Well. All right. I was a little hasty in yesterday’s post. The wondrous, all-powerful IT people have now restored our access, and I can resume reading about naked ladies knitting.
But.
(See, you knew there would be a but, right?) I noticed that while a great part of me was relieved, there was this small blue part that thought, "Oh. I thought I was off the hook there. I thought that meant more book-reading time. More time to write."
Let’s examine that.
This blogging thing is one of my main joys in life. Really. I love and adore it. And you. I have no intention of stopping. But MAN, does it take a lot of time and commitment. If you know me, you know I have Catholic issues with guilt. (Never been Catholic, however, nor has anyone in my family. I was crushed when Mom told me I probably couldn’t be a nun because I wasn’t Catholic. Devastated. I’m not kidding.) Big guilty feelings happen when I don’t wash my sheets often enough, so imagine how I feel when I realize I haven’t left a comment on a person’s site in a long time, and I really like that person, and I want her to know I like her.
Then I had a rather revelatory thought. I thought about the people that I read and love who rarely, if ever, comment on my blog. I realized that I don’t mind if they don’t comment on mine. I don’t care if they don’t even read my blog. Ever. I still read them, still adore ’em, and even better, feel no obligation to leave a comment behind me when I close the window.
Do you ever feel that way? I’ve been blogging now for about three years, two of them within the knitting community (even though god knows how I got here, I almost never write about knitting), and I’ve found the people out here to be some of the most brilliant, caring people I’ve ever had the privilege of meeting. I can’t wait to read my favorite sites, and it feels like coming home when I do. But there was a moment that happened, about a year ago, maybe, when I got a wonderful comment from someone who maintained a fantastic site with unbelievably great writing, and while I was thrilled to make her acquaintance, there was a part of me that said, "Shit. That’s another fantabulous person I want to keep up on. Damn it."
Would you all just quit being so freaking awesome? Please?
So I have a rather drastic resolution. I’m going to read Bloglines like it’s goin’ out of style (please, please, please, publish an unabridged RSS feed if at all possible — it ups your chances of being read by more people by about a million percent. Or at least a little more. It might not be quite that high. But it’s higher. Jeesh). I’ll dip in and comment when I feel really moved to do so. I will not feel guilty about this. I will still adore you. I promise. I hope you adore me, too. (Damned codependent crap. Oh, well. Who doesn’t like to be liked?)
My little worrying voice is chipping away in my mind (I know, they have drugs for that, but I’m not ready for ’em just yet), asking, "Is that okay? Will that work for you?"
I say to it (myself, whatever), "Yes! It’s okay! They’re blogs, for the love of cashmere. They’re not your life."
But really, they are a large part of my life. Okay.
Okay?
Okay.
Happy weekend, all. Thanks for reading me. I’m a better person for y’all. I’m so HAPPY to know you. Big, sloppy MWAH.
Is it all right with you if I write a post today that just tells people, “yeah, what she said”?
Me too. 🙂
I am Catholic, and yes, you could still be a nun……Not that you would want to now, Tee Hee.
As a Catholic, I know all about the guilt.
There are blogs and bloggers out there whose stuff I adore but I almost never leave comments. A few months ago, something wonky happened with our computer system at work. Most days, I don’t have access to typepad blogs. I can’t comment even though I read.
Most of my comments come from an early morning sweep that I do of Margene, Wendy, you, and a few others.
It hasn’t stopped me from sending the occasional email or making a point of stopping by to comment on something particularly noteworthy in the evening.
No worries, ‘kay?
You are so appreciative of your readers in your last post, it made me feel guilty! (I was Catholic (until I got old enough to understand the birth control thing) and am a mom, so I know guilt.) So I am compelled to tell you why I enjoy reading your blog. Even when you’re down or having a bad day, your posts are funny, upbeat, and you always tell a great story. While I enjoy reading about your knitting, I’m not disappointed if knitting isn’t mentioned. So keep doing what you’re doing!
Not a Catholic myself, but with two Jewish grandmothers, OY, do I know from guilt. Cabernet helps, most of the time.
Hell, I don’t think there’s a blogger out there who thanks her readers as regularly as you do, missy. I’ll say it again – – it ain’t no surprise that you’ve got great readers when you’re an unmitigated sweetheart yourself. Full stop.
Now, go read something, and don’t comment unless you feel like it. They’ll understand, I’m sure.
Is it okay to say you crack me up?
I love your Catholic craze! No worries about commenting. We know you love us. 🙂 And we love you to Rachael!
MWAH, yourself, dollface! You can do whatever you want, you know? And it is all good. Like Joni said, “…honey, the love keeps flowin’…”
are you sure you’re not Catholic?
What everyone else has said 🙂
I love reading your blog and look forward to it every day. The reason I don’t leave many comments is mostly because I’m not a knit blogger (I knit, I blog, but my blog isn’t about my knitting), so I’m quietly in awe of all of the fabulous knit bloggers out there, such as yourself. But rest assured, I’m here every day, admiring your handiwork 🙂
Catholic guilt – Hee 🙂
Bloglines – love it. And it’s easy to hop over to the blog and leave comments. The only drawback I’ve found is that it introduces you to even more blogs than you already read. I’m up to 200+ in my private account!
I definitely understand. I’ve noticed lately that blogs/bloglines/blogging has taken over way too much of my time. I love reading it and posting, but there is so many other things I need to do, and I find I’m neglecting them.
Right back at ya, baby! and, yes, we do love you.
I feel that way as well…and you are one of my daily reads…a must even when I was at training this week… 🙂 I may not always comment…but I am peeking over your shoulder seeing what you are knitting! 🙂
have a great weekend!
This is great! Now if neither of us comment on each other’s blogs, we’ll know we REALLY love each other.
Brillant. BRILLIANT!!!
well darn. now i’ll feel guilty if i DON’T leave a comment! ;o)
really, i’ve posted a few times, but you are on my “must read” list. i am inspired by your running (i tried, i was in pain…. plantar facsitis…) your writing, your wit. don’t leave us!
hugs –
♥ katie
Bloglines has been saving me soooo much time reading blogs that I finally added a feed of my own. It’s great knowing that my faithful readers won’t miss any of my posts!
Sweety! We ALL have the same issue/problem with keeping up with it all. Great writing, good people, fine knitting….we’re all in this together.
I guess logging on to leave the comment “what she said!” isn’t as original as I thought it was, huh?
I don’t comment as much as I’d like to because I spend a lot of my blog-reading time with a toddler attached to my breast, and it’s just not that comfortable to type in that position (trust me on this one). I have a remote mouse so I can click away, and have even installed Robo Form so I can buy yarn without touching the keyboard (Bad. Idea.)
You are loved, comments or not. I’ll try to remember that too.
Hey Rachel,
I have to read your blog every morning when I get to work. Congrats on your new house. I’m so proud for you. I know what a headache it can be. Bought my home 6 years ago following a divorce and thought I’d go insane. But I survived. So did my daughter. I crochet and knit and enjoy reading knitting blogs. So many talented folks out there to keep me inspired. Have a great weekend!
I stopped leaving comments-for-comments’-sake on the blogs I really like over the past few months, but without making a conscious decision like you have. I was really busy for a while and just didn’t have the time, and then I just never got back into it. Felt a tiny bit guilty for a short time, like how will these friends I’ve made know that I’m still their friend if I don’t think of something to say in a comment? But the guilt went away, and now I only comment when I have something to say about a post, not just to let them know I’m reading. The friendships keep themselves going in other ways.
Ok, yeah…what J Strizzy said. If I have something to say I’ll comment. If I don’t…don’t take it personally. You make me laugh almost every day.
Jung said that it’s ok to have Bad Thoughts (ones that make you guilty for even thinking it).. simply acknowledging the thoughts (your shadow side) frees you from its impact, were it swilling in your subconscious. Since finding that out, tho’, I’ve been overindulging in bad thoughts so I make up for it by encouraging them in other people. Think bad; be good.
Does that make sense?
I quite liked the idea of being a nun when I was younger but I really wanted to be a priest. And a freemason.
Yep, you’re totally onto something here, my dear. But do I really have to do the RSS-feed thingamajiggy? ‘Cause even though I know I’m not on Bloglines, the RSS/XML/whatever scares me a little. But I’m a dorky luddite. With a blog. Go figure.
I am addicted too and spend an embarassing amount of time with my laptop reading everyone’s blogs and something I am ashamed to admit – I am constantly checking my stats, hoping they will make me feel like Sally Field on Oscar Night …. I wish I could bring myself to drop my site meter, but I am not strong enough, I need it, I’ve got to have it …… send help!
I got into blogging because of knitting – I think Bonnie Marie’s was the first blog I read. I know I don’t leave comments enough, but I enjoy reading your blog so much I never really noticed you hardly ever mention knitting. Really. Congratulations on your new house and your excellent running.
I’m a little weird when it comes to leaving comments. I tend to leave them more on blogs that don’t seem to get many comments. If I see that someone regularly gets 30 comments a day, I usually don’t add anything because (a) everything has been said and (b) I guess I am trying to encourage the good bloggers who don’t have a lot of traffic.
Trust me, honey, they’ll still let you be a nun. They’ll just convert you first.
Good for you! I need to ween myself off blogs too… but there is just so much to see. I wish you success, but I hope you’ll keep the funny stories coming just in case I stay glued to the computer screen for a few more months.
I just signed on to Bloglines and it has changed my (blogging)life! There were so many blogs I wanted to read, but I couldn’t even keep up with my ten best buddies. But now I’m adding subscriptions like there’s no tomorrow. I am so happy to be able to read so much more of the fabulous stuff that’s out there. Like your stuff! 🙂
I hauled my blog into the 21st century last night and upgraded to something with RSS. So now you *have* to read it! *evil grin* Kidding! But I have my bloglines subscription link up now.
Scary thing is I can now post from work if I want to. Before I had to be at home on my laptop.
Your comments about comments really hit home. And your solution fits right into my “Take Back Your Time” campaign. So keep on blogging and keep on reading one way or the other, and comment however best you can, and we’ll all muddle along with our lives somehow.
It’s all your fault. I switched to Typepad so I could have an RSS feed. And then I subscribed to Bloglines.
Stop reading my mind! I’ve been feeling kind of guilty about neglecting our commentarious relationship. I haven’t left my droppings here in a long while, but every day I intend on doing so, because I want to, not because it’s expected. But I don’t because I feel always in a hurry.
But it’s not like I picture you sitting here wondering where I’ve been or any…
What’s that?
Oh. Marcia.
No. With C-I-A. Like Patricia, only with a Marcia.
k.
Yeah, How’s it going?
Anyway.
Comments do connect us. And while I think that we shouldn’t feel guilty about not doing it, I personally want to improve on it, because it is important, to me.
In fact, I think we should have a knitblogringwide “Leave a comment at a new blog Week” to encourage us to get out of our commentious routines. Do I type like I’m on drugs? I’m not, but my sustained release medication kind of ebbs and flows when it wanes.
My Point: Even if I forget to comment here at least once a week, please know that you always rock in my book. And I’m out here. Sometimes way out here. But here, nontheless. Bye.
I totally get your view on commenting. I am the same way. I read, read, and read the blogs, but don’t comment often, and I don’t care if I don’t have any myself. I blog for me.
I have just tried to add myself to Bloglines, but it doesn’t have me as a feed and I’m not sure why. It will only show my bloglines blog, which I don’t want. Do you know how to fix this?
can I add you to my favourites?
Aaaah! It’s because of Bloglines and Atom feeds that I haven’t been commenting on my favorite blogs as much as I used to. Bad Becky, bad! Which is a shame, because I get as much fun commenting on blogs as I do reading them, even if commenting does cut down the number of blogs I get to read during my allotted blog reading time. (Yes, I really do restrict myself to a daily blog reading time of no more than 30 mins…how whack is that rabbit?)