I never read a blog until about a year ago. The first blog I read was a link from my LYS site to indigirl. On that blog were links to other blogs and so on...you can picture it. Slowly the blogging world emerged to me and now I read many of the same blogs all of you read. Some blogs seem to appear again and again as favorites on people's side bars.
As a communication specialist, blogs fascinate me. I started reading the archives of many bloggers and most wrote that they started blogging to keep a record of their knits or sewing projects and to chat about life. However, as time went by the blogs became a forum for others to join in the conversation, celebrate victories and commiserate the sad times. I noticed that some of the established bloggers have a community of people surrounding their occasional musings and all these voices stitch a tapestry of thoughts and connections.
I realized how attached we get to our blogs. One of the first people who left a comment on my blog was Lin. I read Lin's blog whenever she posted and enjoyed her projects and thoughts with her. Lin took a little break from blogging and is still on her blogoholiday...I actually experienced this little twinge of loss for a while, a let down feeling that something was not quite right in the world - someone was missing. It sounds funny, I know, but I realized that we get used to hearing the same voices and when they go away, we are impacted - at least for a while - by the gap left by that individual.
Most bloggers say at some point that their blogs are for themselves, however, again, now that I blog, I must admit that when I see comments from others, it makes me happy. Simply happy. Comments mean that others are reading, listening, and sharing. I don't think that we as bloggers can honestly say that we don't care if someone is reading or not - for me personally seeing that new little comment at the bottom of my writing gives me a lift each day and enables a connection with people from around the world. For many of us, our blogs are our voices, they are our 15 minutes...hope you are having a wonderful time off Lin, I miss you.
11 comments:
First, let me say that I've been missing Lin as well...
I loved this post, and you make such a good point. Often I don't comment because I feel that I can't think of anything witty enough or interesting enough to say. Or I feel intimidated when a blog seems to have an established audience, and I don't want to "intrude." I think you make a good point that no matter how small the comment, it lets the person know that someone is reading and enjoying...
What a lovely post ... you express just how I feel when reading comments and pottering my way around the blogging comunity that there is. I am still here and its peculiar, I feel a bit strange just looking at blogs and not commenting. I am getting myself together and will be back soon I hope, just really needed to "downsize" all I was doing for a while! Take care. xxx
hi raina, that post said exactly what I've been thinking recently! I'm pretty new to this whole blogging community and I look forward to reading about all my favorite people every day (or so) and it is weird when they take breaks. I'm also trying to get more into writing my own things but life just keeps getting in the way! I'm glad I keep getting to read your blog though!
I agree wholeheartedly! :)
It's exciting to see who's commented, what they've said etc and it's lovely to find out there are new people visiting your blog, as well as the ones who you've come to appreciate over time.
Miss you too Lin.
Loved reading your thoughts on this. Blogging is a very special medium of communication isn't it?
Like you seeing comments makes me feel happy - pleased that other people enjoy what I post.
I'd like to think I would blog even if no-one commented but with Ravelry there now to log the projects I suspect I wouldn't blog very much.
I loved this post! I think it summed up all the feelings that we bloggers have. I have my favorites too and I love finding new favorites (like your blog!).
The support of faithful readers is so nice. It is great to know that there are people who support you even though they have never physically met you.
I also feel connected to many bloggers and when they don't post for awhile I miss them and wonder how they are. I think blogging is really a wonderful world when you find the right blogs to read.
i love the 'conversation' that happens via comments. i'm always happy to see what someone else has to say (or recommend) on a subject i've written about. i think that exchange is really what keeps me blogging.
i also know what you mean when you really connect with a blogger and then they go into hibernation. sigh. the one good thing about blogging is that there are so many good ones out there, there is always a new friend around the corner.
Hi--I actually just ran into your blog a couple days ago and I've really enjoyed reading back over old posts...your photographs and display of color with your knitting are beautiful!
I agree with your post. I didn't realize how much I would come to appreciate comments when i started my blog a year ago. But they are support, they are encouragement for what I try, what I do, and they seem to be offered more freely in this 'little' blogging community than in my real life situation. I love that and I've come to rely on it!
thank you for visiting my blog and commenting. i appreciate it!
Such a lovely and well thought out post. Your words mirror so many of my own thoughts, those comments are still such a thrill and I often read but don't comment, thinking that I have nothing new to add, I think I shouldn't worry so much about this and just go ahead and add my comment.
Oh, that's so funny that you read my blog first. Weird, but cool! I have to agree... I adore comments, and I try to leave comments everywhere else I can, even when I'm in a rush. It only takes a moment or two, and hopefully it makes someone's day. Have fun in Spain!!!!
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