If the Phone Doesn't Ring, It's Me
-Jimmy Buffett
Technology is awesome. I can contact people in several different ways at any hour of the day. I can look up just about anything online. I can't seem to remove the following sentence from my vocabulary: "I am not sure about that, I will have to google it". You can add your two cents on any topic in several forums. And its a great way to keep in touch. Its funny, Ryann and I seeing each other it hardly seems like we haven't lived in the same town for years - There is very little catching up to do. We see each other's blogs so we already know what is generally going on. - We can go headfirst into girl talk. So those are the good things ... now onto the shady areas...
"Comment" expectations:
Do you feel the need to respond to comments you receive? I love to get comments on my blog but I don't know the route to take to show my appreciation. Especially if I want to respond - do I comment back to my own blog - comment on theirs, email, etc. I have gotten complimentary comments on my Flickr photos and I was thrilled - but when I went to the sender's site I felt fake doing the "hey thanks I like your pictures too" thing.
"Sharing" expectations:
Who do you tell about your blog? I am never sure. I like to share,but I am not sure how to approach it. Some people I tell and they seem like they could care less. Some I email and it feels like the awkward "hey come look at my babies' pictures" thing. The other thing is that my blog can sometimes be irreverent and sarcastic as well as offer too much information. But like Popeye would say "I yam what I yam" so maybe I should just warn people.
"Communication" expectations:
So I like make-up, nail polish, chick flicks, and babies - but I lack one major "girl" gene. I don't like talking on the phone. And besides not being a phone person I have this weird thing about talking on the phone in front of other people. I don't know why. I don't have a fear of public speaking - I have spoken to crowds of 500+ people but talking on the phone in front of someone else even other family members makes my skin crawl. I apologize to most everyone - because I know for a fact I have at one point or another cut a conversation short, ignored a call, or not returned one. Now on to my point. I unfairly lean on my blog for friends that I phone-neglect to get information. Is that presumptuous of me to assume they are regularly checking the blog - and will get necessary info? Is it rude that I don't take the time to call?
Now that my editorial is over... A quick update:
My mom had a good weekend we even got to see Aunt Beth. But this week she started fully experiencing the side effects of radiation: severe radiation burns. And since she is being treated for anal cancer you can only imagine it is burns in the most fun places. I am doing my best to help including googling my brain out on radiation burn treatment, and picking up liquid morphine at the pharmacy. It is very, very hard to see someone you love in this much pain. Since breast cancer seems to be the "popular" cancer - I will abuse my blog for a public service announcement -- MOMS: Get the HPV vaccine for your daughters - this type of cancer is caused by a HPV strain. Everyone deserves the right to avoid this!
4 comments:
Janie, I know exactly what you mean. When it comes to commenting on someone's comments, I'll just reply to comments on my own blog instead of going to theirs (which is how I've seen several people do it). Now most people probably don't look back to see if I made a reply, but I like to at least make the effort.
When it comes to who we share things with, I think that's completely up to each person. I've given my blog address to a few people who I know have never looked at it, and that's okay. It's their choice. And for the important info, well I can call my mom and she will make sure everyone at her house knows, so the only other person who would really need to know what's going on, checks my blog regularly so I guess I'm safe there.
I'm kind of like you when it comes to the phone. I can talk to a few people for a while on the phone, but I have been known to not call people back when they have called because I know I'm going to be on for a while, and I'm just not in the mood for it. If I have to make a phone call and it's someone I don't know and will never meet, then I can call, no big deal. But if it's someone I don't know and I'm going to meet them later, I have the hardest time making that call.
Janie-
I'm glad you wrote this because I too wonder about blog ettiquette. Personally, I love to get comments on my blog and I have started to just respond to them in my own comments. When I leave a question on someone else's blog, I continue to check back hoping for an answer (although I;m often ignored). So I say, if someone corresponds on your blog-answer them. At least aht is my vote.
And I too tend to neglect people if I read their blog. You just know what is going on so you don't have real person communication. My ward found my blog (a whole other story) and now they don't really bother to ask what is going on in my life because they can read it. So in that vain, I don't like it because I think that you need to interact-especially at church. But it is really nice for friends who live far away like yourself.
As for who gets to see the blog...I generally let anyone look at it. Every now and then I will send out mass emails giving family updates and I always mention the blog for them to view if they want. I would have preferred that my ward not have found it because I often use the blog to vent my frustrations and many have read them and it didn't go over well. But now I"ve learned to be somewhat more restrained with my posts.
So there is my two cents worth. I'm curious to see how other's respond!
I tried to put a poll on the blog but couldn't figure it out. I agree with both of you guys to respond to comments in your own comments - that way others can see the back and forth that ensues -
Maybe you should write a book of blog etiq. I like to leave comments, but I don't respond to them on my blog, I prefer to write e-mails. But if there was a debate going on, I might comment on my blog. I generally don't tell people about my blog, only family and really close friends. I figure most don't care anyways. I've been around you a bit. You seem to get a lot of cell phone calls. Maybe family missed the memo:)
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