}

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

Readin’ and writin’ stuff

Summer is a time for kicking back and relaxing, and I’m no different. While I’ve done okay with publishing new posts on this blog so far (on day three of this new year), I bet there will inevitably be days when, for whatever reason, I just don’t have anything.

On such days, which are especially likely in summer, I’ll probably post YouTube videos or other links, as I’ve done in the past. This year, though, I also hope to write a few “evergreen” posts, ones with no time sensitivity at all that I can publish during my frequent busy times, or on those days when I’m just “not feeling it”. Roger Green recommended that idea to me.

I was thinking yesterday about one thing I simply don’t get: Folks who never interact with others on blogs, Twitter, Google+ or Facebook, places where I’ve commented on posts, but the person has never commented back, not to me or anyone else. What’s the point? A one-sided lecture may or may not be interesting, but it seems to me that the whole point of all this social media is that it’s social—people having conversations with each other, sharing ideas, information, etc.

We all get busy. I don’t always reply to comments on this blog, and I don’t know any blogger who responds all the time (those with huge numbers of comments obviously can’t reply much at all). On my podcast site, I almost never reply in writing to comments (I do that on the podcast itself). It’s not the frequency of the interaction I’m talking about, but the seeming disinterest in any interaction.

Does anybody else ever feel “what’s the point?” when they see a blogger, etc., who never responds? I promise that, this time at least, if you comment, I’ll reply.

As for reading, I really, really want to be a better reader this year, and actually finish a few books. I’ve already talked a few times about being a slow reader, but it doesn’t help that I simply don’t make the time for it.

And speaking of reading, check out my friend Tim Drake’s fairly new blog, TEDrake Book Blog, where he offers “mini-book reviews and recommendations”. I particularly like it because he reads and comments on books I’d probably never even hear of otherwise (personal favourites: The mini-reviews of books that pleasantly surprised him).

Pardon me for now. I’m off to read a chapter or two before bed.

2 comments:

Roger Owen Green said...

There are some bloggerson ABC Wednesdays who comment to EVERY SINGLE COMMENT. I find it nice, but exhausting.

A: blah, blah.
Blogger: Thanks A
BL blah, blah
Blogger: I appreciate you coming by, B.


Oh, I hadn't written but two blogposts all last week; when you're feeling lousy, a bank of post helps.

Arthur Schenck said...

Those ABC comments are an example of when comments aren't really part of a conversation as such. If I took part in that, I probably wouldn't reply to comments, either, apart from the rare one where the person makes a good point, asks a questions, etc. In fact, as a commenter, I rarely leave comments on ABC posts because they're all pretty much as you describe.

I'm definitely giving the "banking" idea a go this year!