39. Comments

Dear Readers
Each person chooses to write a blog for different reasons. I choose to write because I want to be entertaining for my readers. Now I know I may be brining this up a bit early. I have only been posting on a daily basis for a couple weeks now, but I feel the need to express my (and I think every other bloggers) want and desire for comments. Comments on our blog posts give us feedback, and let us know that someone out there cares about what we are writing about. Sure we can check out blog stats and see that people are reading our blog, but comments allow us an opportunity to interact with our readers.

Not receiving comments on a blog post is one of the most common complaints I hear amongst the bloggers in my circle. We want you comments, we need you comments. Without them some bloggers start to wonder what the point of writing is. Without your comments we have no idea if people like the topic we choose to write about. Many of the bloggers I know get very excited the minute they see a comment has been posted on their blog.

I was thinking about this over the weekend. My wife Terra and I were sitting in the living room enjoying each others company. She and I both were checking in on a few of our favorite sites on the internet. My wife who actually writes two different blogs looked at me and said (as she had SOOOOOOOOOO many times before!!!!!)

Terra: No one ever comments on my blog.
Me: Maybe you could install software that would track when people read your blog. Thats one of the reasons I transferred my blog over to Word-press is for that very feature they offer.
Terra: I did, but its just not the same. I want comments!

Terra and I along with a few other bloggers I know have had this same conversation so many times they are all starting to bleed together. After my conversation with Terra I started thinking that maybe it was just that the readers of our blogs were not aware of the importance bloggers place on comments. So, do you? Do you understand how much we want them? Do you understand how much time you would be saving me if you posted comments on peoples blogs. The time savings comes from not having to have the conversation listed above again! So on behalf of all of us bloggers out there, please shoot us a comment or two.

Thanks!

38. Blogs and Websites

Several moths ago I participated in Lent with a friend of mine and gave up Facebook and Twitter for 40 days. The results of this was (after a few days) I didn’t miss it anymore. Today I rarely check twitter unless I am in a meeting, I do this to give my sub-conscious brain something to focus on so my conscious mind can pay attention. I know, I know, it sounds crazy, but it works. Now back to the topic. I am only on Facebook for 5-10 minutes (give or take), and I have about 23 Blogs and Websites I check on a daily basis. These 23 blogs and websites I enjoy, but I have noticed the want to have these websites post more often. I find myself disappointed so often when I go to check these sites and find no new content. Looking at this from a positive point of view this disappointment has helped encourage me to start posting on a daily basis.

Despite the fact that I have been disappointed from time to time by the lack of new content I thought I would share with all of you some of my favorite blogs and websites.

io9.com
A vast collection of Geek, Nerd, Dork, Movie, TV, and comic news

The Official Star Wars Blog
Need I say more?

Panels on Pages
When Other Geeks Just Wont Do

Whatever
The Blog of my favorite author John Scalzi

Wil Wheaton
The Blog of author, blogger, and actor Wil Wheaton

Matador Network
The Best Online Travel Magazine

Club Jade
Shamelessly indulging in melodramatic space trash since 1995

The Garffs
One of my cousins Blog

American in Beirut
My Brother in Law Matt’s Blog

Geeks are Sexy
Well They Are!

Think Geek
Stuff for every Geek on your shopping list!

Mac Rumors
My source for all things Mac.

Great White Snark
Geek humor and entertainment.

dc-mmo.org
The official Dragoncon Blog

Topless Robot
More Geek, Nerd, and Dork news.

Letters for the Better
The Blog of my friend Melissa where she writes letters to people in her life. Sadly she doesn’t post very often.

Geeks with Curves
Just a girl with a love for Lord of the Rings, graphic novels, Dungeons & Dragons (yes, those are my dice in the above pic), all things Whedon, Battlestar Galactica, the magical interwebz, comics, costumes, webcomics, renfaires, and most things science fiction and fantasy. I am mildly obsessed with Star Wars.

The Barnes
Another cousins Blog

One My Way To Boston
My wife’s journey to the Boston Marathon

I have skipped a couple because they are private, but maybe a few of you will find the enjoyment I have from these sites and blogs.