Saturday, November 7, 2009

A Crazy Little Thing Called Blog: Part One



After ten months of blogging, I seem to have lost my Blog Mojo-- if I ever really even had it to begin with. Have you ever had that feeling? I find it very unsettling. So here I sit, trying to figure out what's next for me in Blogland.

Google provided the following definition for the term "mojo". There are lots of definitions out there, but this one summed up my situation best.

Mojo:
1. Self-confidence, Self-assuredness. As in basis for belief in ones self in a situation.
2. Good luck fetish / charm to bolster confidence.
3. Ability to bounce back from a negative attitude

Yep, my Blog Mojo is definitely missing in action.

I've said before that I'm a total Type A personality and coming from a corporate work environment that was a plus. As a "plan your work and work your plan" kind of girl who's lived by strategic plans and goals and organizational charts for as long as I can remember, I'm floundering in Blogland with a complete lack of direction, focus or goal. In short, I can't just "go with the flow", it's not in my DNA.

So I'm wrestling with my next step in the World Wide Web and how to approach the reality that I spend A LOT of time blogging-- Perhaps even too much time. (Gasp!) Non-blogging friends keep asking the same questions-- What do you actually do and why do you send so much time doing "it"? Lately I've been asking myself the very same questions.

My short answer is that I don't have a "blogging plan" and yes, when you're a Type A and spend as much time at something as I do with blogging, a plan would be a good thing. The long answer is more complicated but ties into reinventing myself since my retirement and deciding if/when I will go back to a "traditional" job and what that means to my blogging/writing.

Throw in the fact that I'm computer/html/template/photo-challenged and spend far too much time trying to figure out the technology side of blogging and well, an entire day can be lost just trying to post an already written story.

So I'm reverting to my former "corporate life" and conducting a Focus Group of sorts-- I did those all the time in my past career and found them very informative. With your help, maybe we can all learn a few things-- At least I hope so.

I'm starting a feature named "A Crazy Little Thing Called Blog". It's a Question and Answer format that I hope will help me, and you, spend less time trying to figure out blogging and more time actually blogging.

I'll include a McLinky button at the bottom of each post so if you have an answer to a question that you've already blogged about, you can simply add your post and not have to rewrite it again. (And for the record, it only took me an hour to figure out how to use McLinky.)

We'll cover some the basic technical "blogging how-to" stuff and we'll try to answer the "why?", "now what?", "next step?" and "what's the point?" type of questions as well. I hope we can all learn a thing or two, or three, and ultimately I hope I find my Blog Mojo along the way.

No matter how long you've been blogging, I value your input. If you've been blogging for a month or ten years, please BRING IT ON! I'd love to hear from you and your experiences. And feel free to ask a question for a future post. I'll do my best to include it asap.

Let's start with a couple of general questions--

1) What's the one thing you wish someone had told you BEFORE you started blogging that would have made blogging easier for you?

2) What are your Blogging Pet Peeves?

Thanks a million for your help!
Welcome to The Fifty Factor - Joanna
Photo Credit: Jeff Metzger

61 comments:

  1. two pet peeves with blogging:

    i cant stand the new disqus comment capture...having to log in to leave a comment...cant stand it.

    ads on blogs...kills my load time and clutters things up...that bar ad that scrolls up...argh!

    ok, i'm done. blogging has become an addicting hobby, but i love it. finding my voice made all the difference for me. once i answered the why question it became easier. i blog for my boys to read one day and learn from and remember me..

    ...and there are a lot of fabulous people out here. smiles.

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  2. 1. Funny, but I never found the act blogging difficult. In fact, I thought it was too easy to get addicted! :-)

    2. Pet peeves would be that Blogger doesn't offer some of the cool apps that Wordpress does, like embedding videos and the comment format that allows you to directly reply to someone's comment. The other pet peeve is not having a directory to resort to to find other blogs of interest to you. I can only seem to find them through other bloggers' blogrolls.

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  3. I did absolutely NO research before I opened up my blog and to be honest was not sure if it was for real or an experiment.

    I wish somene would have told me be careful with your blog title and URL. Mine was supposed to be temporary, and if I liked blogging I thought I'd switch to a better, permanent title. But of course by the time I was hooked I'd made friends and it was too much trouble to change. So I got stuck with my title.

    Pet peeves... not really too much. Whenever I lose my mojo or it feels more like work, I step away for a few days and then come back.

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  4. Great idea to get feedback about blogging. I am new to this whole thing. My biggest pet peeve is having to do the spam prevention thing to leave a comment. I guess it is a necessary evil but I hate it.

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  5. Never should have told my family.

    Hate word verification.

    That's about it.

    Great idea going on here!
    xo
    Elise

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  6. I linked up an old post from when I was first blogging and figuring things out somewhat blindly.

    Hope it is close to what you had in mind.

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  7. My biggest complaint is that my adsense counter stopped at 10,937 impressions. My hugesnet counter shows 11,892 visits. Since I should be earning money for those visits, I'm upset that adsense is no longer registering them! I've entered my question on the help site, but there doesn't seem to be anyone at blogger or adsense who responds. A couple of other bloggers have tried to help, but no one from Blogger has responded.

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  8. Oh Joanna... you are quoting my blogging woes chapter and verse. I struggle with the same issues. Probably everybody does to some degree. But I guess there are no hard and fast rules that say your blog must be this or that. As long as you're having fun, right?

    The one thing I wish I'd known before beginning a blog is the unspoken blog etiquette. There are a lot of ropes you kind of learn as you go. I'm still getting there and figuring it all out.

    My one pet peeve is taking the time to visit a blog, read through enough posts to determine whether I like it enough to follow it, publish a comment or two or six and then get summarily ignored. That's just rude. I don't like bloggers who think they're just too too wonderful and important to wave back.

    As far as your mojo goes, my dear... it's there. Trust me. You haven't lost a thing.

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  9. Maybe something that would have helped me before I actually started blogging would have been understanding that not every blogger would be thrilled that I joined in and left a comment on their blog. Some of the big time blogs are written by big time bloggers who are big time busy and not interested in little bitty silly bloggers like me. Not meaning you, Joanna. You have grown quickly into a great blogger and you are such a dear person I don't think you have a cold streak in you. Within the first few months I started blogging three years ago I just ran around the blogosphere looking for interesting blogs of all genres and left comments just to be part of an interesting post and I was not well received in every blog. I wasn't very far along in my own recovery work then and I got my feelings hurt. But these days I am healthy and strong and okay with my own skin so I go around looking for blogs of interest to me and find such different posts and love leaving comments and do not expect anyone to reciprocate. There is a freedom now for me that comes with more experience and with my personal life becoming healthier. I do personally like your blog very much, Joanna, for the variety, for your kind spirit, and your intelligent writing.

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  10. First of all I love your blog! Blogging has been a great thing for me living in a foreign country without friends. Yes is mine always interesting, NO but I started it for my family and friends back home to know what I was up to, rather than mass emails. My pet peeve is when you constantly comment on someones blog and they never visit or comment on yours. I know people follow alot of blogs very now and than spread some love. I also wish I never told my mother in law about it cause I would love to vent about her! Mean uh?

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  11. I've discovered that it seems like a lot of Bloggers lose their mojo at around the year mark. I used to post a lot more.

    Also, I was a complete novice to blogging when I started and didn't talk to anyone. I wish I had been a lot more anonymous and didn't plaster my full name everywhere.

    I hate the new Disqus, I don't like music on blogs, and I don't like word verification in general. I'm also not a fan of the 3 column blogs. It's too overwhelming for me.

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  12. I'm there with you, Joanna.....feeling like I've lost my mojo. It's there somewhere but there are times when I literally have to stop and think that I'm unemployed and in need of a job and yet, here I sit, blogging. It's not "just" blogging though. It's creating. Here's hoping you'll find yours again. I love your blog and I'm so glad I found you. (Or you found me)

    Pet peeves...comment thingies and you know what? I'm guilty because I have one of them up on my blog too. I left it up to do a giveaway but it has yet to happen.

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  13. You expressed yourself on this topic so much better than I did! I think those who read my post thought I was asking why they don't always comment. What I was actually trying to find out is why some people will follow you and never make a single comment. Makes me wonder, are you just looking for someone to follow you in return, or are you actually interested in my blog? But I digress....

    1. I can't think of anything I wish I had known, other than how addicting blogging can be. I often find myself saying "I need a picture of that for my blog" or "This is blog-worthy!". I've even got my husband saying it!

    2. Pet Peeves, hmmm....I do hate word verification, but it's not that big of a deal. I agree with Alix about the bloggers who think they're too important to address us little folks. There are several huge blogs out there that I dislike for that very reason. It feels a little like "Worship me, I could care less about you".

    I think I've taken up enough of your comment space!

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  14. The one thing I'd like to have known at the start? What are the benefits and shortcomings, facilities and restrictions of ALL the major blogging platforms.

    Pet peeves? I don't know - people do what they want to do, which is good. I think I wish there was a better way to search for blogs that I'll like, but I guess that's my problem because I don't really know why I like certain ones and not others.

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  15. A fine idea. I have pet peeves.

    Word verification - it's almost always unnecessary.
    Moderated posts - I understand that every now and then we get hit by spammers but that's almost always on older posts. There are settings to moderate anything older than two weeks. That works for me.

    Overloaded gadgets.

    That same comment form that Brian mentioned.

    Folks who put musical playlists on their blog. No matter how much I might like your choices, I don't usually want to get blasted with it because I'm probably already listening to my own music and it just gets annoying.

    And ads in the middle of blog content.

    Everything else is perfect! ;)

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  16. Mine have pretty much been hit upon (that's what happens when you're late to the party)

    As far as Mojo, I think we all sort of ebb and wane - quality as well as quantity. It comes back. (for the record - from where I'm sitting it doesn't look like you've lost yours...)

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  17. I wish I would have know how much time blogging can take and that it's okay for me to take my time. There is no rush, it can wait.

    Pet Peeves: Not too many.

    I don't like word verification.
    I'm a little bummed because I installed Disqus and I like it, but I get some complaints and I can't get rid of it now because I don't want to lose all of my comments.It bothers me when people leave mean Anonymous comments on my blog or anyone else's. Have a backbone stick by your words or just move on.

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  18. you are so describing me.......and all my feelings.....

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  19. yeah, I needed a plan too, so now I just blog about my family history! Its interesting to me at least and its fun!

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  20. Those are really good questions.

    I don't know that I wish anybody had told me anything. Have the fun really has been the learning as I go.

    Pet peeves? Any and every tech related anything to do with it. Good example being these new (to me) McLinky things. I find them baffling and intimidating. I know I'll figure them out sooner rather than later and then they'll be old hat, but meanwhile some precocious programmer is inventing my next electronic nemesis.

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  21. We all go through blogblock at some point or another. I am flyin' by the seat of my pants in blogland. If I really get stuck and have a question on a how-to, I just contact a blogsister. Farm activities suck up so much time I have found I may only get one post out a week unlike many of my daily friends. I have also found out that that is OK.

    We are harvesting soybeans all week. It's a major production and I have to take slack when needed and also keep the Strongbacks(farm hands) well fed. I realize my post is a week old and I need to get something up.....like two days ago. As you well know with us type-A's and the perfection thing it will take time to get it just right. So for right not it will just have to wait.

    Have a super day, I apologize for unloading. It's been a rough week on the Ponderosa!

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  22. I find the time it tales to load a post or to load other blog pages the most frustrating of all. If I read something and I feel like commenting I hate waiting forever for the page to load...that is when I loose my mojo!
    As for blogger block - now that happens to me all the time. I just don't worry about it and hope when I wake up the next day something will come into my mind....it usually does, xv.

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  23. Great post. My biggest pet peeves are comment related. I don't like the Disques comment form and I also don't like word verifications. I just like to read and leave a comment without jumping through hoops.

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  24. I love this idea. Except for the techno geniuses who already know everything, we all would benefit from sharing what we know. I am the most blog-nically challenged blogger out here. I can't figure anything out tech wise. I'm always shooting an email to someone asking, "how do I--------".
    And more often than not, I can't follow the directions they send me because I find it too complicated. And no, I'm no idiot.

    As for blogging in general, I wish that I had researched more before deciding on my blog title. It's not very appealing. It doesn't make anyone who sees it say "hey that sounds interesting, I think I'll check it out". But now I feel stuck with it because everyone knows me by that title.

    I don't like word verification, consumer ads, and music playlists that play automatically when you visit the page.

    And people who don't acknowledge your comments. Usually, they are the ones with hundreds and hundreds of followers. Like you Joanna, I recently dropped some blogs, and most of them were the people who don't seem to know I exist.

    But bravo for this idea. I would love to have someone tell me, in plain simple English how to do this, or do that on my blog. I'm still trying to figure out how to make a button for my blog.

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  25. I am stunned and scared by Attila's story, and my heartfelt prayers go out to her son to recover.
    I believe that this flu was created in a lab, and I hope those responsible burn in h*ll.
    No thoughts on blogging. Maybe later. xo d

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  26. I wish someone had told me how time consuming blogging is.

    I despise disqus and any other comment software. I hate word verification, but especially when they have word verification AND comment moderation. That's just ridiculous to me!

    I'm not a fan of fly by comments either.

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  27. My biggest Blog Pet Peeve:

    TURN OFF THE MUSIC!!! I never listen to it and ALWAYS mute it!!

    Also, long blog posts.... I am a woman of few words so my posts are the same. Other than that, love you all, and do enjoy what you have to say.

    I WISH: I could cut down all the time I spend/waste reading and doing blogs... I may go to 3 days per week. I love to read books and have only read maybe 2 books since I started blogging.

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  28. Yeah, never should've told my family either. And I don't like music or comment verification.

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  29. I love that you are doing this, Joanna. There is so much I don't know or have time to look up and try to understand. Like many, I don't like word verification or ads. Even though I'm sort of small time and part time in the blog world, I have formed relationships that I value and to me that is what it is all about. I truly appreciate those who take time to comment. I'm looking forward to learning from what your readers have to share.

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  30. Hi Joanna, well you have found some passionate people - good on you. I am fairly new to the blogging world so my MOJO is still intact. Plus I am a real spur of the moment person and I usually just write what comes into my head. I don't tend to think if anyone other myself will enjoy it or not - pretty selfish I guess but it works for me. My pet peeves are few but I reall don't care for advertiseing in a blog, I can get all of that stuff everywhere else. You may think the MOJO has gone but as far as one of your followers goes I am enjoying the ride with you. Also thanks for the updates.

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  31. Hi Joanna and all, I started blogging just as a diary of my year in France. It seemed like a much easier way of communicating than sending a zillion group emails. So I just started and learnt as I went along. And I have just loved writing it. My pet peeve is that so many of my friends were unable to post comments, for whatever reason. Word verification? I don't know. Another pet peeve is that I hardly got any comments and I hung out for them while I was away! That of course was mostly of my own doing as I didn't have my blog available to the wide world. (I'm a teacher and a bit paranoid about one vindictive student in particular sabotaging things.)But I have in fact met some great people in Blogland as I have come across their blogs and they have checked me out in return. I have loved that part of things. And you are one of those friends Joanna! But I am also at a crossroads. What do I do now? Keep on writing about my day to day stuff back home? It's just not the same as the saga of getting my carte de sejour, for example! Thinking, thinking....

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  32. If I had known what I know now, I would have left some of the posts I originally blogged. They were from my heart, inspirational, deep and I was afraid I would have offended someone. So, I erased them.

    I cannot stand having to sign up or linkin or set up an account to leave a comment.

    I don't care for word verification, however, I understand why some people use it.

    I do love to blog!

    You just inspired me to post about Mojo=true story with teenage boys that is totally clean and totally hilarious. Gotta go write now!

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  33. Interesting questions!
    I wish someone would have warned me about how it can consume you and take up time. I need a plan too!
    I hate word verification. It takes even more time!

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  34. Mari- You can turn off word verification on your comments, in your Blogger account, in settings.

    What a great idea, Joanna! This will sure save a lot of people, a lot of time. We can all help each other! Thanks! Get your Mojo working, cause we're going out tonight! (love that song) :)

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  35. My biggest pet peeve is that bloggers seem to feel like they have to live up to some schedule or standard and fail to realize that this is not a job! If you have nothing in your mind to post, then don't post. I have seen blogs where people don't post for 3 weeks at a time and still gain a following. Blog world laws are simple. If you post, people will read. If you leave comments, you will get more comments, and if you go away, people will wonder what happened to you. I hate the whole virtual friends stigma that is attached to this thing, that is why I put my phone number in my comment section, because I want to be able to build relationships with some of the people that I meet here. I actually just got off the phone with one of the commenters on your post.

    I also hate complicated comment formats and word verification!

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  36. I'm feeling some of the same things you mentioned in your post -and I haven't been at it that long. I wish I had known just how much of a time suck this would be and how I would have to give up mostly everything else that I enjoy in life to read and comment on blogs. My pet peeves are pretty much the same as everyone else's. None of them bother me enough to stop reading someone though.

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  37. I am actually very excited to see what will be your next step in blogging. I love your posts and I know for sure you didn't lose any mojo at all. You are just in need for a change. And you will find it. And when you do, we will all be here to cheer you up. As usual.

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  38. My pet peeves are word verification and joining a blog party where the hostess doesn't have the time to comment on my post. Hey, no matter how many people come to a party, they all should be acknowledged (at least once). I wish someone would have told me months ago to add the followers gadget...at the prompting of a couple of my blogging friends, I have just recently added this and may have had missed opportunities for followers? It often feels like a popularity contest though...I don't like that part.

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  39. I agree with Alix 'My one pet peeve is taking the time to visit a blog, read through enough posts to determine whether I like it enough to follow it, publish a comment or two or six and then get summarily ignored. That's just rude. I don't like bloggers who think they're just too too wonderful and important to wave back'.

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  40. Guess I'm the odd one out, cuz word verification doesn't bother me. Sometimes a very interesting or appropriate word appears during this procedure. Makes me laugh.
    Hate the music.
    I really really hate it when I find someone and follow them and get all attached to them and then they decide that blogging is taking up too much of their time and they close the blog. HEY! I was reading that! I realize that things change and life goes on, but it's like losing a friend.

    Just what exactly is the proper comment follow up etiquette? Am I supposed to respond to comments through a personal email, within the comments of the post or by reciprocating on the blog of the person who left the comment?
    The tech stuff is easy... it's the etiquette that baffles me.

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  41. Sheesh! You scare me when you begin a blog post like that...it sounds like you may quit! Don't do that!!!

    I wish someone had told me about networking before I began blogging.

    I freakin' hate the disqus comment sequence...so much so that it keeps me from commenting on blogs that have it.

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  42. Blogging I find is a place where you hope to be heard, but you must first learn how to listen.

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  43. What a great post..and I know so much has been stated already. I wish I had infinite more time to read blogs but I do NOT like embedded comment sections. I cant even respond to them when I am using Google Chrome or Mozilla because those engines wont allow me to post. I have to cut and paste the link into IE. Sucks.

    Pop up window comments are the only way to go!

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  44. I hate music that starts automatically. Hate it.

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  45. I have to ditto Brian's comment. Those are my pet peeves too and after reading The Peach Tart's comment, I'm no longer thinking about adding music to my blog.

    Phew! Thanks Joanna!

    Hugs!!

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  46. I am SO much a go- with- the- flow kind of person that I have never been able to keep up with the corporate types.
    What do I wish I'd been told about blogging? Nothing much, really. I blog so my friends and family can be updated on what's going on with me and my kids and all that. I like having a creative outlet, and I like having somewhere to post my photography.
    Worst thing about blogging? Well, the ads are annoying, but the only thing inherent about blogging that I don't like is that people feel like they can hide behind a screen name in order to attack you. It's stupid, it's cowardly,and it's not uncommon.

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  47. One thing I didn't realize was my blog could end up in someone's hands as a result of a google search. I got an email from my sister, "suggesting" that I didn't say anything our brother, who has AIDS. Our last name is never mentioned, so I thought I was anonymous. But, I also mentioned her religious order (my sister is a sister), and whenever her order is mentioned, they get an alert. One of the nuns read my blog, and she sent the link to my sister. So here I am, 36 years after getting out of Catholic school, only to be yelled at by a nun! Now I feel like I have to watch whatever I say. I don't want to make it invitation only.

    I also have to be careful if I want to vent about my job. I recently made the decision to make my blog available via Facebook. This is a place where I can vent if I want to. Now I have to be careful what I say.

    My pet peeves? Music on blogs. I end up having to scroll, looking for the playlist so I can turn it off.

    Another is word verification, but I'm just starting to get spam comments (viagra!!!), so I understand why folks put the verification. I may end up doing it if I start getting too much spam.

    Here's a question... are we supposed to comment on our comments? I often forget to check back to see if the write commented to me (I follow about 100 blogs.. hard to keep up!) Maybe I should start commenting to comments via email.

    The comment thing where you have to register name, email and blog. Since I had my identity stolen, all that stored stuff is gone from my computer and I have to fill all that junk in every time I do a comment!

    Wow! this was long! sorry! :)

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  48. What a wide open forum and I loved reading the comments!

    The one thing I wish someone had told me before I jumped in with two feet was that the name of your blog was really important. Once you really get into the swing of things, it's hard to change.

    My biggest pet peeve? Word verification! Half the time I can't read the words...they make absolutely no sense and the other is that when I do leave a comment, type in the word, it erases what I've said & I have to start all over. Drives me nuts...plus takes tons of time...which I want to use to read other blogs.

    I hear you loud and clear with the mojo..it happens and then it's gone the next day. Trust me..."you got the mojo!"

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  49. Joanna, First thank you for advertising the latest roast on Rosaria - much appreciated.
    Blogging peeves:
    No 1 I make a lengthy comment and input a great deal of thought and then endeavour to send it (with or without word verification) AND . . . . .
    It all goes into hyperspace to be read by startled little green men . . . AND
    I am excommunicated from BLOGGER in a sudden flash! Consequently I am almost inclined to throw the wretched computer through the window . .
    I have solved this most annoying situation and IT CANNOT DO THAT TO ME AGAIN!!! Ha Ha! . . . Why?
    Because when I have finished my comment I copy it by depressing the keys ctrl AND c.
    I try to send it - sometimes it accepts but if not this time I smile to myself because if I am summaralily expelled from blogger I just enter the post again and PASTE the comment I have saved into the comment box by depressed ctrl AND v and hey presto it either accepts or rejects and if it rejects I keep doing it until the comment is sent. I do this all the time now and save hours and hours of wasted time.

    My second worry concerning blogging is not having sufficient time to visit all my friends and followers. I do feel bad about this but I cannot devote any more time to blogging since there is an outside Blogsville life to live as well.
    My wife thinks I am totally bananas already for devoting so many hours to this hobby. She accepts it as a hobby but a non blogger can never understand what it is like to live in Blogsville.

    I think we all agree Blogging is very addictive and I have tried to give it up once with no effect (started again the next day LOL) but I am learning to be a little more strict with myself.

    But I love it and I have made some fabulous friends.
    I did a post called "A blogging he would go" which caused a bit of amusement.

    See you soon Joanna ~ Eddie
    and yes I have saved all this before I attempt to sent it. I expect blogger has gone to sleep!

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  50. I didn't do any research before I went into blogging. Just plunged straight in. May be there should have been a warning about addiction and how long I would spend blogging.
    The things I hate.......... adverts! So much glittery background that it takes for ever to load up.Memes and tags!
    When blogger lets you down and prevents you getting onto a blog....... sometimes your own.

    I am hopelessly addicted to it and spend too long blogging but I do enjoy it. My one indulgence.

    I hope Atilla's son continues to do well and makes a full recovery.

    Nuts in May

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  51. Please stop by my blog - I'm presenting your blog an award.

    honest scrap award

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  52. I wish I had listened to advice not to use my real name. Someone from my past looked me up, and caused all kinds of trouble for me. It's okay now, but I had to threaten to file a police report.

    Anyway, I detest ads on blogs, and am not a fan of word verification.

    Great post!

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  53. As echoed by everyone---great topic. Here's my take on blogging---it shouldn't feel like a "job"---if you can't figure out what to say, then step away; you're audience isn't going anywhere. I think that's why I don't follow a lot of people---I want people to ready quality, not quantity.

    Pet Peeve---the comment section. I am so guilty of counting how many comments I get left. Its hard to read blogs that get an avg. of 30 comments next to my 5. But then I remind myself why I blog and to stop being self-centered :)

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  54. I didn't expect blogging to become so time-consuming. I have had to cut down the amount of time I blog (which used to be every day) because I just wasn't getting any work done.

    Pet peeves include - a lot of ads on blogs that take ages to load. Trolls. People who don't comment respectfully.
    Overall though, it is a fairly positive experience!

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  55. I've enjoyed my blogging experience and continue to do so. Like many others, I didn't think I would spend so much time on it, but oh well...

    My biggest problem is technical. I can't stop the fact that in Blogger, you can't reply right after the person's comment. I wish that got changed. I'm sure there are other things that bother me, but I'm too tired to think of anything right now lol

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  56. joanna, this sounds like a great idea! I'll give it some thought and get back with you. I'm coming up on a year the last week of December, and if someone had told me what I was about to get into? Humm, definitely need to mull that one.

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  57. I was going to say it's probably like the tide, it comes & goes, consistently. Maybe you're overreacting??? So what if you spend all day blogging. I know lots of people that work all day & love their jobs:)

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  58. Thanks for doing this, I've so enjoyed reading all the comments.
    I love blogging and have just tried to wade into the waters slowly.
    I suppose my pet peeves are the same as everyones, and there is that whole thing confusion where you write something you feel is important or moving and no one comments, and then you visit a blog where someone basically sums up a news report and they have 235 people telling them they are so awesome.
    I'm starting to think that Facebook and Twitter is becoming a huge part of the whole interaction and loyalty part and that would just take too much time. Just posting, reading, commenting etc is already so time consuming.

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  59. Кажется, это подойдет.

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  60. The one thing I wish I had known was to think about the name of my blog not just rushing in.

    I am not sure about commenting when someone comments on my blog.

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