What Is The Value Of Comment Sense?

What is the value of comment sense is the sort of goofy and ambiguous headline that makes my black heart go pitter-patter. I love the way it establishes a foundation to go right or left, or maybe front or backwards.

It sets a tone that is at once off key and harmonious with exactly what I want or at least what I think I want. I think about these things often because it is part of who I am.

I like to pick, poke and prod.

I want to know why some things work and others don’t. It is equally applicable to the blogosphere as to real life.

What is Comment Sense?

I guess I see it as being tied into every other conversation we have had here about comments. I see it as being part and parcel of those. If you haven’t participated let me provide you with blogging philosophy as it pertains to comments.

This is a two way street. I will write whether you comment or not but you will have no say/influence in what I write unless you comment. You will have no say in what sort of community is being built here unless you comment.

Comments are not currency. They are not a valid indicator of whether a blog is successful or not. This doesn’t mean they cannot be used as part of measuring success, just that they shouldn’t be used on their own.

My goal is to have this place function like a barbecue or cool bar. We are here to talk, hang out and get to know each other. I like it better when I know what you think, but that doesn’t mean that I am going to do what you say. It just means that I prefer to give you the opportunity to share your thoughts about the various topics we discuss/

If you act like a jerk I may help you hoist yourself onto your own petard, or I may not.

People Remember How You Make Them Feel

People tend to remember the time you made them feel stupid or helped them remember that people can be jerks. It is rarely effective to try and convince someone to change their behavior by making them feel stupid.

I have a memory like an elephant for the times it has happened to me. I try not to hold onto that sort of crazy because it serves little to no purpose. All it does is give someone free rent inside your head and the worst part is that it could be given to someone you despise.

You don’t want to give free rent to the jerks you want forget, or at least I don’t.

The kids and I talk about this more often than I wish. They ask about moving and want to know if we’ll have good neighbors or if they will be mean. I remind them they haven’t ever had bad neighbors and that there is no point in worrying about things that have never happened.

They only sort of listen to me. They are both going to public school this year and are excited but nervous. I tell them I am too, but say that I am confident in their abilities. It is true, I am.

But part of me feels badly that the end of their time at the private school has come. The dark haired beauty hasn’t had as much time there as her brother and that really hits me. I want it to be fair. I don’t want them to say one got more than the other.

Sometimes I say that and laugh because I know some people would call me a socialist or a communist for saying/thinking it. I would be the snob who told them they can complain when they understand what the words mean and why they might be important. And then I would ask them to prove they voted.

Comment Sense And Blogging

When I circle back to comments on blogs I come back to the same places over and over. Dissent is a healthy thing. We don’t always need to agree but if you don’t try not to make it personal.

Don’t make every comment an ad for your blog. Ask questions of others and answer them.

If you aren’t having fun in the blogopshere what are you doing here. Yes, it is rhetorical question.

I think I am falling asleep while writing this so I need to wrap it up soon. Today was a really good day.

My baby had her birthday and we had all kinds of fun, but even though I know her age I still can’t believe she isn’t a toddler anymore.

If you comment on my blog I will try to make a point to visit yours, but I don’t guarantee that I will get there, because sometimes I don’t.

The Summer Slowdown

The summer slowdown is in full effect. If you are new to blogging don’t freak out about the drop in traffic because it happens to most of us. The traffic on my blog is a bit lighter than normal but I expect it to pick back up when school starts again.

It happens every year and then we forget because traffic goes back up and comments mirror expectations.

What do you think?

This was part of Just Write #45.

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