Yesterday I wrote a bit about a new trend of not allowing comments on blogs. This morning I'm going to write about my difficulties with knowing how to respond to the comments left on this blog.
While I enjoy your comments immensely and I read over each one several times, I'm sure many of you have noticed that I don't always respond to them. Often, one or more of you will make astute points and I simply leave them there hanging in the wind.
This lack of response is borne out in my difficulties with face-to-face social interactions. I'm never sure when a statement by one person or another is made to elicit a response from me. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've stood there stone silent when the person I'm speaking to expects me to respond in some manner or another. Just as often, however, I respond to some side comment at great length and I'm later informed that no comment was expected and whatever it was that I said was NOT appreciated.
I run into the same dilemmas regarding the comments you leave here. I'm never certain when I should add my own thoughts or stay quiet, so my default position is the latter.
Besides, I get to write whatever I want whenever I want at any length I want because I'm the sole author of this blog. The vast majority of all the words, sentences and thoughts you'll find here are mine. Since the comments section has been included as a way for you to agree, disagree or both, I sometimes feel like an intruder when I comment on your comments.
I do realize that many folks desire acknowledgment from the host of any blog. Many of you read over and ponder the words I share here and it's obvious that most of you take the time to leave thoughtful comments. From time to time, I try to respond in-kind.
That said, I have a personal pet peeve about blog hosts who respond with innocuous statements like, "Thanks for your comments" or "Thanks for stopping by." Such statements provide little indication that the person actually read the comment itself! It seems to me to be something to type when you really don't know what to say.
When I'm not sure what to say or how to respond, I tend to not say anything which may seem rather hilarious to many of you since I seem to have an awful lot to say in this space. :-D
While I enjoy your comments immensely and I read over each one several times, I'm sure many of you have noticed that I don't always respond to them. Often, one or more of you will make astute points and I simply leave them there hanging in the wind.
This lack of response is borne out in my difficulties with face-to-face social interactions. I'm never sure when a statement by one person or another is made to elicit a response from me. I can't begin to tell you how many times I've stood there stone silent when the person I'm speaking to expects me to respond in some manner or another. Just as often, however, I respond to some side comment at great length and I'm later informed that no comment was expected and whatever it was that I said was NOT appreciated.
I run into the same dilemmas regarding the comments you leave here. I'm never certain when I should add my own thoughts or stay quiet, so my default position is the latter.
Besides, I get to write whatever I want whenever I want at any length I want because I'm the sole author of this blog. The vast majority of all the words, sentences and thoughts you'll find here are mine. Since the comments section has been included as a way for you to agree, disagree or both, I sometimes feel like an intruder when I comment on your comments.
I do realize that many folks desire acknowledgment from the host of any blog. Many of you read over and ponder the words I share here and it's obvious that most of you take the time to leave thoughtful comments. From time to time, I try to respond in-kind.
That said, I have a personal pet peeve about blog hosts who respond with innocuous statements like, "Thanks for your comments" or "Thanks for stopping by." Such statements provide little indication that the person actually read the comment itself! It seems to me to be something to type when you really don't know what to say.
When I'm not sure what to say or how to respond, I tend to not say anything which may seem rather hilarious to many of you since I seem to have an awful lot to say in this space. :-D
I too, don't always know how to reply to comments. I am kinda shy, and am not good at starting conversation. Blogging makes this a little easier. I find that the longer I read a blog, the more inclined I am to comment - like I have gotten to know you well enough to be comfortable in commenting. Most of the time, I get no response to my comment. That's okay - I figure that is due to the blogger's sense of being unsure as to how to respond.
ReplyDeleteI really appreciate reading a blog's content AND comments that are related to the content - including the blogger's comments on the comments.
don't sweat it, half the time i don't respond to comments on my blog either. i appreciate when people comment of course, but, like you, i'd rather not say anything than say something pointless.
ReplyDelete