Books Lists Life is 3 years old today!
(sorry for the spacing, Blogger won't let me add paragraph breaks)
I had hoped to do a giveaway of a cute totebag or backpack for all you book carrying and diaper carrying folks, but October 6th came earlier than I expected. I've decided to do a anniversary giveaway on November 1st instead. The prize will be a handmade tote bag with a few goodies stuffed inside, and no, it won't be all my leftover Halloween candy (though that IS a good idea!)
Here's how to enter: for every comment you leave between September 1st and October 31st I will enter your name one time in the drawing. But Lisa, you say, September 1st was a month ago! You're RIGHT! I want to give my regular commenters a slight advantage. Sue me. I reserve to right to discard ANY comment that I decide is just there as filler space, so don't leave 20 comments on this post unless you actually have 20 things to say. And don't intentionally spread them out either! I don't have a problem with "Oh, that sounds great I want to read that!" or "Hey, what adorable children you have!" but a string of "me too" "pick me" "I have cooties!" won't cut it. (Ok, that last one might make me laugh and I'd probably leave it in.) This is completely subjective on my part, I realize that, but I think most of you understand what I'm getting at-- NO SPAM!
This is open to my international friends as well, unless you are the person commenting in Chinese (? like I know) on the August 17th Random Friday post. You are not eligible.
In the meantime, in honor of my anniversary (birthday?) I'd like to ask you a couple questions.
- What is your best blogging TO DO tip?
- What is your best blogging DON'T DO tip?
- What do you like to see in someone's sidebar(s)?
- What do you wish blogger swould NOT do?
- Where do you find new to you blogs? Comments? Twitter? Google?
Don't feel obligated to answer them all, or even any of them, but I am curious. And don't answer them in four separate comments, k?
Happy Blogiverasy! I'm very impressed that you've stuck with it 3 years!
ReplyDeleteWow. 3 years. That is a long time. I am glad that you have stuck with it. I enjoy your blog a lot. You inspire me.
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute idea. I can't believe you have someone commenting in Chinese! Let's see, what were your questions (you KNEW I'd answer them, right?):
ReplyDeleteWhat is your best blogging TO DO tip? Be nice to your commenters (reply to them)
What is your best blogging DON'T DO tip? Ignore your commenters.
What do you like to see in someone's sidebar(s)? I don't pay all that much attention to sidebars, but I love your TBR idea.
What do you wish bloggers would NOT do? Partial feeds!
Where do you find new to you blogs? Comments? Twitter? Google? Usually in posts by those I do follow - when they post praising or referring to other blogs and I click over. Or through things like BBAW.
Happy Blog-Birthday! Many happy returns.
ReplyDeleteLet's see...blogging pet peeves... sidebar things that don't line up right so they cover up some of the actual text of the blog. And music on blogs. That's annoying.
I REALLY hate it when people leave comments that say something like "oh that's awesome. Check out my post about this here." I mean, if I know you and you comment a lot, fine. But your first and only comment? NO.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!
I REALLY hate it when people leave comments that say something like "oh that's awesome. Check out my post about this here." I mean, if I know you and you comment a lot, fine. But your first and only comment? NO.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary!
Congrats on 3 years! That's forever in blog land.
ReplyDeleteI should post these questions as separate comments so they all count! LOL. Happy Blogoversary! I am very depressed right now as my son did not get a part in the play so I am pulling him out. Long story for another day. Perhaps I'll blog about it.
ReplyDeleteHere are my answers:
What is your best blogging TO DO tip?
Limit the amount of memes that you participate in. Original content is better.
What is your best blogging DON'T DO tip?
Don't use a black background with white text. It is impossible to read for longer than a few minutes without getting retinal burn.
What do you like to see in someone's sidebar(s)?
I like for contact info to be at the top...then what they are reading. The rest is icing.
What do you wish blogger swould NOT do?
I wish blogger would not screw up spacing.
Where do you find new to you blogs? Comments? Twitter? Google?
When I visit blogs, I look at the comments that the other blogger gets and then if I like what they say or how they sound then I click on their profile to check them out.
Happy Blogiversary!!
ReplyDeleteLezlie
I agree with Ti. Really, I do. Especially about white text on black background. Instant headache.
ReplyDeleteTo do tip? Preschedule posts, otherwise you'll be like me...tired, with nothing to post.
Sidebars? A little bit of info about the blogger.
Bloggers not do? All memes, all the time. Blogger not do? Screw with formatting.
New blogs? From links on other people's posts, and events like read-a-thon and BBAW.
Happy Blogiversary!!
I swear I wasn't that Chinese commenter. Promise. Actually I got spammed too, dangit. :(
ReplyDeleteHAPPY BLOGIVERSARY!
I don't really have any to do and not to do tips. Be genuine and friendly. No partial feeds. Make it easy to subscribe to comments. Answer comments (yes, I'm guilty of that lately). Don't do 5 memes on the same day. I don't pay attention to sidebars but I do notice if they're clunky. It annoys me when people advertise their blogs in comments (when there is a link to a specific post in every comment you leave). Find new bloggers? Comments. Not just on my blog but on other people's blogs, too.
The end.
Happy blogiversary!
ReplyDelete1. Comment consistently on some of your favourite blogs, in order to make deep relationships.
2. Obsess over your stats.
3. I don't really think about sidebars, especially since I read in Google Reader! :)
4. Imbed music in their blogs. Or all sorts of code that makes my computer freak out.
5. I always visit new people who comment on my blog, and I add people to my reader that way. Sometimes via Twitter. Or when my fave bloggers mention new blogs they're following. But I don't actively search out more blogs to follow-I have too many as it is! :)
Hey! Happy blogiversary! How exciting :)
ReplyDeleteLet's see. I don't pay attention to sidebars at all, because I read from google reader.
Hate partial feeds. I find comment verification to be endlessly annoying. Also memes gone wild.
Not sure what to advise for things blogger should do. I love that you respond to comments (I sure don't, and should!)
As for finding new blogs, seems to be from everywhere. Other people's comments, when bloggers mention other blogs, sometimes things like Sunday Salon or weekly geeks or something. Rarely from twitter though. I think I will quit twitter soon. So time consuming.
Happy Blogiversary to you!
ReplyDeleteI swear I'm going to have to break down and order a War Eagle banner for my husband. Probably an early Christmas gift or something :)
Here's my thoughts to ponder:
1. Blogging to do...
Have fun and remember the blog is for you and enjoy it. I don't like stressing over things so always remember this is fun. And I like asking people questions too. Like you are doing now. I love getting people into discussions and maybe getting a lurker to post a comment. :)
2. Don't do...
Hmmm, this one is harder. I guess for me I don't join in a ton of weekly things because I read a lot of blogs and tend to get bored when 50 bloggers are posting on the same thing...like I tend to just skip it. Although I do like simple ones like the Wordless Wednesday or whatever.
3. Sidebar stuff...
I tend to read in Google Reader so I don't visit the actual blog much. But I like to see easy links to say, books reviewed or whatever so I'm not searching all over the site for that or contact info or whatever. I love your link to you etsy shop. Thank you.
4. What should blogger not do...
Hmm. Thinking. Sometimes I get annoyed if a blogger is a bit too whiney or complains a lot. I mean, once in a while or whatever is fine but continual down-ness just drives me mad. I love optimism. :)
5. New blogs...
I definitely check out the blogs of people who comment and usually add them to my Google Reader. Also, when people get awards and post links to other blogs I sometimes check those out. Ummm...and if a blogger just mentions another blog and it sounds interesting I'll check it out. Oh, and when people do awards I check their blogs out. I read WAY too many but can't help it :)
**Just as a side, I am horrible at writing back to people. I don't comment back unless they ask me something or I need to. I love when I can just hit on the email announcement and I get their email. Otherwise, if they don't have a blog or an email it makes it difficult. You, however, are awesome at replying back. Thank you!
Ok. And that does it :)
Have a great day!
1. What is your best blogging TO DO tip?
ReplyDeleteKeep it short and sweet. Don't make paragraphs too long.
2. What is your best blogging DON'T DO tip?
NO MUSIC that plays automatically.
3. What do you like to see in someone's sidebar(s)?
Blogrolls, search bar.
4. What do you wish bloggers would NOT do?
Again with the music.
5. Where do you find new to you blogs? Comments? Twitter? Google?
Through comments and links on twitter or other blogs.
Congrats on you blogiversary! I have only been reading blogs for as long as you have been blogging. Hopefully I will be able to read more after we move and get settled. That will be after the first of the year. I miss reading. I am so behind. Anyway.....Congrats!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on the Anniversary!! Time flies, doesn't it??
ReplyDeleteI find a lot of new blogs through my comments. (where they find ME, I have no idea!!) I also have found some really great blogs from Twitter.
Happy Blogiversary!
ReplyDeleteWhat is your best blogging DON'T DO tip?
Do not have music come on automatically when someone visits your blog!
What do you like to see in someone's sidebar(s)?
What they are currently reading and who has made the most recent comments and on what posts
Happy Blogiversary! I recently "re-discovered" your blog and have enjoyed going back and reading past posts. I was very happy to see that you talk about sewing and reading as those are two of my favorite things in life!
ReplyDeleteO.k. for the questions...my don't do would be having music on your blog...drives me crazy I have to search for the box to turn it off and then if I want to look at other pages or enlarge a picture it starts all over again, grrrr. If I feel like listening to music I'll have it playing on my computer and then I get that lovely sound of 2 songs playing at the same time. More typically I'm enjoying some peace and quiet while I read and to suddenly have something blaring out of my speakers can be rather unpleasantly startling lol.
I LOVE lists in sidebars!! TBR's, have read, favorite movies, music, quilts to finish, just about anything people want to list I will read. I heart lists.
Also I really like it when I don't have to type in the letters before I post.
O.k. this is not to get more entries lol, but I went completely blank on "comment verification" and just now I went and read what everyone else answered and had to come back and rectify that. So please insert comment verification for "letters typed in". I really miss my memory.
ReplyDeleteHappy Bloggiversary, Lisa. Yours was one of the first blogs I read, and I still enjoy it. I love all the pictures of your boys, too.
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone, for your comments and for your blogging insights. For the most part we're all on the same page, which makes me feel good. And I'm glad none of you said "ENOUGH with the children already lady!"
ReplyDeleteHappy Blogiversary!
ReplyDelete