Back in my senior year of college, there was a major snowfall. My friends and I decided to revert to childhood and have an old fashion snowball fight (hey, I was only 19 years old). So we were out there having a good old time. A guy friend and I started wrestling in the snow. It just so happened that his girlfriend saw us playing and apparently didn't appreciate the physical nature of our play. So . . . . she decided to put me in a head lock. Ummmm . . . wrong move. We slipped. Her left eye met my right knee. She spent the next several days wearing dark sun glasses. In retrospect, I wish I would have just punched her in the face. LOL.Earlier this week, blogger decided to punch me in the face. I sat there and typed my post about my first date with my husband. I proofread and pushed the publish button with pride. I received emails stating that I received comments, but each time I viewed my blog, there was NOTHING. gasp. . . I whined to my husband, "Babe, my blog is brooookkkeeeennnnnn!!" His response, "Awww . . . " I wish I would have punched him in the face. Instead I just scowled at his nonchalant response do my SERIOUS dilemma. I posted a question to Google Help and Bonnie tried to help me to no avail.
So I decided to try something different. I emailed everyone in response to their comments. I had great conversations with so many of you that day. In particular, Christina and I chatted back and forth for hours. From there, we've decided to collaborate on something pretty special that's forthcoming. Stay tuned for more about that. I wish I would have started responding to you guys that way before because it was great having those conversations. Hopefully Google won't feel the need to punch me in the face again, but I definitely appreciate the lesson learned. How do you keep up with followers/visitors who comment on your blog. Do you respond via email? Do you comment back on their blogs?
This blog post followed the #2 prompt from Mama Kat's Writing Workshop - I wish I would have…Describe a time when you didn’t take action, but later wished you would have. Join in on the fun. Click on photo for link.
Ah, the vagrancies of the internet. Sounds like you had a great day anyway! I love Mama Kat, I save all her prompts to use someday. Stopped by from SITS, happy Saturday!
ReplyDeleteGirl, my husband gives me the side-eye too when I start complaining about my blog. They don't understand the gravity of it, lol! I installed intensedebate on my blog so that I could reply directly to comments. I *think* it automatically emails the commentor when i reply, but that's if they put in an email address. I think that directly emailing gives more of a chance to interact though, and I think you tend to say a lot more in an email. I always feel bad leaving really long comments for some reason, like im taking up too much space on their page, lmbo.
ReplyDeleteI hate Blogger sometimes!! I've thought about switching to wordpress just because of my hate!! I love email convos too!
ReplyDeleteI switched from blogger to wordpress and have never looked back. I like that I can reply to each comment individually. I try to at least visit the blog of each commenter and comment on something they've written within a day or two. I keep up with everyone through google reader and couldn't keep it straight if I didn't.
ReplyDeleteSame thing happened to me with the comments the other day! Glad that they all ended up showing up. Blogger sucks sometimes...
ReplyDeleteI don't know how I missed your last two posts, but I'm all caught up now :)
Blogland is beautiful, isn't it?! Can't wait to hear your announcement.
ReplyDeleteGlad that photo isn't of you by the way! Ouch.
I keep hearing Blogger horror stories, but I am resisting the urge to jump ship to Wordpress (for now). anyway, I look forward to your major announcement...sounds like it will be fun!
ReplyDeleteI haven't had any problems with blogger yet but I guess my time is coming. I usually respond to my commenters directly on my blog. I will only email if someone asks a question. But I lovvvvvvveeee getting to know my commenters over email since my whole reason for starting a blog was to meet new people.
ReplyDeleteThis post is divine. I often wish I could get away with punching people in the face...so many people deserve it.
ReplyDeleteAny clues on what your big project is???
Your posts are incredible. My Hubby thinks my blogging it a temporary hobby but I really hope not.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to the collaboration between you and Chris.
It will be fun to read about TTC. More I read pregnancy blog more I cannot wait to have mine own ;)!
Stopping by from SITS - even though an annoying process, it sounds like in the end it was a good thing you couldn't see your post!
ReplyDeleteI think I was having problems with blogger on the same day.
ReplyDeletePS Making blog friends was unexpected for me too.
Haha! My husband would've reacted the same way. As for replying to comments, I started a discussion about this over at Blog Frog. If you're interested in reading everyone's answers, you can find them here: http://theblogfrog.com/757946/forum/33613/thread.html As for myself, Wordpress allows me to reply to my comments via email and on my blog. I tend to reply to those who ask a question or the comments that I feel I can add something to. I wish I had the time to respond to everyone, but it's just not possible.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by my place the other day. Hope you had a fabulous weekend.
Kristi, Live and Love...Out Loud
@TweetingMama
Congrats on getting the first SITS comment earlier tonight/early next morning.
ReplyDeleteI read this post earlier in the week and I thought it was hilarious. I like the black eye story.
I've having a terrible time leaving comments lately! GRRRRR!!
ReplyDeleteHey I nominated you to Dee from In3Dee to do a blog interview. So she'll probably come by and check out your blog. But on the look out sometime in the future for an email from her. :)
You should have punched that girl! Once when Nikki was in about 3rd or 4th grade this girl came up, I can't remember specifically what the girl did, but she had been picking on Nikki for some time. Nikki hauled off and punched the girl. I got the call that Nikki had been in a fight. I talked to the principal that confirmed Nikki's account. She was suspended anyway for physical altercation. I grabbed my little girl up and we went for the biggest scoops of ice cream we could find! Sometimes fighting back is the only way to teach someone something!
I know someone who sends me an e-mail everytime I post a comment, it makes me feel so special! But she doesn't just send a generic e-mail saying "thanks for your comment" she actually has substance- so I feel very connected when we chat. I feel that's harder to do when you have 15 comments, ahem, like someone of your stature...lol but I at least try to keep a tab on who's commenting and what they're saying most of the people are people I personally know so I make a note to say THANKS FOR YOUR FEEDBACK! You like me, you really, really like me! :)
ReplyDeleteGood question. I do my stuff at night. WHen no one in the house needs me. It's the only way to blog guilt free.
ReplyDeletegood question...i never know what to do..it seems strange to answer the question in the comments, because chances that a person would actually look through my comments to find their answer are slim, right? i have emailed people before, but then i get this paranoid idea that it went right to spam and they never got my response and think i am a jerk :)--i said it was paranoid. stopping by from sits and so glad i did!
ReplyDeleteBlogger wigged on me too. It doesn't understand a girl and her need for comments. Blogger is a boy huh? :)
ReplyDeleteSo far I haven't had too many problems with Blogger. I would only switch to WP is I could afford the paid WordPress.org instead of .com.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I love your blog!
As I get deeper and deeper into the blogosphere (and I'm coming to love it, BTW), those communication questions keep coming up for me, too. I try to be intuitive about it. I sometimes respond to comments within my comment field. I always check out the blogs of commenters, and if I have something to say, I say it. It's tricky. As it is, I spend SOOOOOOO many hours in blog-related activity. I'm enjoying every minute, but there's an offline world out there that could probably use a bit more of my attention! :) I've joined your band of merry followers and look forward to reading more.
ReplyDeleteGreat post!! So many times I wish I had punched somebody in their face...ooooohhhhh!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing and I look forward to your collaboration!
You have a wonderful way of writing, by the by ;-)
I have heard that google has been doing weird stuff lately. Sorry to hear you had a bad experience but looks like it turned out very positive. Isn't it fun getting to know people through email? I have made some great friends this way. I love blogging!
ReplyDeleteMy whole life is punching me in the face right now, but I'm a trooper. Learning to turn the other cheek, or trying to!
ReplyDeleteI definitely try and comment back on other people's blogs as I know how I love comments, although it can be hard to keep up. But I do make that effort to be neighbourly ;-)
from Babes about Town
http://babesabouttown.com
SITS has opened up a whole new world for me. I love "you guys" and reading your insightful. clever blogs has been inspirational to me. Thanks for stopping by today thru SITS
ReplyDeleteI comment back all the time but only sometimes I write back in email. I should email more often :). Stopping by from SITS
ReplyDeleteI try to go to that blogger's blog and comment if possible. If not, then I do it by email! Thanks for the post!
ReplyDeleteomg, that is funny about that guys girlfriend :) Glad you showed her who was boss.
ReplyDeleteI hate when I run into problems like that with my blog. I once had a major problem with my feedburner and at one point thought I had lost all of my followers. It was so stressful.
I like to respond to comments here and there, but I will most likely always return the favor and visit their blog. I love it though, it's fun getting to know other people and getting a peak into their lives.
i recall back in my younger days when i had the energy to play volleyball...i got elbowed in the face by a guy on my team. he loved being able to joke and tell folks that i'd stepped outta line and he had to take care of the situation. alls i know is that i got to wear shades to work for a week. my students thought i was so uber cool.
ReplyDeleteand i always respond to my commenters via email. it's really bc i'm lazy and would rather just hit reply in my email than go to my blog and then reply there. also, i almost never check back when i comment on other blogs, so unless they respond via email, chances are that i'll never see it.
wow that knee in the eye was awesome, haha! i remember a certain incident with a girl in the back of the bus...i'm wishing we woulda slipped instead it ended with a very weak girly slap to the face, her face of course LOLOL.
ReplyDeleteI've also had made friends with some lovely bloggy friends by emailing them back on responses at times. It's almost like I feel scared to do that sometimes though, like I'm stepping out of their blog world into their real world...I know this is the real world too but well does that make sense?! Anyways, I try to take special time out to go and catch up with all my followers through their blog and at the least stop by if they make it by "my place" =) Speaking of which thanks for keeping up with my Bitsy Babies, it's been so nice "meeting" you!!