Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Evolution of a Comment Junkie

I like to think of myself as an Anthropologist. I mean that is what my degrees are in. And as an anthropologist, people fascinate me. And it was just a natural segue that I would love reading blogs. It's like getting a glimpse into another life. Or getting a personalized invitation to go through your medicine cabinets. It feeds my nosiness. My rampant curiosity about how other people live their lives.

When I started my own blog back in February, I had an agenda. I was planning to capture a day in the life of a homeschooler. Yeah, that didn't last long. Until the whole place morphed into being all about me. Things that happen to me and my family. But mostly about me. And things that interest me.

And then there were comments. You get one. And then two. And addiction sets in quickly. But just as quickly, I sought out the meaningful comments. And made connections with other bloggers. And those connections and validations that we can offer to each other.

My ascent toward comment nirvana came from two places. The first from the blog rolls of other blogs that I liked. Specifically that of Debbie from This is the Life. That was how I "met" Heather (and Lula, and Sissy, and Jill, and JenniferP, and Elena, and Lizzy, and I could go on...). And then Tiffany. The girls (can I call you girls?) that started it all.

And when they started "The Secret is in the Sauce" four months ago I was onboard. And from them, I have found some great blogs.

First there is Kimba at A Soft Place to Land. I love reading her blog. And I am a horrible Sitsta on that site. Because I don't comment. Kimba's place is so very beautiful. And crafty. And ultra creative. I just go there to look. And wonder why Kimba doesn't live next door to me.

Another is Mama Dawg at Two Dog's Running. I found connections with Emily right away. With her southern accent that I could just hear when I read her page. To her dedication to Disney World. To her homage to "Dirty Dancing." I am hooked.

Oh, and Jill at The Perlman Update. I have this absolute fascination with Americans living abroad. Probably because that will never be me. And then I have another fascination with India. Why? I have no idea as to what started it...but I love fiction books set there. Non-fiction books about it. Movies about it. I love it. And then Jill is an American living there. Perfect match. And her blog truly takes me inside her world. And I can see what's in her pantry. And how she cleans her water. And she even shows me what an entire family riding on a motorcycle through traffic in India might look like.

Another fav is Swirl Girl (is your real name a secret? Should I call you Debby?) from Swirl Girl's Pearls. I keep trying to convince her to change the name of her blog to Swirl Girl unfurled. But she is ignoring me. I love to read her honest, no holds barred account of her life. And I love that she's snarky. And that she called me a snarky snark when I explained the concept of cutting and pasting. And I don't like her right now. Because she's been in Hawaii for the past week.

Are you wired into the secret yet?

So...what about you? Could you trace the evolution of your blog roll? Do you know how you found MY blog?

post signature

Theme song: Matchbox 20 - How Far We've Come

59 comments:

Jen said...

What a great story. I love to hear how everyone started blogging. Those are some great bloggy friends you have there.

Twisted Fencepost said...

Well...
I'd have to sit down and think about that awhile. But that makes my head hurt. So I won't!
I'm just happy I found you!

Susie said...

Go SITTSta!! I hope you win something today.

P.S. It took us 3 weeks to do 2 bathrooms. We were insane!!

Shannon said...

I don't think I could trace my blogroll... I get lost from clicking away here in blogland.

I know I have Angie to thank for introducing your blog to me :^)


And I should so win one of the SITS prizes today... 'cause tomorrow is my bday. WOO HOO!

Tracy P. said...

Yup, I came to your blog for the first time on your SITS day. Today I came because you commented at Lizzy's that you wrote a term paper, so I came over to make myself feel better. (But I don't much.) Last night I made the fatal error of stopping in at Givinya's before I posted my own. Not good. But then I thought of Debbie's green-eyed monster post... and so it goes! Have fun today!

Desi said...

I don't think I could trace it to save my life. I click at random, taking me from one blog to another.

Anonymous said...

I started blogging again in July, after a three year break. I found my way here through my Google Reader recommended feeds. And this is my first comment here!

Rhea said...

I found your blog right away, not sure how! I think through a love for LOST. Yep, I was searching profiles for people who loved LOST.

And I LOVE SITS!!

Kori said...

Nothing shy of a wonderful post for you my dear.

I know how I found you and it was through SITS but I stalked a while before the swap. lol

So the Secret Santa is going on over at my place. Come check it out.

sassy stephanie said...

I started much the same way. A recent move, knew very few people in the new hood, time on my hands and blogging was a great way to stay "connected" with family and old friends. That too didn't last very long!

I think I found you through your comment love on other sites I would visit. You were all over and I jumped over to see you. The rest, as they say, is history!

larkswing said...

Oh my goodness, I just found you yesterday and I cannot at this moment remember through where? Maybe SITs? Maybe someone who commented on my page and then their blog roll or comments . . . Sad state of affairs when one cannot even remember the hows and whats of the day before. hmmph!

Unknown said...

I have no idea how we "met" I am guessing I stalked you from SITS...or then again it could have been through Rhea... but the point is I FOUND YOU! Thanks for the laughs!

Unknown said...

I'm pretty sure I found you through Debbie's or JDM's blogs.

I found SITS through Apple Joos blog, but I can't for the life of me, remember how I landed on hers in the first place...

My excuse is ... I have a menopausal brain and I just woke up !

Great post... Kat !!!

Heather said...

Yep, I remember how I found your blog. One word: Lula.

I am so glad we share the love of Jamie Fraser, too. Someday I am going on the Outlander tour in Scotland, I swear I am. Wanna go? We could find us a hot Scotsman in a kilt and pretend like he's Jamie. Mmmm...

Lovin' me some SITS today. Hope we all win some good stuff!

Wep said...

YAY SITS! I love the SITS girls too!

Tiffany said...

Great post Kat! Now I'm off to shower. At 10am. A little later than I should be showering. Can't seem to step away from the computer. I'm addicted. Help me!

Heather said...

Yep...I'll never forget. I got tagged for a meme that lead me to you. I fell in love with you and your playlist. The rest is history.

Jill said...

Aren't you just too kind! I found you through SITS too... I think it was on your featured day. :)

BTW - you do always have great music playing!!

Decor To Adore said...

I am not doing a SITS post today as I am celebrating my 100th post. Please stop by and enter my giveaway.

iheartbowheads.blogspot.com said...

Great story and thanks for the great tips to new blogs for me to check out!!!!!

Holly

Debbie said...

HI Kat! Yes I guess I can claim responsibility for all this bloggity goodness that keeps you blogging away! I think you found me when I posted on Darcy's site about how much LRRH loved Sugar's blog. And then you told me I was funny. I will never ever forget that. I did my post but didn't link all my homies...I just typed your names...sigh...now I need to go link! Love ya Kat...always!

Lynda said...

Greetings via SITS and the blogathon - I am going on a whirlwind tour. Found you through another SITSa and now I am going to go to one of yours and so on and so on and so on...Happy day!

Natalia said...

Oh, your blog looks right up my alley!!!

Happy Blog-a-thon! :)

iheartbowheads.blogspot.com said...

ok - you are the best best best because now I know what to do!!!!!

Can I send you a bow? Check out my site and pick what you want - I am still working on getting good pictures up.

:)

Holly

Jennifer P. said...

i think you just commented on mine enough that i thought--i better go check out what this girl's all about! and i found a kindred spirit in you for sure! i love how we run in the same blogging circle and i get to get your thoughts not only from your own posts, but from what you have to say about others' as well. you know you'll be listed among my favorites (when i do my sits post....tomorrow :)!). You know what I LOVE most about your blog? Music! yup! we're a dying breed of music players! and also friday follies/weekend whimsies--those are like my therapy sessions!

love ya!

Sonya Lee Thompson said...

Hey, I know how I found your blog, through SITS, this is my first day with the group!

Nice to meet you!
Sonya

Cristin said...

I have no idea how I found you... through SITS I imagine... Happy Blogathon!

Aubrey said...

OMGosh! I have no idea how I came to your blog. I'm just glad I did!! LOL

Jen Sue Wild said...

I am a first timer her from SITS

Lula! said...

I found you via Debbie, our Fairy Blogmother! And I have been happy ever since.

Firefly Mom said...

I started blogging in January as a way for all of our out-of-state friends and family to keep up with what Cody was doing (and by proxy, what hubby and I were doing). Guess what?? Our family has never, not once, read our blog! Yeah, so it quickly evolved into stuff about me and my interests (hello, 80's!) and our family, with sprinklings of homeschool stuff thrown in.

I don't remember the exact post that brought me here, but I remember the first one I commented on. It was way back in March when you were wondering who, exactly, your visitors were. And I finally stopped lurking and replyed.

TisforTonya said...

pretty sure I ran into you one day through a comment you made... somewhere? How bad is that? I have no long term memory, but I enjoy a good snarky comment as much as anyone!

happy blogathon!

Swirl Girl said...

Thanks for the shout out Kat!

I AM BAAAAAACK!

Jealousy suits you - as it should (snark, snark)

When I get a chance, I will post about my trip - at least the G rated stuff...okay?

Swirl Girl said...

Thanks for the shout out Kat!

I AM BAAAAAACK!

Jealousy suits you - as it should (snark, snark)

When I get a chance, I will post about my trip - at least the G rated stuff...okay?

Brandy said...

I can't remember how I found you but I loved the name of your blog and then you started posted vacation pictures.

And I was jealous.

But I kept coming back. Sure am glad I did.

@TiffanyRom said...

I knew you could come up with some witty way to post about the blogathon.

You are one of may favs and I love that the girls have been together from the beginning!!!

Thank you so much for being so supportive of our endeavor.

T

Aleta said...

Hmm, I don't know how I found your blog, but I imagine it would be how I found most blogs, through the comment section or from a referrel of another blogger. Much like you, I started my blog just to post to share with family and friends. A journal open to the public and found that there are more folks out there than I realized who blogged and a lot about blogging that I didn't know. I'll have to check out some of the bloggers that you wrote about!

Elena said...

I thought "sunshine and lemonade" was such a cute blog title. I clicked on you from Jennifer P. and then I saw your "on the menu" sidebar. I started lurking you for that, then I noticed you were on Debbie's blogroll too, so I decided to comment. So glad I did, I love you to death!

larkswing said...

Ahh Haaa! I now know how I surfed into your blog - Alita from Louisianna! :)

Anonymous said...

SITStas have such good taste. I'm finding so many Will Ferrell lovers. Lula directed me to Will Ferrells video called Pearl the landlady. You seen it? GREAT STUFF!

Marrdy said...

Happy SITS Day!

John Deere Mom said...

I forget who I met through SITS and those bloggers that I just stumbled upon...like you! :) Merry Sitsmas!

Fifi Flowers said...

I found you via a day in my life via SITS! I love that idea of blogging for no purpose.

Rosemary Q said...

I'm pretty sure I found you through SITS. I liked the name of your blog...your sincere writing style and the fact that you read Outlander - and that you love to read as much as me. Glad I found you and happy to come visit your blog often:)

Insane Mama said...

I don't remember how I found your blog, I remember you asking me how I found it though. Like I was a spy or something...

Insane Mama said...

I don't remember how I found your blog, I remember you asking me how I found it though. Like I was a spy or something...

Unknown said...

Okay I have got to stop scrolling past the SITS post, I keep getting sucked in. Adding you to my list so I can continue when I actually have time.

Melodie said...

Happy Blogathon, SITSta!

Brooke said...

Well Happy Blogathon!! The swap was great! My girl took SUCH great care of me!! So fun. Would for sure do it again!!

Unknown said...

You just scared the life out of one of my dogs !!!

Well Matchbox Twenty did and I admit, I forgot I had my speaker sound up. Poor thing was sitting on my knee at the time.

Think it took away one of her 9 lives. Actually, do dogs have 9 lives?

:-)

Unknown said...

Anyway, now that I've turned my speakers down and talked Meesha down off the ceiling ...what I was going to say is, there is nothing wrong with 'Term Papers' and I think that your post is great !! Really sums SITS up..

Oh, and that poem was not written by me. It;s one of my favourite ones from Elizabeth Barrett Browning. I just added a word to it. :-)

Angie's Spot said...

GAH! I'm in r.o. contention again. Ruh-roh.

My blog roll has evolved, in no small part, to you & Rhea. Since you guys were the first to ever comment on my site. You guys have introduced me to several great blogs and the list has grown from there.

Kelly said...

Wow Kat! That was fabulous...you put it so eloquently!!! and tapped into the reason I fell in love with blogging...VOYERISM!!

To trace...I believe that I found you/stalked you from Tressa's blog roll...

Happy Blogathon!!

Keeper of the Skies Wife said...

Great post!!!! Happy blogathon!!!

Carrie said...

Hi Kat! I hopped over from CFers Wife because I saw you wanted instructions on how to make a button. Well, I can help you with that one, SITSa!!

Here is a link to my button tutorial. I hope it is helpful for you!

Anonymous said...

Hey Hey Hey!
Happy blogging! :)

Ha! Love the title of your post!

Anonymous said...

Ya know... I'm sitting here trying to remember how our blogs hooked up! You were one of my first blog buddies... how did we find each other? Do you remember? I want to start gettibg into the Secret in the Sauce stuff... I need to take the time to figure it all out. I too am into comment nirvana... the more the merrier. The key is how to all of those chickies over to my blog. :)

~Jill :)

-Bridget said...

I'm one that found your fun, great blog through SITS. SITS rocks!

Mama Dawg said...

I have absolutely no clue how I found you. Possible through a comment you left on someone else's site. I can never remember how I found people. I just find 'em. So glad I found you!

Thanks for the shout out!