Friday, May 4, 2007

Anonymous – no comment

Every so often, someone arrives. I clock them. They read. I assume they read. An hour, longer, but no comment or contact. If this is on my autism site, I wait in anticipation of contact. There never is any. The tantalizing concept. Who are they? Why do they not declare themselves, make themselves known? Is it possible to influence someone’s opinion long distance? I hope so.

They are probably just like me. Log on, read, domestic crisis, action, return one hour and 40 minutes later. Switch off, exhausted.

34 comments:

Mommy Brain said...

I love the domestic crisis idea...that's my entire life! For me, I feel like it's somehow ok for me to read someones site, but that I need to "know" them before I can intrude and leave a comment. That's so backwards because I am thrilled when perfect strangers comment on my blog...like you...but I guess I'm a blogging chicken?

Andie D. said...

I found out that there is a National "Delurking" week that goes on around the blogosphere every year. The week was designed to let people know that it's OK to just say "Hi", or "Read your post" in the comments section. It encourages people to actually LEAVE a comment instead of lurking. Cool idea.

I think it helps to have that Recent Readers widget too. Afterall, you can literally SEE who's been to your site, and now they sort of HAVE to comment. ;)

Christy said...

Great post, a lot of times I enjoy reading someone's blog but I am just plain tired and I don't go the extra mile to leave a comment. I think if it were just acceptable to leave a simple "Hi" I would comment more often. But a lot of people think that's comment spam.

I know from mybloglog widget that I have some regular readers who don't comment.

The nice thing about commenting is it gives you that connection to the other blogger, and that's how blogging friendships are made. :)

Queen of the Mayhem said...

I have done this a few times....one night, I thought I had closed my internet..and it stayed on a person's blog ALL night...I wondered if people checked this...maybe they think I am a stalker! :)

I feel compelled to comment almost everytime I go to a blog...but that is just me!

Anonymous said...

I read a lot of blogs on a weekly basis, many on my Google home age and reader. I comment very little especially if the previous comments mimic my feelings.

I also have readers who rarely comment but read me routinely, sometimes they send email sometimes they just read and leave. Not sure why but it doesn't concern me all that much. Just as in real life some people are talkers and some people are listeners.

elasticwaistbandlady said...

I am a comment whore! And I've gotten really punitive about it too. People that don't comment on my blog at least to say 'Hi!', do not get return visits/comments from me. That's just the nature of this social beast called blogging.

Now, the sick freaks looking for naked pictures of Rachael Ray, according to my site meter, can just keep on moving. I don't want their kind around!

elasticwaistbandlady said...

I'm reciprocating a blog comment, as promised!

Anonymous said...

HA too funny. I've done that exact thing on your blog. I go to it, someone starts playing with the scissors or flushes something, and a hour later I come back :) Too funny.

Anonymous said...

I am expanding my horizons. EWBL guilted me here to comment. I never thought of cruising posts anonymously as stalking or lurking, that creeps me out.
So HI. It's only me.
Skewed

MaNiC MoMMy™ said...

I don't like it when people can't just pop on to say hi!

So, Hi! Nice to meet you. I'm guessing we discovered one another through Kim. Maybe? The cyberworld is really pretty small.

Tera said...

Yep, domestic crisis....always! I'll try to comment more often, but sometimes, everything has already been said. Now you know, I've been here reading! :-)

GClef1970 said...

Heyyyyyyyy.... do you have a video camera in my home or something?

John Robison said...

Woof.

I was here, and I visited your autism blog, too.

And I left my name.

Linda said...

I think that part of the problem comes when you're a regular reader of a whole lot of blogs, which generally takes a good deal of time, and then to leave a comment takes even longer. Or sometimes, I honestly just have no comment to make. Seems like it would be kind of rude to leave a comment saying "read your post but I've got nothing to say"!

Anonymous said...

You have some beautiful blogs. I am enjoying them very much (translation = I have had a very long day and your escapism is good for my escapism.)

Heather said...

I wonder that too... let me know about that recent readers widget.

OhTheJoys said...

What percentage of readers comment (usually) do you think? Wondering...

Rachel said...

I'm guilty of reading and not commenting, and of having things open for an hour and a half...
Here's what happens: I open 3 or 4 tabs in my browser.
I read your blog, then go on to other things, forgetting to close the tab that I opened your blog in.
Much later, I remember that I have the tab open.



And it does feel wrong commenting when all you can think of to say is
"Hi, I liked your post."

Beenzzz said...

Yep, life can sometimes get in the way of leaving comments.

Marie said...

Hi there,
ok, since you're asking for it... ;-)
No, I get exactly what you're talking about! For me, sometimes it's just that I really enjoy reading a blog but feel that I have nothing really substantial to post in a comment.. But one should overcome that, it's true. No real need for substantiality, just a "hi" is sufficient sometimes.
It's just nice to know that your stuff is reaching and sometimes even inspiring people!
Take care!

Annie said...

I am a new blogger, so I am still just learning that there are several ways to track who visits my blog. So I have admittedly been wondering 'if you took the time to come and check, why not say something?'

I also find myself commenting all over the place, but generally only where I feel I have something interesting/witty/supportive to say. Other times I don't have a response, or anything I may say would repeat what endless people before me have so why repeat it?

Then of course there are those pesky domestic crises!

Memphis said...

I just noticed that someone very near here spent 23 minutes reading my blog, and they didn't find it through Google or through another blog. They went straight to it. I think I know who it was, and it doesn't make me feel good.

Anonymous said...

I don't bother to track who comes and who doesn't. I spend too much time online as is.

I'm always interested in comments when they get left... but the blog in the end is for me. There is no rhyme or reason for it.. except it's a journal. One with labels so I don't have a dozen different books (books, autism, gardening, life etc) on the go. Typing is quicker.

But I'm around... just found this one, finally waited long enough for all of the other blog to load :)... will be back.

S.

Stomper Girl said...

Nice to meet you, mcewen. I don't always comment on my first visit. I like to reflect a little on the blog I've just read in the hope that I will think of something appropriate to say. But on the whole I prefer to comment. In my early days I was shy, but I'm getting over that!

ewe are here said...

I often fritter around the edges and don't comment ... for a while anyways ... although this is my first visit here after linking over from another blog. ;-)

And I know those domestic crises well... windows just stay open indefinitely while they're resolved!

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't say that nobody comments here. You have interesting blogs. I discovered them by clicking on your picture in MyBlogLog after you visited my blog. I'm glad I did so.

Knock knock - it's cancer! said...

I agree with Queen... I tend to comment most of the time when I visit a blog. I guess I like it when people comment on mine.

I'd love to hear more about what type of Autism your kids have, my son was just diagnosed with Aspergers...long road ahead for him.(and us)

Catherine said...

Well, ok. I guess I can't just surf over and leave silently today, huh? I'm here! Nice to meet you! :)

I love comments, and always wonder about those I see coming and going silently...

Hanley Family said...

I wonder about those people, too. Some click on a single link and sit for an hour. Either they read really slow, or have gone off to do something else. Of course, I probably bring everyone's average visit thing up because I tend to open a gazillion blogs at once and leisurely go through them, sometimes leaving them up in the background for some time.

But then, there are those who start searching through the archives and will visit 20 or more pages. Who are they, and why didn't they drop a note somewhere? If ever I am so engrossed in a blog that I read more than an entry or two, I always comment...but that is just me, I guess!

Scribbit said...

I could see from my analytics that there was one person in Santiago, Chile that would read every day. For months they came and then suddenly nothing. I haven't seen them since and have wondered what happened to them.

Whitenoise said...

okay, okay...I admit it. I'm here already... (back to lurk mode)

Kaainaath said...

maybe they are psychic and knows about the dark side of your moon!

i think people are in general too serious! live a little...

CamiKaos said...

sometime I don't comment because a post leaves me thinking there is nothing more that needs to be said, it's complete and all i can add is my dark sense of humor and snarkiness... or I'm touched and speechless

Anonymous said...

hm.. interesting thread ))