This week 3 wise men cut to the chase and made me realize how quickly I jump to self-pity mode. I feel compelled to publicly thank them for their generosity of bringing me back to reality.
Wise man #1 is the Mr. While we were taking our road trip journey to visit my dad on Sunday (read more here if you’re looking for a road trip to Northern WI and don’t feel like driving yourself).
I in my Chatty Cathy mode along with a captive audience said, “I’ve been racking my brain about my blog.”
Mr: (Shuttering a bit, ‘cuz this is a topic he knows is touchy for me, I easily slump into poor me mode…) “Yeah, what about it?”
Me: “I still haven’t figured out the how to grow followers’ thing. I’ve figured out one thing about it though, it’s a full-time job. And that ain’t me. There’s this one blog I follow and I’ve been watching his growth in numbers and he must spend a lot more time on it than I do. I don’t see him posting on challenges, or word prompts, yet his blog followers continue to grow. I don’t get it. I guess I’m damn lucky to have almost 400 followers by doing very little other than posting and being nice when someone stops by to comment. Every few days a new follower or so happens, and I have no idea why?”
Mr: (With the look of a stunned deer at hearing that many people are actually following my hobby blog…) “That’s damn good for the amount of effort don’t you think?”
Me: “Well, when you put it that way, I guess you’re right. I shouldn’t expect more and should feel lucky to have the followers I do. Thanks, I needed that perspective changer.”
When I got home, I checked my old blog out. I started that way back when and had no idea what I was doing. Out of the wild blue yonder, someone stopped by my old blog. Besides me, that is, I do stop by just to see the stats. Wow…110 pageviews…what the hell? This is one of the posts whoever it was read – Memos to self about self-pity – how fitting…
Sometimes, I just to wonder about the people who stop by it to read it? I have no idea why perhaps to steal words or ideas or maybe they actually like the posts? There are never any comments left, Blogger is not as fun as Word Press is for comment sharing.
And that brings me to Wise Man #2 – Dan from No Facilities. I highly recommend you check out his blog – his #1linerWeds adventures are rarely #1 liners (I love that I’m not the only one who can’t stick to one line in a post, plus his adventures with his pets and his discussions at bars are funny and entertaining reads), but he always shares a zinger line or more each post.
Anyhoo…what made him Wise Man #2 ties into another blogging self-pity moment I had this week on Tuesday.
Feeling all excited about my cat adventure post (‘cuz as a blogger you have to like your own posts otherwise you’ll never post…!) I pushed publish button and went on my merry way. After work, I checked my stats (‘cuz as a blogger it’s the best way to make you feel like shit when you post a crappy post).
NO ONE LIKED it….What the HELL? A couple of comments, but NO LIKES? Well, that’s the last time I’ll let Tizzie write a post. Damn.
So the next day, back in the writing saddle I went and wrote a pick me up post. (Which, by the way, I’m super touched by the kind words of Laura at All The Shoes I Wear for calling out the post – thank you, Laura!!).
Whilst I was writing that post, I noticed I had a comment to review…on the NO LIKE post.
That’s when Wise Man #3 – Brian from Bushboy (the blog I follow from down under in Australia. Brian has reassured me it is nothing like the Crocodile Dundee movies, but he does like to capture people unaware of things) had commented on the NO LIKE post.
He suggested I use a wild-life camera to capture photos of Tizzie under the tree. Brilliant advice, why didn’t I think of that? Plus his blog has some really great photos – you should check it out!
Feeling better and into a picked me up mission mode, (at least I had comments on the post), I published my new post and Wise Man #2 – Dan – commented on the NO LIKE post. Like a Holy Knight in Shining Word Press-Knowledge armor – he’s full of blog improvement (and home improvement) advice!
I, too, have to fumble my way through the disconnect of having.ORG and a.COM WordPress blog. The settings screw me up without knowing it. I had indeed messed around between the two sites while I was writing the post and had somehow, with the magical fairy dust of some kind, had F’d something up and the “LIKE” function wasn’t working.
Thankfully, Wiseman Dan took the time to tell me how frustrating it is to visit my blog. I’m thankful to know that. And that he, like the other two Wise Men of this week, wasn’t afraid to point the obvious out to me.
Yep, 3 Wise Men, I tell ya…they knew how to cut to the chase and tell it like it is and yank me right out of self-pity mode.
You’re welcome Wise Guys – I admit, as a woman, you’re WISE and I’m thankful for your assistance. This confession is my Merry Christmas gift to you, by the way, please don’t expect anything wrapped under the tree…! 😉 There might not be a tree by Christmas, but that’s a different story, for a different day.
Post Inspiration – Self Pity and Wise Men and RDP Fumble
PS – Thank you, followers, I appreciate you putting up with my antics! And, please, if you have suggestions on things you don’t like about my blog – share away – I can take the chase and run with it!
OMG you are so funny in your self-pittiness! I hear you loud & clear . . . my favorite is when you write something that you totally love & no one sees it! WHAT? It’s like if anyone would begin to listen to us . . . we would change the world Shelley! Yup, the world. Have a great day. Excellent blog!
LOL – Right on, Karen! Yep, we’d change the world. Hope you have a great day, too! Thank you for your kind words of encouragement!!
Oh Shelley So many thanks for the mention….and a Wise Man to boot 🙂 I forgot to mention the couldn’t like thing, sorry.
And please I don’t want anything under the tree (I suspect the box may contain a cat)
I am still holding out for the Cat – “I didn’t do anything. The tree just fell over” blog. x
You’re welcome, Brian. Don’t worry, there’s something brewing under the tree – or something keeps calling the cats there. You didn’t send a mystery package, right?!
Not me 🙂 My daughter took the catnip with her when she and her cat moved out
LOL – there you are being brilliant again – sending the cats and the catnip out of the house!
Very thoughtful post.
Thank you, Andrew – I should’ve called you out as a Wise Man too – loved your poem for today by the way! And, I still don’t think you’re all that lonely 😉 https://thelonelyauthorblog.com/2018/12/13/pockets-full-of-solitude/
Oh, no way. Thnak you for that.
Lonely, not with all of these wonderul followers.
Thank you. Have a good one.
You’re welcome – hope you have a great day!!
Thanks
personally I love your blog!
Thank you, Gwenn – right back at ya!!
I also was not successful in trying to “like” that post I commented on. I had just assumed it was my browser not loading something. How frustrating! Sometimes I log out of my account and then access my page as someone else would. That would give you an idea of how others see your blog.
Also! I think you have a wonderful blog – 400 followers apparently agree 🙂
(I always liked Chatty Cathy…)
Thank you! Sorry for the frustration on my post. It’s so hard to notice what it looks like to others, even in preview mode. Feel free to point out any frustrations – we’ll figure this crazy stuff out one way or another. Thank you for your kind encouragement, I appreciate every interaction we share here in the blogosphere!
So do I! 🙂
And you know you are special to me. Several times I cant post a like but can get in a comment. I remember when I first got started blogging someone said to stay true to me and it will grow. I am not that worried about growing as much as I want reach one person with a daily cyber hug or a gentle word. There is a lot of hurt out there along with sadness and fear. If I can bring a smile, I did my job that day.I am surprised I have over 60 people reading my silliness to my strong christian beliefs. But that me. I fully enjoy what you write – it makes me smile so you are doing your job well.
Aw, Anita – you are very special to me. Your kindness, encouragement, and whimsical comments brighten my day! Do stay true to yourself and your beliefs, you can’t go wrong if you do! xx
Thanks for the mention. I’m not often put in with a group of wise men, so I’m cherishing this.
Very interesting but 400 followers is very good … the first 4 1/2 years I had 20 and in 11 months I have gained 300 more!
Congratulations! What’s your trick?!!!
Interestingly, the first follower here on WordPress was someone who writes a travel blog so I have no idea how he found my blog … I never did any tags on my blog until the 5th anniversary on February 11th this year. So, I don’t know how he discovered me – I made comments on his travel blog and people just started following me then … in the beginning I followed back everyone who followed me and I soon realized that was not doable and sometimes they were not in my genre. I have some sites that followed but never commented – I think they were trolling for likes on their site quite frankly. I would say I have about 15 regular WP commenters … that may not be such a good record when you break it down like that.
I can totally relate! I guess it is the nature of the beast!?
That’s for sure – I went to bed instead of catching up on Reader thinking I’d do it this morning when I was “fresh” … took me awhile to finish off my corny love story post. Maybe while my boss is gone I can get ahead with some of my own posts … maybe I should be less wordy, brevity is not my strongpoint!
LOL – I was hoping for the same thing. It was a long week and I was really tired. Still am. Thanks for sharing your sleepy thoughts. Hope your next week is productive for blogging ;-). Love your corny story – the pictures are great too!!
Going to bed early was a mistake when you are doing a blog post the next day – and when your internet goes kaput. Why it doesn’t go out in the middle of the night is beyond me – it would be a much better choice! Sadly, I don’t think I will finish in Reader tonight either.
Yes, so frustrating when you pour your heart out or write something you think is so funny and no one says anything. I am glad I found your little blog somehow this year.
I hear ya. I’m glad we found each other here in the blogosphere! Your smile and comments brighten my day – thank you!!