No, this post doesn't really have to do with my daughter melting down over being denied popcorn yesterday when she decided to yet again boycott her swimming lesson (!) and instead sit on my lap to watch. Though frankly I could have done without her screaming and crying "I'm hungry! I'm hungry!" over and over while people looked at her thinking..well. God only knows what. One woman offered the "poor starving girl" a carrot stick but alas, she wasn't "hungry" she was pissed off she couldn't have a snack of popcorn at the community center (which is where the kids are taking swimming lessons). (And when I took her outside to collect herself (ie: collect *myself* since she was starting to piss me off) a young teen aged boy came up and said "I have a little money today. Would you like me to buy her something to eat?" Sweet, yes. Mortifying? ABSOLUTELY!) But no - this post doesn't really have to do with that at all. :)
I'm more thinking along the lines of RSS Feeds.
I noticed, much to my dismay, that my visit stats are on the decline. And yes, I am just as insecure as the next person. Declining stats are a slight blow to my ego. I ask myself: "Am I boring people with stories about my kids?" "Is this because I stopped talking about the "real" stuff like how hard being a parent is and about other things besides 'look at my cute kids'" What is it? Why?
Then - I was at a play date today and one of the moms mentioned feeds and did I know if people had me on their feeds because if they did, they only need to visit my blog (and therefore be counted by my stat counter) to comment. Ah-ha! Feeds. This would also account for the lessening of comments. Though I guess I'm hardly one to talk. It seems I read blogs but rarely comment these days. And in fact, some days I don't get through my blog listing so sometimes it will be a day or more between my visits to blogs. So yes, I'm guilty in the lessening of visits and comments myself. *sigh*
So - the purpose of this rambling and all over the place post is to ask this: Am I on your RSS feed (or whatever feeder you use...I totally have no idea how they work) or do you just stop by?
I'm just curious.
And hey - maybe, just maybe I'll start talking about things other than "Check out my adorable kids" even if it means I come off looking a little unstable at times - as apparently has been the case in times gone by. In my opinion, stability is totally and absolutely over-rated as I'm sure all you moms with young kids can attest. :) And besides, I have a theory - those who come off looking completely in control and "stable" are usually the most unstable of us all. It reminds me of a quote I read on someone's blog (taken from the Grey's Anatomy blog):
“Don’t wonder why people go crazy. Wonder why they don’t. In the face of all we can lose in a day, in an instant, wonder what the hell it is that makes us hold it together.”
Why aren’t you crazy?
21 comments:
You're on my feed! I check all the time and when i don't check daily I read back to check everything i missed :)
Also, I love your real posts, and I don't think for a second it seems like you don't have it all together - seems like you are HUMAN. And I like that about you!
I have no idea what a "feed" is, but I read everyday, and I love the stories about your kids. And I really loved today's post as I often feel that I am the only mom in the world that is ever out with a kid throwing a fit:)
The swimming story made me laugh, although I'm sure it wasn't that funny for you! :)
I drop by your blog regularly (I don't know anything about feeds either), but lately haven't been able to drop by many of the blogs I like to read as often as I want to. It depends on how busy work is. If it's super busy (as has been the case the last few weeks), then I may only stop by once in several days. But when work is slow, I might check in several times a day to see what's new! :) But I definitely get here eventually. :)
I check your posts daily, and sometimes more than once a day. I dont know what a feed is either... do I have to leave a comment each time for it to count? Jeri
Jeri: Nope - you are counted if you click open the blog. No comment necessary. :)
As for what feeds are - I'm learning right along with everyone. Apparently they are services whereby you list all the blogs you visit and then they either email you a notification of a new posting or all your listings are kept on one website and you go there. All blogs listed in your account show up and the ones with new postings since the last time you checked are highlighted.
Shawna just turned me onto the feed service via Google. It's located at www.google.com/reader
Once I figured it out (with help from Shawna) it was super easy to list all the blogs I visit.
Of course, I just added to the whole "not showing on the counter" problem for other people. I guess we can't so much rely on the stat counters anymore which, in a weird way, is comforting. Seeing my stats drop from over 100 unique visits a day to umm...I think todays report showed an average of 72 a day for the past week may be less stressful when I take feeds/readers into account.
Still...I miss the comments and feeling like I am connecting with folks. That is, after all, one of the reasons I blog.
Thanks to ALL of you who visit regularly (or even semi-regularly...or at all...). It means the world to me. :)
You're on my feed. I love to read your posts. I just can't click over at work (and often read before work starts or on my lunch hour).
P.S. Paranoid me wanted to know if people in my town were reading so I changed my feed to just list the first few sentences. It helps me track who visits, but people hate that (even I hate that) because they can't read the whole post without clicking over.
I don't know much about feeds, I just stop by pretty much everyday to see what you've posted. I like the contents of your posts. I think they're always intersting.
Casey- I don't do "feeds" I surf the old fashioned way (read- I'm too lazy to go figure out feeds, lol)
Loved your story about the pool. My ds #1 refused to get in the pool for lessons too- Drove me batty at the time. He's 14 now, wears a size 10.5 shoe and swims just fine :)
i don't use feeds, but i've been away from the net, so maybe since i don't visit 10 times a day, those hits aren't registering :)
That is a great story about Kaylen. Good Lord they are so embarrassing sometimes!
I just recently figured out the feed reader thing, and it is awesome. So yes, I subscribe that way. Those dropping stats are threatening, aren't they? I am using Bloglines and when I sign up for a site's feed it tells me how many subscribers that site has. I don't know if there is any way to check your stats that way... but you should sign up so it will tell you how many subscribers you have. Don't know if Google reader has something similar.
I visit daily. :o)
I'm glad I'm not the only one who doesn't know what a feed is. I just click (probably once a day) and see what's new! You're so good about keeping your blog updatied AND interesting!! :)
I try to check your blogg out most days. It helps me on some level to see how "normal" your family is with "two moms" and what mine could possibly be like one day. Please continue to post about your kids or anything else you feel inclined to post about.
I also have no idea what a feed is. Hey, I don't even have a blog. But I sure do love coming by to read about your adventures! I might not always have time to comment (just had baby #4) but I do love your writings and stories. Keep them up!
Heidi
I check in often, though I have trouble commenting. I can't comment if I'm logged into gmail, which I usually am. Anyway, I like reading the "real" posts and the cute ones :)
I visit here several times a week. I have no idea how RSS feeds work. I've read about them without understanding, and I consider myself fairly techno-smart.
I enjoy your posts, Casey. Like you, I'm commenting a little less, and actually visiting less (I used to have withdrawal if I didn't read *everybody* *every day*! I'd probably enjoy your post about other things, but that's not saying that I don't enjoy hearing about and seeing the kids and your daily life. Do what you want. It's your blog!
I admit that I sometimes get caught up in the stats thing, also. Then I have to remind myself that my blog if for *me*.
Do whatcha wanna do, girl!!!
I don't know anything about feeds but I have a good time reading your blog and hearing about your kids, your days, etc. Keep it up.
Elizabeth
I don't know anything about 'feeds' but I do know I visit you and comment faithfully :)
i'm just a random stranger (well, a young dykey stranger thinking hard about law school and having kids with my partner) who thinks your kids are really cute and that you tell funny stories, but yeah, you're on my feed. I stopped by the blog b/f I got a google reader about a month ago, so maybe I'm part of your drop in stats.
I stop by daily. Not really sure what a "feed" is, but I'm bound to find out now.
Post a Comment