to care about the people who write them; others I check out once and move on.

I feel it only polite to respond to folks who are kind enough to comment on my postings. But I do not think fast on my feet so I have a hard time commenting raw on things people write.

I've never done it but I understand that there's a way you can delete comments or even bar a person from commenting if you don't want what they say tagged onto your own postings.

But by and large I've found commenters to be unfailingly kind, encouraging and helpful. Their comments virtually always give me a lift.

If I do not have something positive to say, I don't say anything. Life is hard enough without me making it harder.

One of the things I like best about the blog world is that it exposes me to ideas, lifestyles, places, and values foriegn to my own. Last count readers from 72 countries have checked out my website or blog. That amazes me. Heck, my own wife doesn't find me that interesting.

Bottom line: do what you enjoy; nobody's keeping score.
 

Now this is an interesting topic!
I started blogging with a relatively small group of friends and I did not always comment to them on my blog or theirs because I would probably be talking to them soon on Yahoo Messenger or in the chat room we visit.
But now I am getting comments from bloggers who I only connect with through blogs so I am feeling my way through this same mine field.
I have started responding in on my blog to the comments made there.
I pop over and visit other blogs but I have wondered this same thing.
Where is the bloggers Emily Post?
tee hee, get it, get it?
Post...heh heh heh
 

Sir: I totally agree. :-D You can't be EVERYONE's 'hubby'!
 

I found your blog via another blog which I found via another blog which linked to another blog which came from the first blog. (I think). Nice post.
No need to get into "blogging debt". Have fun!
Deb
P.S. WHAT?!?!? You don't intend to read MY blog and respond?!! What's up with that? ;)
 

Hello, Mr. Jamie Dawn (it would feel really creepy to call you Hubby, unless you insist). Your wife is a hoot and a half.

I think it's polite to leave a small comment on the other person's blog. But lots of comments I leave get no response. I don't fret over it. I have lots of relatives and friends who are blog "stalkers". They tell me in person that they read my blog, but never leave a comment. I find that kinda weird.

So welcome aboard, um, Sir.
 

these are the longest friggin comments i've ever seen!

i'll just say, "hi" for now.

mck.
 

I appreciate all the comments I get. I never replied to any of them. In the meantime, I leave comments here and there and have rarely received a reply.

My verification word is bpfoubt, which is exactly what I told My First Wife this morning while I was brushing my teeth. What a coincidence!
 

These are good questions you ask.

You've received good answers too, so I won't add to the clutter.
 

Tan Lucy has excellent advice I won't take. Just have fun. Gotta go. JD left a comment on my site and I don't want her mad at me.
 

Hi JD's Hubby, nice to see you here.
Good questions. Don't feel obligated but play it by ear. When people have offered me a gem or a piece of themselves, I can usually tell and try to acknowledge that. I also usually check out people who have commented on my blog because there are so many dang nice and interesting people out there. Its worth the effort. Can't do it all the time though...one must do non-cyber life too. Look for a balance and have fun.
Laura
 

Great question! The comment nbelow is one that I left on FTS' website, he has a link to your page. Hope this doesn't "add to the clutter" aye?

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I read all the comments left on my site, and will always respond to them, in one way or another. But I must admit that I rarely return to a site to see if there is a reply to my comment. Others who leave comments on my site appear to rarely return to read my replies. Occasionally, I've had to remove comments that were made on my site because they are a little... Off character. As in they just plain tick me off somehow. Also, a while back I'd considered removing the Blogroll from my site all together for a few reasons. One reason is that with my dialup connection, it takes a very long time to download some of these websites. Like mine does on dialup. Also, sometimes I'm too busy with other stuff so the Blogroll surfing gets tossed to the rear. It's getting to be too time consuming! If folks want to comment, I have an email link on the site. What to do? Great subject!
 

There are blogs out there that I stopped reading because the blogger never responded to his commenters. If you don't respond, it's akin to starting a conversation, and then walking out on the other party when they reply. Rude and/or egotistical. If your blog is only intended to be a monologue spot, which is a fair enough use of the medium, don't mislead people by giving them the option of commenting: Disable the comments option, so people can't leave them!

I always go check out the blog of the person who comments, at least once, and leave a quick comment. Most often, I don't go back, but sometimes you find someone that tweaks your interest, which is always a pleasure.