Slip, sliding … (Update II)
by tamarjacobson
I was checking out my stats counter this morning and realize that my Tamarika blog received a lot more page hits per year than Mining Nuggets. After pondering this for a few moments I decided not to analyze the situation too intensely. After all, am I in this for the money or fame? I think not.
And yet … one does love to be read I suppose.
Otherwise, why am I not just writing a personal journal for no one to see?
I wonder, am I slip-sliding into that old mind-set of why-blog again?
Update:
If I have used this quote before I need to repeat it here, for myself, for you, if you want, because it is one of the best explanations for me about why I blog. Indeed, if only I had the courage to find the right publisher, I would write a whole book, a memoir for this very reason:
I am surprised that more memoirists don’t become serial memoirists, because it is a precious thing to be allowed to talk about yourself in public, not for reasons of simple exhibitionism but because the attempt to describe your experience to an audience pushes you forward into an understanding of it.
Update II:
Richard Cohen is back! Not only is it great to have him back in the blogosphere with us again writing his way through it all, but he talks about not using a site-meter. So, joared – this has me thinking about the slippery slope of which you write in my comments and who knows – perhaps I’ll just get rid of mine too! AlwaysQuestion says (in my comments section) that we do not need that extra worry, and I could seriously do without it. So, he has me thinking too.
EVERYONE has me thinking!
tamarjacobson 
ainelivia,
I find that I feel a tremendous sense of achievment when I master a techie thingie! Recently I learned to embed a Youtube video clip on my blog and I was ecstatic for hours!
joared, this is exciting news! I will stroll over and see how it’s going for you. Yes, Listics is a must – always! But then I am a HUGE fan of Frank … would term myself a proverbial “groupie!” Yes indeed!
Site Meter Up Date — I did it! I added one to my blog, with help from my techie fairy-godmother. Anyone that knows more about computers than I do, which is just about everybody, is a techie in my book.
I swear I will not buy into the numbers game. I am curious about those who find my blog of interest. I like the idea that Frank describes and want to know more. Haven’t visited “Listics” for a while and must get back over there. Maybe he’ll tell us there.
The sitemeter thing I’ve seen and decided not to because that involves doing techie stuff to get it on my blog, and techie stuff will surely end in my spending hours trying to figure it out and then I’ll never bother with it again.
Thanks T for the link to Richard’s return, that’s wonderful
Gee, Frank, I don’t know how to do that and it sounds like fun, or at least, a good use for the counter. I always learn stuff from you – ALWAYS!! So, how do I go about that?
I use my stat counter to follow the conversation. When people come to me from this post, then I click back to this post to see what it’s about. It’s a lot more dynamic and fun than an XML Syndication Service (what silly Dave Winer marketed as RSS).
I mean, I’m usually much more proactive than that, visiting friends and favorites without a referral log link, but I look at my referral logs often and follow the links back if the traffic was from another blog.
Dear Joy,
Thanks so much for this comment. I have always found the site meter interesting to see where people hail from when they come to read my blog. It is amazing how they find me through google and other means from every continent in the world almost. The only problem is I sometimes get hung up on the low numbers and wonder why people don’t seem to “like” my blog. It’s pathetic really! You’d think I would grow up already! Smiles.
Yes, Richard, and it is the “ratings race” that sometimes gets me in the guts. I guess I just use it psychologically to feel down in the dumps. The question is, can I use it for the global/international fun and not for lowering self-esteem? That’s the challenge for me! And you know how I adore a challenge. Ooh, I so love having you back in the blogosphere. Hurrah!
It’s good to know that some other people don’t have site meters. I put mine on when I started, only because people advised me to. Then I never once checked it. People were telling me to tailor my blog to attract more readers. I definitely would like more readers, but not at the cost of saying what is mine to say. If that isn’t the special province of blogging, I don’t know what is. This should be the medium par excellence in which we only respond to our inner voice — not just another ratings race.
I’ve never had a site meter Tamar…I think it’s probably a good thing. I never want to take my mindset somewhere where it doesn’t have to be. A little ignorance is bliss in this case. I don’t want to attach my blogging experience to those kinds of things…that’s just looking for trouble in my eyes.
Is this stats question a disease? I thought sure when I started my blog it wouldn’t matter. First, I was surprised people actually came and read, then commented on what I wrote. Then, I found myself wondering how many came who never commented. Next thing I knew, I was thinking I should put a meter on the blog and just see. Well, I haven’t done that yet. But where does this slippery slope lead?
Yes, yes, you’re right, AlwaysQuestion. As always it is good to hear from you. Thank you for this comment. My curiosity or competitiveness keeps me stats wondering from time to time. Mostly, though, I pay them no mind except to know where some readers hail from globally.
And this is why I haven’t put a site meter on my blog. If I had one I’d check it and then I’d worry about it; and aren’t there already enough things to worry about?
Please, pay us no mind, and keep on doing what you’re doing.