Thursday, June 12, 2008

Bloggoty, bloggoty, blog



Doesn't that make your mouth feel good when you say that title? Oh. It does mine. But that's not what I wanted to talk about.
What I wanted to talk about is that I'm having issues.
Blog issues.
Oh, not my own so much, but other people's.
I have spoken about blog addiction before and it's worth a revisit just for the picture. You don't need to read it because I'm going to tell you what I said in it right here. What I said was that I had become addicted (and not in a good way) to a certain blog which I refused to name, but now freely admit (and this is without therapy!) was the blog of the Dooce.
God Bless the Dooce, who is right this very second just a few counties over from me, vacationing in Destin, Florida. I know this from...her blog, which I still read although not obsessively.
And no, I am not going to go stalk her, although part of me wants to and I did discuss the issue with my daughter, May, who understands because she once went to LaConner, Washington to see if she could just "run into" Tom Robbins.
Unfortunately, she didn't run into him, or perhaps fortunately, but like I say, she understood.
But no, my stalking days are over.
But this has me thinking, isn't reading other people's blogs just a little bit stalkery?
(Feel free to read that line out loud doing your best Sarah-Jessica-Parker-playing-Carrie-Bradshaw voice.)
No matter how hard I try not to, I keep finding and bookmarking new-to-me blogs and putting them in my Google Reader. I can see how if this keeps up I will soon be either blogging or reading blogs approximately 22 hours a day.
And let's face it- there is nothing on earth worth doing 22 hours a day unless you're performing healing miracles on the dying. Or giving me free foot massages, but even then, that might be excessive. I can't imagine saying, oh, that's enough free foot massaging for me, thank-you, and really meaning it, but I suppose it could happen.
So why am I doing this? Reading these blogs? And how do I find them?
Sometimes I read them because the authors read and comment on my blog. And that feels like the polite thing to do, doesn't it? I mean, I'm southern. We're polite. If you bring us some cookies then we feel obligated to bake you a cake. Then you make us a roast suckling pig dinner and then we buy you a chain of restaurants.
That's how it works here.
So I read my commenters' blogs and then sometimes they talk about other people's blogs and so I go check that out and sometimes THOSE people have like THREE blogs and next damn thing you know, my eyes won't focus, the laundry needs taking off the line and all the okra in the garden has gotten as big and hard as the Jolly Green Giant's...wooden leg! and no matter how long you cook it, it's never going to be edible and you might as well fish it out of the pot and dry it off and paint it red and white and give it to someone for a Christmas ornament but I don't have time for that because I'm reading blogs!
So I don't know. I might just have to go cold turkey on this whole blog thing.
But darn it! I want to know what's going on in people's lives! I want to know what they're thinking and what their children are up to and what their dogs are getting into and what they're wearing and....
See what I mean about the stalkery thing?
It's like observing someone's every action without being really involved and it's a bit damn weird when you think about it, even though those people are standing in front of a metaphorical window with the lights on, taking their clothes off and begging you to watch.
Which really, when you think about it, is what blogging is.
So not only is reading other people's blogs weird, but writing one is too.
I'm doubly damned.
I think I better post this shit and go out and pick some okra. Or blackberries.
At least I'll have something to blog about besides blogs.

17 comments:

  1. yeah I just went and added a whole bunch of people that comment on amy's blog.

    and pretty much everyone who comments on my blog, I go read their blog, and if it's the least bit interesting it's added to my blogroll.

    And that's just here, I have about 120 blogs on my livejournal blog list, although not everyone updates them so frequently. I can easily waste 2-3 hours a day reading stuff.

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  2. Ok, this post was so funny I just had to comment. I noticed your blog through my Google Alert Emails a few weeks (crap it's been a few months I guess now) back when you were talking about Carrabelle and Dog Island, and have since then placed you in my Google reader and read your post fairly often. And I understand that feeling of Reader Feed Overload.. My Google Reader clocks at about 800 posts a day.. and if I miss a day of reading them it jumps considerably. I don't update my blog near as often as I should to actually keep readers, but you are doing a great job and your posts are always enjoyable.

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  3. ...and then you will want an ETSY shop to sell those (potentially)hand-made Okra Ornaments... *sigh*... Where does the madness end? :)

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  4. Ms. AE- I feel your pain, honey.
    I've enjoyed, by the way, reading a bit about your journey- wow. You're a brave woman and I commend you!

    Robert- thanks! A Carabelle blogger! And I feel the need to apologize for posting so frequently. It's just an obsession. But I'm glad to hear you enjoy my obsession sometimes and I'm glad you commented because of course that's the paycheck we get.

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  5. Ms. Lemonade- uh, yes. That ETSY place is just way too overwhelming for me.
    You have to draw the line somewhere, right?

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  6. Oh, now look what you've done - you're the Seinfeld of blogging, instead of a tv show about nothing, you have a blog about blogging! And, who is this abandoning eden person - I know I've seen her name before? So, I looked at her blog - the line about "yeah I just went and added a whole bunch of people that comment on amy's blog" got my attention and she has my blog as a link on hers! So, now I have to read more of hers...
    Actually, I blame Ample - I found you through her blog - and where is she now??? Happilly writing poetry. I suggest we all t.p. her blog!!!

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  7. We could never TP Ms. A's blog. Especially since she just repainted and all and it looks so snazzy.
    But yes, let's blame her.
    Or give her credit, to be more accurate.

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  8. "I mean, I'm southern. We're polite. If you bring us some cookies then we feel obligated to bake you a cake. Then you make us a roast suckling pig dinner and then we buy you a chain of restaurants.
    That's how it works here."

    That is the funniest thing I've read in weeks.

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  9. You know, I thought it was funny too. I keep waiting for someone to ask me how they can bring me cookies but so far, nada.

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  10. That was funny as hell, and yes I just got busted for non work related computer use.
    This reminds me of how excited I was about tivo and now it's like another job.
    Pick you obsessions well!

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  11. See. There are some things I know I will never try because I am certain I would immediately become addicted. Crack, heroin, Tivo, to name a few.

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  12. HA HA, My Other Blog is right, you are the Seinfeld of bloggers. I love it. Please don't stop. When are we ( meaning all ten thousand of us ) gonna meet in person?
    ( please don't say heaven or hell, I don't believe).

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  13. This was great! I love your honesty. I was having this discussion with a friend recently, as she has quit blogging (reading or commenting) entirely. It was just too weird for her reading about other (local) people and then seeing them in person on rides or wherever and knowing so much about what's going on with them. I don't feel the same way, I guess, although I see her point of view. I also just really enjoy reading good writing, which yours is, Ms. Moon.

    I am with DTG, that part about being a polite Southerner is so funny. :)

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  14. Lol! what an hilarious post. When I read it virtually felt as if it was written for me. Great post.

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  15. Wait now. Are you guys saying I write about nothing?
    Ummm...
    Sometimes.
    It's all about the writing, though.
    It would appear to me that all of us are somewhat interested in the whole why-do-we-blog question.
    Sally Moon- yep, if we're going to meet, it should definitely be in THIS life. Looks to me like y'all know how to cook a lot of really big meals, plus you brew beer- maybe we should all meet up where you live.

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  16. Ah, you wise woman you.
    Just burned the chili reading through some of your posts.
    Can't help it.

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  17. You're so funny and right on. And I'm excited that I found the answer to my other question, about the blog you were stalking. I mean I can't spend ALL my time here.
    I'm transitioning right now from some really heavy therapy type writing and obsessing. This place has been a welcome distraction and kind of gift to me. So I hope you don't mind me commenting on these older posts or feel stalked yourself. Also, just for the record, I love when you comment on my blog, but I can't even imagine what it's like to have as many commenters and follows as you do and to keep up with every one elses blogs. Please don't feel obligated, in your sweet southern way. Just writing your own blog and commenting on our comments is lovely and more than enough, new blog friend.

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