Lurking. It sounds so dirty, doesn't it? Like an internet crime that should be punishable by hard labor and restriction from reading for 2-5 years? Thankfully, it's not. But there are just too many good blogs on the information superhighway and just not enough time in my day to leave a comment. It's sort of like a hit-and-run, only without the consequences. Oh, sure...they know I've been there (hello all you traffic cops out there), but they don't know who I am, because I didn't leave a note on their bloggy window.
I'm trying to be better, I really am. I generally leave comments once a week or so, but I read daily. I don't expect folks to comment here (although it is oh-so-wonderful) when they visit -- especially if they don't stick around. But it's always so nice to sign on and find that someone cared enough to de-lurk, even if only to say "hi, I am reading your blog." I know somewhere, out there, people are reading. ('cause I'm the biggest traffic cop around).
let's discuss this. Are you like me -- a lurker, someone who hits and runs? Or do you try to leave a note, spreading love and sunshine wherever you go? Of course, if you are a lurker, you'll have to de-lurk just this once to weigh in on this subject, I hope you know that.
Technorati Tags: blogger, lurking, Texas
15 comments:
I'm definitely a lurker but try to comment every once in awhile. I have 80 blogs in my reader so there's no way I could comment on every single post!
Does one have to write a letter to the editor everytime they read the newspaper?
How fragile is everyone's ego that someone even created this word lurking?
Sometimes, there just isn't anything to say and I'd sure rather spend the few minutes I have READING folks blogs than being forced to think of somthing to pat them on the back for.
If they are coming by repeatedly - they like you!
Me - I get 7 visitors a week - I could only HOPE for lurkers ;)
- though really, I try not to check, because I write to journal not because I think I can write.
I read on the fly--when I have a minute or two--and I usually read in a feed reader, so I don't leave as many comments as I should. However, I DO try to leave a comment here and there so that folks know I'm reading!
HEY KAREN!! I'm reading!
: D
I comment as often as I can, which makes for some pretty lame comments. But it's just so much fun to leave a note. But time is definitely an issue.
This is my first time to seriously read your blog. So, Hello! Thanks for visiting my blog. I don't mind one bit if you lurk around my blog.
I thought my 40 feeds in Bloglines was a lot - the previous commenter has 80! I feel better now. :)
I don't comment on every single post I read (I currently have 75 blogs in my reader, and then try to visit new ones often) -- I just couldn't, even if I tried. And, I wouldn't want to, really. I would get to the point where I was leaving junkie comments.
I try to be sure to leave comments on most of the blogs in my reader every so often. I know I comment on some more than others. I will almost always comment if a posting really catches my interest/attention (well -- probably about 75% of the time this happens).
See...like for me, I have had lots of people that I know "in real life" (LOL) that have mentioned before that they faithfully read my blog. But, you know what? Not a single one of them has ever commented. That's just the way it is sometimes. Actually, speaking of that, I know from Analytics that there are a whole bunch of people reading that don't comment. I'm not too worried about it though. I love comments, but I blog to record our life as it is at this moment.
And, I felt this was especially true after I just received a published book of my blog entries for last year from Blurb. That really made me realize, as I went through and read some of our antics aloud to my family, that I am blogging for us and our memories. I'm just pleased to be able to bring some people along for the ride. :)
I'm a commenter, but sometimes I feel weird about commenting on someone's blog when I don't actually KNOW the person. Like you! But I appreciate you visiting my blog so I guess we're Texas cyber friends now.
I used to comment on everything I read, but recently realized that I don't have time to do that, and read all the posts I love AND write my own blog. So I made a commitment to myself that I will lurk more, comment less so I can keep my blog fresh and spend time with the family I love.
Can you be somewhere in the middle? 'Cause that's where I think I am. Like you, I have a lot of blogs I read, and I'd be here all day if I commented on all of them, but I do try and delurk as often as I can. Sometimes I'm just too tired and reading is the best I can do, but at the same time, I know how much I love getting comments, so I try to give them. For whatever reason, my comment to hits ratio is very low, and I'm not entirely sure what I can do to encourage more people to speak up. But then I figure they're like me...sometimes you just can't think of anything interesting to say. ;)
I lurk most of the times unless a post compels me to comment :)
~Leslie
http://homeschoolblogger.com/NeverAlone/
I have 133 in my reader if I counted right.(My daughter interruped)so I only comment when I have something to say. I dont comment just to comment. So that makes me a lurking commenter!
I am a lurker...Last I checked, I had around 140 blogs on my google reader; some I read and some I enjoy their photography. Every now and then, I do comment though!
I have just starting blogging and roaming through other blogs! I have found it to be overwhelming and never seem to have time, or know exactly what to say, so I lurk more than comment.
. . . though it seems today you have found a great topic for us lurkers to post on! :)
I guess I'm both! I lurk and read DAILY, or at least, I read in entirety on my feed reader, BUT I try to comment too. Esp. on your blog, because you are a friend!
It's just now occuring to me to post comments. My sisters and I started blogging to keep up with each other (we live in three different countries) and our little exchanges aren't the typical on blogs (we have entire conversations in the "comments" section). But I love the idea of connecting this way with other people and, like you said, spreading the love. Great blog!
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