No no, not a c-o-d-e! I hab a code! By dose id all stubbed up. By ears are all buzzy. Uck.
I’m on my second box of Puffs Plus and even those are starting to feel like heavy grit sandpaper. And here’s how you know I am sick – I don’t want to eat anything. But, I will persevere. Gotta work today, but at least I will be here at home and not spreading my germs around to other people.
There are two results of spending a weekend with a cold. Number one is I got nothing. I bet you were kinda figuring that out on your own by now. The rambling probably gave me away. The biggest Monday morning nightmare [if you can have a nightmare in the morning] for someone with a blog – no content! Never fear – a lack of quality stuff to blog about has never stopped me before and I see no reason to change that now.
The second result is that, I used the time to really get to work on moving my blog to my own domain [and yes I will be master – or mistress, I guess – there] and getting WordPress all installed and functioning properly. I am working to make things a little more accessible, like categorizing the recipes by type, which is something I can’t really do very easily with Blogger. I have lots of pretty cool stuff coming up in the next year or so and getting the blog moved is the first step.
But a blog is nothing without the people who come to read it. Blogging is a very social activity and I think one of the reasons it has become so popular is that it is participatory. You don’t just read a blog. By commenting, you become part of it, because comments actually become another paragraph in the post.
So – I have two questions for you today. Since my brain is too fuzzy to think up anything really interesting to say, I will let you guys fill in for me. Didn’t think I was going to put you to work this morning, did you?
1. What keeps you blogging?
2. What do you look for in a blog that keeps you coming back?
I can’t wait to see what you all have to say about this. I will share my answers tomorrow. And because you were patient with my meandering mind this morning, here is a little peek at things to come:
Hope you feel better as the day goes on.
What keeps me blogging….I really don’t know. I’ve been asking myself that question lately and have yet to come up with the answer. What do I look for in other people’s blog? One thing only: interesting content. And that can be just about anything, words, photos, etc. It just has to be interesting. And your blog is, to me at least. That’s why I keep coming back. It’s interesting, some blogs I like are one-dimensional, while other, like yours, are multi-dimensional.
So there you have it! Answers to questions asked!
As far as not having a brain to think up anything for a post. My post today consists of one word…that’s how uninspired I was last night. POOH!
I haven’t been around for a few days, so I’m sorry to come here and find out you’re still not feeling well. Hope you turn the corner soon!
hope you feel better soon. I started blogging because I needed to deal with some issues and it was a soapbox for me. Then it became a social outlet and a way for me to share my photography.
blogs I read draw me in with some wit and some insight, touch me in some way – whether emotionally or with a sense of humor. I look forward to developing relationships with some bloggers as we all grow together. I also go to blogs that interest me with their photography or other related interests.
Originally I started blogging to spread the word about Spasmodic Dysphonia. Then I figured out that I could use the blog as a sort of journal. I also use it to keep in touch with friends and family and to let them know what is going on in my world. Sometimes I even write a bit . . .
The blogs I keep coming back to are simply blogs which catch my fancy. The blogger’s voice makes some connection with me and what they blog about is interesting to me.
First…get well.
Second…loyal readers keep me blogging. I love sharing my stories and photos with the readers.
Third…I can’t wait to see your new home.
:)
I am liking the new look;) And I hope you feel better soon. Take Mucinex. It is a wonder drug.
I started blogging to vent. But now I keep blogging because I would miss all my friends. All my friends around the world. My husband thinks I’ve lost my mind.
He is partly right.
I started blogging when a niece sked me to stop sending my junk to just the family and get a blog site. I did and I do. Once upon a time I was bummed out that no one was commenting and was told to put a counter on my site. Almost 18,000 hits later, I realize that a lot of people read and don’t comment. I read blogs for content not pretty borders. I stop reading those that have white letters on black backgrounds. My Code is better. MUD
Wishing you would get better QUICK!
And I think the new blog will look great .. did I tell you I was toying with a header similar to your’s .. ironically I was trying to describe what I wanted to Kate who said she thought she saw one like that .. neither of us thought of you .. DOH on us!
Did you do it in Photoshop or on picknik.com?
Oh no that stinks that you are sick!!
Hmm… What keeps me blogging.. Actually its my readers. Not that I have many! Lol! But I like voicing my thoughts and opinions and I like that people will agree or critisize. It keeps me honest.
And what I look for in a blog is good photos, quick wit, humor, something that makes me laugh. I use my time to read other blogs as a ‘break’ time, so it has to make me feel good and feel like I am getting away from it all for a bit.
And good recipes. I still LOVE your apple crisp. Lol!
You need to remember that it’s a two way street… You can’t ask for comments if you are not willing to leave them yourself. There’s certainly lots of great things to say!
First – Anon: I know this very well and it is something I feel badly about. I often am not able to get back to answer comments, [I do try always to answer questions] though I try to get around to my commenter’s blogs at least every couple days. I am not always successful there either. I will try to improve.
And, as I said, I will anwer my own question tomorrow.
Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts about this and in particular for the kind comments about my blog. (((hugs)))
No germs in the hug, I promise!
Daryl – I use Paint Shop Pro Ultimate Photo X2. It falls somewhere between Elements and Photoshop as far as functionality, but with a price tending to the lower end. I just eyeballed it actually, using photos that have already been on my blog. The WordPress template I am using rotates the headers, so that you never know which one will be there when you hit the page. Pretty fun.
I like the new look you’re creating Dlyn! I also like the idea of the header changing, sounds fun. Are you using wordpress.org then? Do you know CSS and if so, how did you learn? I use wordpress.com where I can just use whatever template catches my eye but certainly am not smart enough to create my own. ;)
BTW – I’m bad at commenting too… Something I need to work on but I do blog for myself first and foremost, then family and friends, and then for conversation w/ outsiders who do become friends via the net. I read a bit from other people’s blogs but only have so much time in the day so am not good about cycling through my favorite blogs though try and visit each atleast once a week.
I started blogging as a creative outlet mainly for my photography, then it became a sort of journal to look back on my little girl’s developing and on my going’s on around here on the ranch. ;) It’s fun to see what the calves looked like last year when they were born! :D
I hope you feel better soon and I really do enjoy your blog. Your recipes are especially fun and are great inspiration for this SAHM who lacks creativity in the kitchen… Thanks to you and P-Dub, I’m doing much better.
Hey, I know that baby.
1. Nothing has kept me blogging lately. Too busy. But when I do blog I do it because it is a good way to keep my friends and family up on the lastest. I also enjoy the social aspect. It is nice to be able to connect.
2. I visit blogs that perk my interest. I enjoy blogs where I have something in common with the author.
Feel better.
Oh, I like that look Dlyn!! Very nice.
The feeling of connectedness is what keeps me blogging. The support ain’t too bad, either. Life is tough sometimes and right now, it’s a bit of a mess. Blogging and sharing my photography actually help me get out of that place and into one where I am a participant.
Just like you have friends in the ‘real world’, you cultivate friends in the blogging world. I come to the blogs of my friends and then some. I will return to a blog that has a shorter post rather than one that goes on and on. And on and on. I eventually find myself skimming. I don’t like blogs with music, and there are a few that I visit, but I always have to mute my sound before I open them up.
Hope this helps.
Forgot to mention what keeps me coming back to certain blogs, too.
It’s what they are saying, and how they’re saying it. I love wit, good photography and good humor.
Ok. I think I’m done now.
You sound like you’re feeling better, and that’s good!
Hope you feel better soon!
What keeps me blogging – I think food bloggers are a wonderful, supportive, generous community. Being a part of it is the greatest motivation to blog.
Well, I don’t blog too much, besides looking at the blogs of relatives that I love, admire and appreciate. On the other hand …. the reason I come to your blog is ….. ; ) …. because you have awesome photos, your’e creative and artistic, have a great sense of humor and really good recipes, (though I have been known to complain about Tuesday’s content.) Finally, if your post gives me good reason to write some annoying and embarrassing comments so that I can still be the twirpy little cousin that I always was to you ….. I like that!
I started blogging originally because I liked yours and it gave me away to say stuff all at once to lots of people I am not good about keeping in touch with.
Now its an outlet for bragging about my dogs sharing my electic sense of humor and musings. It’s just plain fun.