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Note: if you are not reading this blog post at Disperser.Wordpress.com, know that it has been copied without permission, and likely is being used by someone with nefarious intention, like attracting you to a malware-infested website. Could be they also torture small mammals.
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Please, if you are considering bestowing me some recognition beyond commenting below, refrain from doing so. I will decline nominations whereby one blogger bestows an award onto another blogger, or group of bloggers. I appreciate the intent behind it, but I would much prefer a comment thanking me for turning you away from a life of crime, religion, or making you a better person in some other way. That would actually mean something to me.
Should you still nominate me, I will strongly suspect you pulled my name at random, and that you are not, in fact, a reader of my blog. If you wish to know more, please read below.
About awards: Blogger Awards About “likes”: Of “Likes”, Subscriptions, and Stuff
Note: to those who may click on “like”, or rate the post; if you do not personally hear from me, know that I am sincerely appreciative, and I thank you for noticing what I do.
. . . my FP ward . . . chieken shit.
Disperser Tracks 
I feel like I’ll get shot clicking LIKE. The photos, for your information, are captivating. LOL.
(I’ve long since quit accepting chain awards myself.)
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Only if you click “like” on my marathon posts within seconds of them being published (as it happened in the previous post).
Actually, I’ve quit shooting people; authorities frowned upon the practice, no matter how justified.
And thanks; always nice to hear people enjoying the photos.
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I get that too sometimes. Rather than be annoyed, I wondered a thought I had written recently in the miniseries on successful blogging. What if — just whAt if — it’s because it didn’t matter to them what I wrote? Because (gasp) they have come to want not just my posts but…ME. They knOw they’ll like it.
lol.
uh huh.
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I am more cynical . . . I assume they want me to go see who they are, click on their gravatar, and thus drive up their views.
But I admit it could also be they know it annoys me, and enjoy doing so, and it has nothing at all to do with the post itself.
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You’ve been blogging a long time. Curious: do you just sit there and expect folks to come to you? I’m not advocating what you described, nor am I saying it with sass. Just wondering, bc blogging is sociable by nature. Wondering why you’re out here.
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The links at the bottom explain some of what you ask, especially the “Freshly Pressed” link (click on the “. . . my FP ward . . . ” link).
I can summarize it thus. You are right, blogging is a social activity. However, I think if one is interacting with more than (20-50, possibly 100 max) people, it’s no longer a social activity. Can’t read what that many other people are doing, can’t be in conversations with them all, etc. etc. . . . the goal, then, is not to get the most number of readers, but to get a finite number of repeat readers.
“Do I expect folks to come to me?” . . . not expecting anything beyond having a few people who really enjoy what I do, are willing to read my stuff, tell me when it sucks, tell me when it’s great, and everything in between, but do so truthfully and honestly.
For instance, I have about 400 followers, but on average I’ll get 20 or so views a day.
But views are meaningless on their own. I currently have 44K+ views, but what I find meaningful is that I have nearly 6,000 comments.
Each is an instance where someone engaged with me beyond glancing my way and giving me a nod. Usually, but not always, a conversation occurs. I follow about 60 blogs, and when I follow someone, I really do. I read everything people do. I comment. I interact.
Those are real connections. Perhaps I piss some of them off, perhaps I bring a smile to others. Sort of like real life.
Just like real life, I don’t walk around with a sign that says “Hey, look at me”, nor do I go up to people and ask them to tell me what they did the previous evening.
Just like real life, I “bump” into people on the blog-sphere, and sometimes we nod in passing, and other times we chat.
So, here’s the answer to the money question . . . I’m out here because I have a ginormous ego, because I like to write and here someone might read what I write, because I like to take photos and here someone might look at them, I’m here to joke around, and maybe connect with people who appreciate my weirdness. I’m here because I might find someone who is interesting and does stuff that I like.
. . . look what you made me do; that was 20 minutes I could have been writing! But I don’t mind because I got to talk about myself (ginormous ego stroked!)
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=)
All rightee. If you would like to talk s’more, great. If ego has been satisfied for the night, all the best.
😉
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I typically respond to comments on my blog, and initiate comments on other people’s blogs, so I got nothing else right now (plus ‘this time to spend time with my wife).
If you want to read more about my thoughts on blogging, there is a post appropriately titled “Thoughts on Blogging”:
https://disperser.wordpress.com/2013/12/08/thoughts-on-blogging/
You might or might not like what you read there as that’s primarily a post to give someone a heads up as to what they can expect from me. Many run away screaming.
Good night.
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I really enjoyed reading this mini conversation between Holistic and you. Yet another entertaining aspect of your blog.
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. . . of course, they have not come back . . . like I said, some run away screaming, but there are those who just run away quietly. Life goes on.
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