Blogging and dating are essentially the same thing.
There, I said it. Maybe it is clear to me because I am so new at this. Or maybe I am just plain wrong. I hope I am.
There you are, a young, vulnerable, lonely new blog, putting yourself out there. Cruisin’ the single’s scene. Lookin’ for a little action.
You send out your message; that you are available, that you might be interested in a relationship.
You put on some fancy artwork that makes you look hot. Not too hot, you don’t want to send the wrong message.
You put out a few posts, displaying your charms and wit.
You get your first hits. You are intrigued. You are touched.
Then you start hanging out in various blog topic lists, just sort of checking for potential suiters.
Someone catches your eye. They seem funny, friendly. Their graphics are impressive.
You click, and start to explore their point of view. Learn more about them.
Hey, you realize, I like what this person has to say. We have stuff in common. You make a few comments.
You hope they will notice you, but there are a lot of other people that like this person. And some of them are better commenters than you are.
You bring out some of your best commenting. Hey, you have been noticed.
Is it too early to ask this person over to your place to check out some of your stuff? But you really do like them. You pushed their button twice.
What if they come over and don’t like you as much as you like them?
That would suck, because you are ready to follow this person anywhere.
Ooh, they do like your stuff. Your words are brilliant, your colors vibrant.
But did they really listen when you wrote? How many posts did they really go back to?
You begin to have your doubts, but before you know it, you are both following each other. You were just sort of swept up in the emotions of the moment.
Weeks go by, and the things that you thought were so clever now begin to grate on your nerves.
Turns out that the jokes they were making were funny when they were talking about the other political party, but now, not so much.
Besides, you have started to become interested in other blogs. There has been a little harmless flirting with other sites.
You find yourself faking it now and then, pretending you were paying more attention than you really were.
Worst of all, what if you follow someone and they don’t follow you back.
Oh, no, blogging and dating have absolutely nothing in common. It was all in my head.
The funny part to me is that we could all end up ‘following’ everybody. It would be like Days Of Our Lives. We all end up together for at least one night.
Pouring My Art Out 
I used to be a rabid follower of Days of Our Lives. It was so cheese-tastic. I was never home when it came on, so I taped it religiously. By the time I finally stopped watching it there was a French guy who was somehow related to the Kelly clan. You know what his name was?
Franco Kelly
I shit you not.
My wife watches the Young and the Restless… most of them are not so young any more, but they are restless…
I stuck to NBC. They used to have one called “Santa Barbara”. Robin Wright-Penn (the Princess Bride” was on it. It was downright hysterical.
if you say so
I do. And I am almost always right.
oh… I forgot
That’s Ok. I don’t mind reminding you.
ha
Dear pmao,
Whoever knew blogging would present such conundrums?
Love Dotty xxx
I really just wanted to leave a silly time-capsule for my descendants to get to know me. I am considering starting a new, less child-friendly blog, where I could reveal more of the. um, interesting adventures of my youth.
Dear pmao,
Ha, I bet that would make interesting reading.
Love Dotty xxx
Oh, come on, I said I was sorry for missing Valentine’s Day. What more do you want?
OK, you are funny.
Oh, sure, put the blame on me now. I see how it is.
But, in all seriousness, I am highly envious of your artistic talent. And the fact that you are a Tin Tin fan makes you amazingly awesome. As a huge Tin Tin fan myself (I used to live in Belgium), I always like meeting fellow readers. I’d be interested to know what you thought of the movie, if you saw it. Personally, I was actually pleasantly surprised. It wasn’t perfect, but they paid such immense attention to detail. The font during the opening credits, the famous yellow plane (which appeared in the opening credits before returning in the movie proper), and the inclusion of several very minor characters… I appreciated it.
(Thanks for allowing that little fanboy chatter.)
I saw it and I liked it. I have always had a soft spot for Captain H. And I really like the fact that you enjoyed some of my early artwork. And that you took the time to look at it. Thanks.
{takes the part of the defensive and insecure (blog) lover} You’re talking about ME Aren’t you… You’ve been seeing other blogs behind my back, I can tell… the way you come home with words on your collar… WE USED TO HAVE SOMETHING SPECIAL!
Ok, I’m done with that… I really love this post… I agree completely, though I’ve kind of stopped caring whether I get x amount of readers for a post or not… I still follow it, but I know its all for me, not for them… ironically, the more I write for me, the more followers / readers I get…
And I am very picky on who I follow… I think I’m following 5 of the 20+ followers I have… its nothing against their writing, I am just looking to read things that interest me and I have this wide array of bloggers following, from DIYers to sports fanatics… I’ve read some of their things and revisit from time to time, but I don’t ‘follow’… Following just to get more followers doesn’t mean you will get more views… I can follow your blog all I want, but if I don’t like what you’re writing you aren’t going to get any extra views from me just because I get a message you posted something… So, I remain picky yet appreciative.
I feel so guilty… I have been seeing other blogs… It’s not you, it’s me. (Sorry, couldn’t help myself).
But it never meant anything to me… I just skimmed the words.
That’s what all the blogs in the past told me… You promised you were different…
But alas, I too am seeing another… a tall blonde swedish blog called “Sven vill it end”…
i loved this post. ugh. the ‘collecting’ people part is so difficult, isn’t it? i’ve always hated that, but it’s easy when someone is a good writer, like yourself…
Awww, you are a sweet mother.
You may be right about the blogging and dating thing. My blog reading runs in streaks, just like my writing. I stopped political blogging and now chew fewer anti-acids. I guess my blogging is for me, anyway. If someone reads the stuff, that is a big plus.
Oh, today I learned that Fry’s extended warranty on my Toshiba laptop does not apply with physical damage. Bummer!