Back when life was dull I used to comment on every blog I read. I don’t do that anymore because of time and because, well, if I don’t have something halfway decent to say then I just don’t bother to do that. I used to feel guilty about not leaving comments to let people know I’m reading their blog, but “one time in band camp” someone posted a comment on someone’s site that I sure did comment a lot, and then she quickly put up a post on her own blog that said anyone who comments on every post just for the sake of commenting is a comment whore. Two plus two and all that. I wasn’t trying to be a comment whore, I was fulfilling a sense of obligation to the blog author, but… I don’t owe comments, just like you don’t owe me posts, so I’m all done with that feeling.
I lurk at a lot of blogs now, and often times I’ll write stupid comments in the comment box, but then close the window without submitting it. So, for your sake, instead of being paranoid that you’re the one person on the planet that reminds me of the (other) one person on the planet who sends me into an instant rage how about you assume I’m lurking on your blog and things are fine between us? Or, ya know, check your stats and see if I’m visiting, because I’m guessing you’re all brain surgeons who can figure out where France really is in relation to NYC. 
Questions? Concerns? Leave me a comment. (BWAHAHAHA! Ha. See, I’m funny too.)
I know where you are neeener neeeeeener neeeeeeeeener
Well OK maybe not exactly but close enough that I could drive there in less than 2 hours. hahahah or maybe just an hour. or something like that.
I expect you to comment on my blog four times a day. So there.
The person who was compalining that you were commenting, i.e. showing interest in her life, is probably a mean and unhappy person. Maybe if they feel that way they don’t even deserve to be read? (Wow, I’m feeling mean.)
I love comments because I want to know what people who read what I write think.
It’s funny because my buddy Slyde makes fun of me for all the comments I leave. Comment whore has been used. But honestly, I feel like I don’t comment enough! I lurk an awful lot.
Blogs are interactive fun things. But sometimes life gets in the way. Eh…whatcha gonna do.
Darn, that’s what I’m doing wrong. I’m supposed to not submit these comments…
Wait…You’re NOT in France ?
I am so confused.
I am really bad at geography, and I was under the impression that you could drive to NYC from France. isn’t that what the chunnel is for ?
man, I should have stayed awake or attended more classes.
Good grief. I could have written this post, it feels so similar to how I surf the tubes.
Nice one.
I enjoy that you take a subject like this - which is sort of the blogger’s equivalent of “news reporters reporting about news reporting” - and you make it funny.
I’m starting to think blogging about blogging is something I’m going to permanently eradicate from my blog - which of course is a statement that kind of breaks the rule I’m thinking of making right there.
Oh God I’m so confused…
Umm, so, I am a TOTAL comment whore then. I’m trying to raise my traffic, and comment every-freakin-where I go.
Except when I get lazy, and scroll through my reader reading posts. It’s too much energy to click out and comment.
<~~~~Shoe Whore.
Not wanting to type-cast myself, I will abstain from being a comment whore as well.
I got two days without leaving a comment here and you get all “hm, nice not show up here”.
I write and erase comments all the time. I completely understand not having anything to add to the discussion. Especially if 20 people said what I was going to say first.
But I know you’re there… as long as you say Hi once in a while.
So, you want me to comment here even more, is that what you’re saying?!
I like it when you pop by, but I don’t expect people to do it all the time. I can barely keep up with my relatively small blogroll as it is!
Oh and super thanks for the Shammy condolences. I really appreciate them. It’s so weird not having him here.
So basically… your saying that every comment I make I should just not bother since 99% of them have already been said better than I’m saying it and are therefore empty comments.
Great. I feel good about myself. Thanks.
Good thing I’m not a comment whore.
I’ll just say that New York State of Mind started playing in my head as soon as I saw the title to this post sugar
Once I start leaving comments on a blog, I feel obligued to leave them on everything. But once I start feeling like I have to, I don’t want to anymore. Because I have to. And what fun are things you have to do ?
I stopped commenting on every post when I read something about leaving comments that were meaningless, and when a fellow blogger emailed me and said, “You know, I appreciate the comments, but you don’t have to feel obligated to comment on every post.”
i don’t care how many folks say the same thing i wanna say, i am saying it again my way. i love to comment. almost as much as i love to receive comments on my posts.
personally, fuck anyone who tells you that you comment too much. you are our poppy and we love your comments!
Frankie, you crack me up.
Avi, and I expect you to hand Jigsaw over to me for me to keep. We don’t always get what we want, now do we.
Jan, which is weird, because before that she actually used to read my blog and be nice to me and stuff… Oh well.
BEE-bzzt, I am shocked. I had no idea you’re a comment whore.
Mikey, today you get the dork prize.
Paticus, I can’t quite tell, but I note a hint of sarcasm…
ACW, thank you! It’s an honor to be your voice on the matter. Or something. Anyway, I feel proud to represent you.
RW, I made something you think is funny? Well, I’m just getting gold stars left and right today!
Andria, are you commenting at Avi’s because you’ll get a fuckton of traffic from commenting there, if that’s what you really want, and that’s the kind of traffic you want.
Steph, I hear shoes are very sexy. I’m still exploring this phenomenon while continuing to buy ugly ones.
Britt, yup yup, you definitely have the fever. I have no idea what you just said.
Finn, I am definitely there. Well, ok, most days I feed read you, so I’m not there there, but I’m there in cheerleader spirit!
Sybil, I think that you personally are exempt from any comment quantity requirement. You are a commenting goddess.
Mr. Cranky Pants, I love each and every one of your comments. Thank you for commenting today, you have no idea how excited I get when I see “NYCWD” in my mailbox. And don’t you dare tell me my post made you feel bad or I’ll show up in 6 hours just to spank your ass.
Turnbaby, I didn’t even think of that! I’m permanently in that state. Sometimes I look around France and think, “wait, what, I’m not in NY? Well, fuck.”
Creature, it’s a vicious cycle.
Lynda, I am actually shocked that a blogger reached out to you and said that. Was it Adam? Cuz that’s the only way I’m *not* shocked.
Hello, I love my comments too! That’s why I inevitably end up at the top comment spot on several blogs. I have a lot of random shit to say.
Really that happened? Because that’s some deep shit. Not that you would make it up, it’s just that I’m in shock AND I want to use grammar in the most incorrect form possible so people can post about me being one illiterate fat ass bitch.
Sorry but I’m reaching my limits with all this ugliness.
No worries, Lisa. It was a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away…
Nope, it wasn’t Adam.
I won’t say who here, but since you left me a comment the other day, I’ll email you.
I have often thought about turning OFF the comments on my posts because I don’t want anyone to ever feel that they are obligated to comment.
I lurk more than I de-lurk on all of the blogs I read, including yours.
I comment only when I feel like I can contribute, and I hope my readers feel the same about my posts.
Yeah, I only comment if I have something to say. But I’m readin’.
I never worry about you not commenting on my blog, because I know you feed read, and when you have something to say, you comment. I am the same with your blog. I’m always keeping up with things on your blog, just usually a teeny bit late. Sometimes I have to catch up on blogs on the weekends due to not enough hours in the day during the week. If I have something to say and the time to do it, then I comment. I am sure you know that I am around lurking even when you don’t see a comment from me every day.
admitted lurker… mainly because I’m about 200 posts behind on my feed reader and I feel like I’m always late to the party… but hi!
I don’t get it. You went to band camp and someone told you you commented too much…in someonje else’s comments…and then blogged that you commented too much?
Have I got it?
I lurk a lot. Annie and Dawgg are the only 2 people who get regular comments from me and even that’s kinda hit the skids on account of how I’m busy and all.
PS: to me a comment whore is someone who asks for comments, insists on comments, guilt trips their readers for comments and god forbid, participates in nation delurker day which seriously…you gotta know you’re on the internet way too much when you make a national day to comment on a blog. Really.
Lynda, I’m still shocked, but I guess that person had reasons I just don’t understand.
CV, that’s a very admirable philosophy about commenting. I always feel a twinge of guilt when I turn off comments, particularly because my blog isn’t designed to automatically show that comments are disabled, so people click on “0 Comments” to leave a comment and then, SURPRISE, ya can’t comment. I should just write at the bottom of my post Comments are disabled for this post. Or, heh, get a new blog design.
Bearette, it makes me happy when you leave a comment because I know that’s your style, only when you have something to say.
Jen, there was this looooong stretch of time once where I actually wasn’t reading your blog, but because my feed reader stopped picking up the feed. I definitely went back and read alllll the posts, though.
Hey, Tori! I appreciate lurkers, so lurk away. I show up and read your posts then I go back into hiding. I dunno why. I should just add you to feed reader. … Ok, done!
Miss Ann, the “band camp” part was just a joke in reference to a movie, and was what I used to indicate this happened a semi-long time ago (October? I dunno…) but yes, you have the rest of the story correct. Totally fine for her to have an opinion on the matter, and I think good came out of it because now if I really don’t have something to say I just don’t leave a comment, and that’s my choice.
Since someone else already won the dork prize, I almost didn’t bother to comment.
So now I think I see where your string of ‘I’m leaving random statements for comments’ came from.
No, that was just a random day. The day I referred to in the top paragraph was back in October or November. I can’t go pinpoint it because neither blogger involved is even around anymore.
EEK! HUGE SPIDER!
Ok, that was random.
…heh, except I keep all my freaking email and I just found the comment. It’s from July!
So, apparently “one time in band camp” translates to “last July” in my mind.