Tuesday, April 03, 2007

3 April: Congratulations and comments

Congratulations to the British team, particularly Victoria Pendleton and Chris Hoy, on their wonderful performances at the World Track Cycling Championships! Heroes, every one.
(Google for full information, if you don't know.)

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Blog-visitors and their comments seem to have been a recent theme on several blogs. Naturally this leads to musings on one's own blog, its visitors, and what everyone wants from a blog.

My StatCounter tells me how many people have come to The String Bag, and what their search (if any) has been for. It tells me where they are, more or less, and also purports to show how long they spend here.

So I know there are a number of visitors from the UK and the US, and one regular from New Zealand, and one I think of as my Spanish stalker*. And the last few days have brought another flurry of visitors, this time from Denmark, looking for information on Fred Knit*le - they must have had the Young@H*art film screened on their TV.

Most of these people don't leave any comment, though there seems no way of connecting the StatCounter information to a specific commenter. There may be nothing in particular they want to say, of course. They may be copying my knitted hats, or avidly following the progress of my garden. They may enjoy the photos of places I've been to, or agree with my occasional rants. Imagining is usually more fun than knowing (think of Christmas presents).

What sort of comment to leave on someone's blog? There's the "me, too", which doesn't take anything further on, though it can be reassuring to have sympathy or whatever. There's the "aren't you wonderful", which gives a short glow, followed by embarrassment. There's a sensible question, or an answer to a question - practical and helpful. And there's the amusing comment, the sideways look at a topic, the pun, the joke between friends.

And that's really how I see the blog, as a sort of conversation in the cyber-pub. You drop in, listen to a few people, have a brief chat with one or two, find out how they are and what's happening with them, you amuse each other, and enjoy the different characters. Sometimes you pop into the cyber-pub down the super-highway, and enjoy a different crowd; you may join in the conversation or not. You may even become a regular.

So, let's go and see who's in the bar today.

*No, I know you aren't really stalking, it's the alliteration....

12 comments:

I, Like The View said...

how weird! I've just spent a paragraph or two debating why lurkers don't comment, but do come back to read time and time again. . .

but then if I was in a pub, I'd be the one sitting back quietly in the corner listening to the conversation around me and enjoying doing just that, rather than feeling the need to join in

(obviously I'd be taking notes, so that I had something to write about on my blog the next day!)

I, Like The View said...

(weird in a coincidental sort of way)

stitchwort said...

That's the quickest reaction I've ever had to a posting!

KAZ said...

''me too''

Lucy said...

I won't I won't I won't get a statcounter. I'm vain and narcissistic enough about comments, I'd never actually get around to posting anything if I was obsessing about my statcounter.

I, Like The View said...

your creme egg awaits collection. . .

(there was a gold medal hidden in the previous post, but a creme egg is more fun!)

I, Like The View said...

may I link you? let me know!

tea and cake said...

Also, me too. I have just been browsing around the regular reads, in between doing course work, readin emails (none) and waiting for Pamela Connelly (Dr) to come on the telly!! Thanks for the read. I think you are wonderful and am awed by your knitting ... and Pam's just on now, so bye and thanks. kaz xx

stitchwort said...

Been busy since this posting - hello everyone, please feel free to link (and un-link when you get fed up, too).
Update of my links may follow; I have dozens of blogs bookmarked, but not listed on the Bag.

stitchwort said...

Oh, and thanks, kaz - it's good to know there's another one out there.

Spike said...

Lucy, fear not. SOS (Stats Obsession Syndrome) wears off after a few months.

dinahmow said...

Well, I have noted you at Ziggi's place for quite a while, but this is my first visit here.
Some lovely pictures, in words and photos;some socks, some pensive pauses and a leavening of wit.See you "down the pub,yes?"