Some time back now, I wrote a post challenging people who participated in Thursday Thirteen to share a little “Link Love.” I encouraged people to actually go into archives and read a few posts from bloggers they didn’t know. After all, the stated purpose of the meme is to get to know other bloggers better. Anyone who read my last e at three TT’s would think I’m just a crazed Texan with an addictive personality and a cholesterol problem. That’s true, but sometimes I write other kinds of posts as well. You don’t know that if you only read what I wrote on Thursday. I want to know what you wrote on other days, as well.
Looking back on it, I realize I was naive to think that any blogger really has the time to do that every week. It is a lot of work, however, I do think we should try to do that at least occasionally, if not every week. I’ve found some new blogs I loved by looking at the suggestions of my friend Jennymcb. You might find some, too. Or better yet, get some attention for one of your friends.
This week, I found some blogs I hadn’t visited much that have made me want to read more of their words. I find these by browsing through the comment links on other people’s posts. Which brings me back to my pet peeves about comments. So, before I list my Link Love, I want to get back on my soapbox. I have two things I really want you to read:
1. This is a “kind blog,” so I won’t mention names. You know who you are. Some of you must be typing onto your notepad so that you can cut and paste:
http :// ww w. myurlme!me!comeandvisitme!.com”
Others cut and past half of their TT on the comment boxes. I know that you folks aren’t reading any of the posts, you are just rushing around putting your links out. Just so you know, I don’t often visit those posts. I look for someone who actually read the post and made an intelligent and interesting comment. You don’t have to be afraid that people won’t find you. Mr. Linky puts your url for all the world to use. The comment boxes record your url so anyone can link to you. You do not have to type it into the comment box. Instead, why don’t you write something that catches the eye of the other commentors?
2. PEOPLE, CHECK YOUR COMMENT BOXES! Sorry. But, I really want you to sign out and then go to your site (as if you were not on Blogger) and see if you can easily comment. If you can’t sign in as “other,” then people who aren’t on Blogger can’t either(meaning “me, me, me, it’s all about me”). When you have your comments pop up in a box, I can’t click on the link for anyone who commented and view their site. I have to cut and paste. When you have fancy script on your “captcha,” I can’t see it. There are many blogs I just didn’t bother to visit this time because I don’t want to waste time trying to comment. I want to be able to read bloggers with whom I can interact.
There. I’m all better now.
Frigga is a name for the Norse goddess of fertility, love, household management, marriage, motherhood, and domestic arts. It’s also a genus of jumping spiders. Frigga at Any Apples weaves a web that drew me in, so I don’t know which of the above inspired her moniker. Since she had started blogging about the time I did, and refused to write much of a profile, I decided to begin at the beginning with Frigga. She charmed me with her tentative approach and her humility. I related to this post If a man says, “I cleaned the house,” always be suspicous, as well as many others. She freely admits that she hasn’t quite grown into her voice yet, but I’m expecting that she will…and I hope to be watching when she does.
Crazy Working mom is a mother of two in Arkansas. Her blog was nominated for Best Parenting Blog…I liked her well enough after reading her for about 40 minutes that I ran clicked right over and voted for her. Her poignant post about telling her daughter of the death of a beloved pet is one that every parent should read. Her blog is a conglomeration of essays, thoughtful quotes, the silly/funny on-line tests we take, and more. It’s a fun mix, and one I hope to visit often.
Cordia Amant, in Utah, writes Eve of A New Day. She is an aspiring writer, and one day she’s going to be published! I loved her post called I would bottle happiness She is also posting chapters of a novel she is writing called Surviving Eden. She’s a darned good writer.
Duward Discussion is probably already on your list. Jamie is retired from politics, but still writes about it. But, that’s not all! Wonderful posts about family and history and memories abound. This post called Family Tradition should be read by every mommy blogger out there.
Finally, I’ll say it again, in case you didn’t see it the first time. Visit Alissa at I Wish.
Don’t forget the deadline approaches for This Eclectic Life’s This Blog Blows My Dress Up Contest.
See all the entries here:
And, I’d be honored if you would like to click on the icon at the top of my sidebar and vote for me for Best Blog About Stuff.
Technorati Tags: Thursday Thirteen, Link Love, This Eclectic Life’s This Blog Blows My Dress Up Contest, Best Blog About Stuff.
Hey, EC! I surfed on over through Sophisticated’s site, but I’ve been here a lot lately, I think.
You forgot one thing in your TT etiquette, or how to inspire return visits: turn on your RSS feed. Not the one you can only get through Feedburner. The RSS one that Google reader likes. I’m not the only GR addict around here.
Anyhoo… if you can’t comment on my blog for some reason, please tell me! My visitors mean a lot to me — that’s why I call the die-hard my groupies — and I’d love for you to be one.
Thanks for inspiring new and good TT behavior. Between that and Michele’s on the weekends, I’ve found SO MANY new blog friends — not necessarily groupies or mere readers. But people (like Sophisticated) I’ve really grown to care about. I’m glad you’re being so proactive about encouraging others to find the same things.
I’ve visited your site, and actually had you on my list of possible Thinking Blogger…but you’ve already gotten it.~skt
Ooohhh oohh you said nice things about me!!! Yay! Thank you for all the comments. I’ll definitely be back here to check more of your stuff out (hopefully next week, maybe even over the weekend, ugh work so cuts into my blogging time!)
Well, I wasn’t lying. Do come back (I know about work, it’s slowed me down this week, too!)~skt
I know I have to really work on getting a good look at other TT’ers out there. One of my busiest work days here is Thursday’s so I have been trying to put my TT up as a draft and then publishing it. I’ll make sure to spend some time this week looking at the some other TT’ers and post a Link Love next Friday!
You are on to something with this Link Love - I’ve met people from there that I really like…thanks to you and Jennny. I’m sure I can find more kindred spirits out there if I spend a bit more time looking around.
Also the blogroll I have up on my blog seems way out of date - most of the people on there don’t even do a TT! That’s my soap box rant!
ops:
Oh, Sweet Tea. Your rants are so mild. You get a little wild when I give you smiley faces, don’t you lol! I love the link to the Hunger Site you put on your sidebar. I quickly added one to mine and will write about it next week! Go get your house clean so you’ll be ready for your new mattress!
Oh them smiley’s were added by mistake lol! I meant to add only one….I love smileys!
Did not…you just like smileys! I can’t add ‘em when I edit, unless I know how to spell ‘em. Guess I’m going to have to write them all down!~skt
hello.. Thank you so much for your comment on my blog. I got a giggle out of driving out of TX as fast as I could.. I did however not drive out of TX as fast as I could. My Sister lives in the DFW area I don’t think she would have been to thrilled if I drove 24 hours to drive by her house and beep my horn and yell out “hey sis how the heck are ya, see ya next time” and kept going
I have been down there to visit her and my 2 little nieces a few times. I did not go this last time that I posted about though. My parents took 3 of my 4 kids and my van down to TX over Thanksgiving, while DH the baby and Myself went to his family house for Thanksgiving.. My Parents trip down to TX was last minute and they invited my kids and myself to go, I didn’t feel right leaving DH alone on a holiday so I stayed behind and kept Little Man with me.
About the comments section of my blog, I’m sorry it is hard for you to leave a comment, but this wasn’t just an oversight on my part. I do not want anonymous comments on my blog. With children I feel a little safer if I keep it this way. I would love for other bloggers such as yourself to be able to comment but Blogger does give us the option of letting others be able to comment where they sign there name and give there website without the anonymous comment section also. I wish there was a way I could get the anonymous option off and leave the other on but there isn’t(as far as I know) I have had friends who were left rude and nasty comments on there blog by anonymous commenter, that I could live with, but I had one friend who posted a picture of her 4 year old during gymnastic class and an anonymous comment came back by some man that was just sick and gross talking about her 4 year old daughter.. Those are the things I want to avoid. So when people leave a comment on my blog I want something to click on to go back to the persons website or at least a profile. As my site is sit up now you can sign in either with a blooger account or a google account both of which are free and you don’t have to have blog with them just a profile and you can link your blog from that profile.
true I might be losing readers and or comments because of this, but I look at that as a small price to pay to avoid such things as what happened on my friends blog.
I will think about what you said and I’ll pray a bit more about changing my comment section but unless I have a peace about it, I’m sorry it will stay the way it is for now anyways.
I do hope you come back to visit my blog inspite of my comment section, seeing you do already have a blogger account this shouldn’t keep you from commenting.
I’ll be back to visit. I know you don’t want to deal with the anonymous. Too bad that Blogger won’t allow other options. Thanks for the visit.~skt
Thank you so much for the “linkie love”! I appreciate it very much. But, mostly I appreciate that you liked to read my blog. I try to have a good mix of things that have happened to me and funny pictures and news headlines! I’m so glad you enjoyed. I’ve got a lot of catching up to do with you as well. Thanks again!
I look forward to reading more. You are well worth my time! Thanks for stopping by.~skt
I hate those pasted replies especially when they have little “ads” for what is going on at their blog.
Yesterday, I didn’t visit or comment on as many TT’s as I usually do since I am fighting some sort of bug that has left me with a 102.9 fever. I did see my traffic go down a bit, but I will be back out commenting and reading archives once again next week.
I also hope you continue to visit my blog even though it has a captcha. The two times I took it off, I ended up with a bunch of spam comments.
I’ll fight my way past a captcha…once…if I can’t get past it I just move on. Do they have a “handicapped” captcha? Seriously, it might help me be able to read the letters.~skt
Thank you for your kind words. This is my first visit to your site, but it won’t be the last. There is now a link back to you on my blog.
Durward Discussion
I was only telling the truth. I fell in love with your blog on first sight.~skt
Aw, I’m feeling really loved right now. I’ll definitely have to look into some of the other blogs you highlighted. I’m always looking to find interesting new voices.
You have a lovely blog, so you deserve it. I’m looking forward to reading more of your novel!~skt
I hear ya on the pet peeves. Recently I participated in WW for the first time and I discovered that when I comment on someone’s blogger blog, it automatically leaves a link to my blogger blog and doesn’t let me change it to my typepad blog - which is the “real” blog that I was using to participate in WW. VERY, VERY annoying to me. My blogger blog is just pics of my kids that I’m only now starting to update for grandparents to see. I guess my point is to consider that some of us typed in our address because we had a good reason - not just advertising. I was afraid that if I visited a WW person on Blogger and they tried to go view mine through their comments, they’d wonder why I was there since the blog that appeared from that link clearly was not participating in WW. Anyway, some people might deserve the benefit of the doubt is all I’m saying. And, FYI, I’m beginning to really dislike Blogger. For soooo many reasons. Didn’t you once have this blog with them? Why’d you move, if you don’t mind me askin’….
Hey Alissa,
I have no problem with people leaving a link if it’s necessary (as it is on Blogger…if you don’t HAVE Blogger). On this WordPress blog, your link shows up in the comment section AND on the bottom of the post. It’s being a little redundant and repeating yourself to put it in again. And, another blogger’s comment box is no place to advertise your contest or your own WW or TT. You are visiting another person’s “house;” Mama told us to be polite when we visit.
Yes, I had a Blogger account. I changed because I wanted to A) have my own dot com B) NOT have to deal with problems like that doggone comment box, C) have a blog that didn’t look like it just came out of the box. At first, I was really intimidated by Word Press, but I’m growing to love it a lot! What about Typepad? What’s it like? ~skt
Sorry, kids were distracting me and I hit enter before I meant to…
Do you know why when I’m reading your comments sometimes a whole line is missing? I can’t figure out why that might be. Do I have some feature set wrong on my computer that makes me not able or does that happen to other people? I appreciate the tip about checking your own blog to see if it accepts comments. I’m so new to this that I don’t always get it right. I think I’ll visit the public computer at the library to check my blog and see what it looks like to someone whose computer settings are different than mine.
And, finally, thanks again for the Blog Love! I appreciate it!
As for the line missing, give me an example and I’ll go look. If it’s one that migrated from Blogger, that may be the problem!! Good idea bout checking the library. And, of course you are welcome for the link love. I hope you had a great weekend with your girlfriends and got a lot of scrapbooking done. You didn’t did you…you just sat and giggled together.~skt