Odd Thoughts

I agree, and it's a little weird, tossin' your diary out there for everyone to read. It's like, bizarrely voyeuristic.

I like commenting on people's diaries.
;)

Be careful. It is possible that there are those that have "diaries" that really want "blogs".

There are those that really wish others would read and comment; those that want to be part of something... anything; those that are outcast that want to be included; those that are lonely that want to experience any sort of relationship or community that they can get their hands on.

This doesn't preclude the possiblilty of those that Jos talks about above but we need to be careful not to validate any feelings of worthlessness these folk (the misfits) might feel.

I think if you aren't going to have a comments section, it's a good idea to at least have a contact email address. I hate not being able to tell an author, "Right on!".

I disagree. A "blog" is a "web log" and a log is a transfer of information from one place to another not specifically for the intent of interaction. I think the original purpose of "web logs" were not to necesarily interact with others but to record information for others to see. For example: Weather information or other technical info, message board type of stuff. Maybe I'm wrong but thats what I think of as a "blog" and all the interacting between blogs might be a recent developement, recent meaning a three or four years ago.

Bart, Allow me to clarify: By definition, a blog does not have to have comments to, in fact, be a blog. However, I'm just not that interested in looking at someone's blog if it doesn't have comments. Comments are the main reason I blog. Not in some sort of emoitional-needs-filling way, but I just like the interaction. I don't have a ton of time to go blog-hopping, but when I do, I like to go to pages where the author makes their post and then I get to see not only what they say, but also what others say. It doesn't even have to be on a serious issue (in general I prefer when it's not serious).

Basically, while a gree that my initial post is inaccurate as far as the actual definition of a blog is concerned, I feel that the comments drive the blogging circle that we move in, and I like it that way.

Got a little too literal there. I agree with you, its fun to turn a boring day at work into a conversation with friends across the country.

I just bet you were one of those mean popular kids in high school who looked down on the unpopular kids because "I'm so much cooler than you are."

Kinda like that guy in the New Testament who prayed and thanked God that he wasn't like "that loser over there."

Just because you are soooo cool doesn't mean you get to disparage those of us that are not as cool as you are. (And those that have to make pronouncements about how cooool they are are inherently insecure--I mean come on, drawing attention to how coooool you are? Hah.)

i don't see where anyone here said they are so much cooler than everyone else. was that last post supposed to be sarcastic? it's always hard to tell (at least for me) on blog...

I agree with you, Josh. I don't know if I'm being challenged or if I should laugh.

Krista, I know what you mean. You should try living with the guy!

First, I wanted to apologize for my earlier tirade. I'm going of my meds quicker than I'm suposed to and it plays havoc with the mind and emotions.

I'm wondering if this is what it's like to be manic/depressive. Pretty wild mood swings and all. When I reread my previous comment I felt like I was reading someone else's writing. Pretty bizarre.

Krista, I think I misunderstood your comment, and that perhaps you are misunderstanding me. My complaint is about those blogs that do not have comment system, not about posts where readers choose not to comment or posts where there are few reader comments. That's all.

Amy, I did try living with him, and I'm afraid I don't agree. Jon Amos, however, might sympathize.

What if people don't comment, but they read your blog. Is it then just a website?

I apologize for my grevious lack of clarity in the original post. I am making no comment whatsoever about blogs that have comment systems where, for one reason or another, the readers simply choose not to comment. Many times posts just don't merit comments. What I am complaining about is those blogs that do not even have a venue for other readers to make a comment, that is, the lack of a comment system or, as I worded it in the original post, no comments. Sorry.