Monday, June 25, 2007

you really want to take an internet break?

oh the stats, they pull me in... since i've stopped blogging so much my stats have plummeted. google must have a "must publish" rule for directing people to your blog. my stats have dropped by 100 - and the "publish or perish" temptation pulls me in. why does it matter to me? why do i care that people i don't know find my blog? why do i care that my "numbers" increase? that they don't decrease? this is revealing something about me that i don't really like to admit.

with a vacation on the horizon i just keep telling myself that will keep me from blogging too - so let it go - but i am so tempted to post links, you tube videos and drivel just to keep my stats up (that's why people do that in case you didn't know)...

sigh. i guess deep down in my heart i want to be noticed. but trading my serenity for strangers reading my blog, even for really good reasons isn't worth it. so i will refrain from the temptation to post drivel and obsess about my blog (just for today!)

6 comments:

~pen~ said...

bobbie, dear one - i understand your angst and what i do, myself, is not look at my stat counter :)

oh, that's not to say i haven't done so because i have -- they can be a real ego boost. but you have to decide who you are blogging for. i figure if i am being true to myself, i am blogging for myself as my outlet. when i come across something that has really impacted me, i post it. sometimes i get a great response, other times, crickets chirp. does it really matter, in the whole scheme of things? not really, because i like to write and some days i have it in me, others i don't. i don't think i am here to impress.

if you need a break, take your vacation and don't worry about the blogdom. keep pen and paper with you for when you feel inspired and then come back and fill us all in when you return, if you so desire. i read you through bloglines, every time you write. i don't always "come in" through the door, but i read you daily - that wouldn't show up on your stats, but i am here and will be when you return.

have a peace-filled break :)

Sue said...

I get my counter updates once a week. If I went by them I would have given up blogging long ago. I have no idea how to 'direct more traffic' to my blog. I decide almost weekly to just keep putting myself and my thoughts out there, simply as an outlet. I've enjoyed coming here to see your thoughts so I hope you won't vacation for too long. Blessings and wishes for a beautiful summer. sue

bobbie said...

thanks all for your support, advice and comments. it does help to get comments, doesn't it?

i don't "check" my stats normally, unless i've got a link or something that i'm really proud of posted - i just get an email sent to me every day and i open it, scroll down see the #'s and delete it (unless it's off the charts, then i try to figure out why).

it's less about the numbers and more about why they matter... sigh. i guess we all just want our words to matter, eh?

Hope said...

Yes, I think we all want our words to matter. You know my story. I took a blog break and saw my stats go down to 8 people. That made me feel like I was back in 6th grade and picked last for the softball team. Some days I get over it and some days I don't.

Anonymous said...

I have gone the route of the Eeevill, stat-defying feed reader, myself. Still faithfully reading your blog.
I can so get hooked on stats... one of the reasons i'm glad i'm on wordpress- it has a very limited stats thingy provided by wordpress, but unless you upgrade (via monthly fee), you can't put an outside stat counter of higher caliber on your blog. yes, i've pondered the subject far too thoroughly...

Karla MG said...

I too love reading what you write, but I also respect your need to not write sometimes. I truly believe this blogvention is a great way to journal. I keep my blog mostly private. When the day comes that I have the time and desire to post more than once in while, I may expand. But being technically clueless, I won't even think of venturing into counters. The whole purpose is to be an outlet for me. Sometimes, what I've written is more of a conversation between God and I anyway...those are blogs that are "mine." They don't need to be public domain. Do what you need to do to take care of you! Enjoy your vacation. Don't worry about the numbers. And know that there are several of us who will be here waiting when you return! (Argh! Kenny Marx song in the head! Geesh!) --Karla