Here are some things that irk me.
* You're reading blogs and as you click on one you're blasted away by loud music that will either make your ears bleed or wake the sleeping children. Waking the sleeping children is way worse than waking the dead, trust me.
* Word verification - we've talked about this before. Turn it off. It's for the greater good. I will close the comment screen and walk away just as quickly as I'll try to decode jumbled letters. And I know for a fact that I'm not the only one.
* fOnT changes. (You'll notice that I didn't actually change the fonts there? That would make me hypocritical if I did.) Font changes do not make you a better writer; they will make your readers run away. I'm hoping that's not the desired effect you're going for.
* Awards and memes. I hate them. Sure, there was a day that I was flattered that someone thought of me and sent something my way, but I got over that. Personally, I find blog posts containing memes and awards boring and never read them. I don't even watch Hollywood's award shows, so I'm definitely not interested in blogger awards. Not even receiving them. I know; shocker.
* Having a blog account, but having your email blocked for comment response. I try to respond to most of my commenters via email, and it's incredibly annoying to have your comment show up in my inbox, only to click on Respond and have the Non-Reply message come up. If you need help fixing it, I'm here for you. Seriously, it's the best way to get to know someone, chatting back and forth through emails. Isn't that part of the reason why we're blogging in the first place? To connect with others we have things in common with? Or is that just me?
* And because I haven't alienated enough readers yet, I'll also address the marathon posters. While most people consider a post a day a worthy goal to aim for, there are those who feel the need to share no less than a dozen times a day. I love that you have information to share, really I do, but I only have so much time in my day to read blogs. If I spend all that time reading a dozen posts from one blog (from one day!), everyone suffers in the end. I've found a fun feature called Drafts where I compose stories that I don't want to forget, and then I save them to publish when I've got nothing. It's working great for me, so I just thought I'd share.
* Use real names. Please. If you don't want to go public with your identity, that's fine. My good friend over at The More, The Messier is an undercover writer but she uses real names for her kids. (Just fake real names.) It's just soooo much easier to keep track of than remembering if Monkey is a boy or girl, or when name changes are involved because Baby now has a baby brother.
I'll be lucky to have readers left after this scathing read.
28 comments:
I agree with you on 99% of those! I may be guilty of the marathon blogging though! Sorry! LOL The word verification is my BIGGEST pet peeve by far! UGH!
The music. OH THE MUSIC. Dude. So often it scares the crap out of me.
Ummm so, I wanna give you an award.. (just kidding!)
Oh man. So you don't like my memes? I love the meme. It fills my boring existence with meaning. Gives me something fun to do.
And real names? But Oatmeal Head is so much more fun than Oliver! Really!
DITTO! That is a really good list. The music and the multiply postings in one day are my pet peeves. I get why people do the word verification, but wonder how much spam they really get to make it necessary.
Heh -- there was actually a session at BlogHer on some of that -- including the font changes and music. The general consensus was that NO one did music anymore... until I piped up with ummm actually, I have to keep my computer on mute when reading blogs because of the music :)
And the names thing? Oops, sorry. But that's the one thing I'll keep that you disagree with. I call them that normally, and there's no changing. But if you start calling Mister Man a girl, I'll be REALLY sad ;)
I totally agree with all of these, especially the music. I like my eardrums thank you very much.
Oh well you know you can express yourself freely and we will all be back tomorrow. I'm with you on those crooked letters things give me the fits. But I don't care if I do a meme sometimes or an award sometimes they remind me of little stickers. It aint no big thing, I really can go one way or the other. I ain't got no strong opinions bout memes and stickers. But whoooohoooo is worked to death!! The cool thing is getting to know folks. And some creative genius should think up a new laugh BWAHAHA is getting old.
12 posts a day? Do they pee?
Thanks for letting me know you don't hate me for having a pseudonym! I would have been worried. I, too, have a hard time unless the fake names are real names. I don't know why.
Now if I could just stop calling my kids by their blog names in real life...
I am all about the fake names, guilty as charged. However, they ARE my children's real nicknames. Sadly, I am often found searching for a name, or calling the dog when I'm really trying to summon my daughter. If I had to try and keep real fake and real names straight, I'm afraid that my children would never again know who I was talking to.
That being said, I love my blog. I have never been able to keep a journal in my life. For some reason though, I do update my blog. I am so grateful that one day my children will read about how crazy they made me, how hard they made me laugh, and how much I love them.
So, if you don't come visit my blog that's okay, because I think you're great and I will just have to drop by and read yours. :)
i'm totally with you.
except i do use nicknames that mean something to me. i have a hard enough time keeping my kids straight (hahahahahah!!!) without trying to remember a whole other set of actual names.
Ok... so I was all set with a cute (read: lame and most likely only humorous to myself) response here, but changed my mind. (You can thank me via email, since I've got that feature turned on!)
Of course, then I'd have to admit to you that my real name ISN'T Sports Mama.
Eh. You know why I use the names I use. They fit my guys. Besides, my thing with using fake real names is that once you get to know someone, if you're fortunate enough to get to know a fellow blogger outside of the blogosphere, you never know if you're calling them--or their family--by their real names.
So tell me... have I been planning on marrying my son to your daughter, Becky.... or to your daughter Stephanie? Or Megan? Or Peaches? (and I wish I was making that last one up...Jock's best friend actually HAD a girlfriend with that name. For real.) ;)
LOL!
I MIGHT turn my word verification off just for you.. but honestly I get A LOT of spam comments... :-\
Love the list. I hate comment verification with a passion.
I agree with everything here, too. The fake name can get confusing, especially since 1 in 5 bloggers have a child "named" Monkey (I made that stat up, but I must admit I am a 1 in 5) Although, my kids got their nicknames LONG before I started blogging, so they are *kinda* real names.
I've vacilated many times on changing them to real names, I just haven't come to a decision yet.
so did you write this right after coming by my blog?????
P/S: The word verification? The first time you get 66 emails from some guy in Taiwan with links to porn sites-- you'll understand. I had to go through 66 different posts to get rid of him. I was anti-word up to that point out of courtesy for my readers with dyslexia.
I agree with most of your list. I use real names but do have some worries about weirdos out there hunting me down. You do have to be a bit cautious, don't you think?
I'll agree with most of it, but the girls have requested I keep their names private, so the nicknames are here to stay.
I've never had any problem with spam so I don't use the word verification (although once it got turned on and didn't realize it, so let me know if it is!) I do use comment moderation so at least nothing shows up on my blog without my approval.
My sentiments exactly!
Umm - sorry. My kid IS the Sumo. I haven't picked a name for Kid #2 yet, but it will be equally memorable. I sincerely hope nobody thinks Sumo is a girl.
PS - I'm dying of lust after the new elephant shirt I just saw in your sidebar. DYING.
People with music on their blogs should have their blogging rights revoked.
Just sayin.
Music drives me nuts, word verification drives me nuts, I always bypass awards and memes or I'll scan the post and then comment a quick congrats!!
I don't think you will loose any readers for this. I think it's great and a lot of people need to know about some of them.
But I am a sinner, please forgive me, because I don't use real names. I didn't even come up with fake real names. And I do hope that I don't ever come up with another baby!!! LOL!! So, please forgive me, and please still be my friend!! :)
I think I pass your blog specs.... No music, no fake names, no verification and no marathon blogging. How about once a week blog, if I make it that far!?!! I have my flash player turned off so I don't hear any music when I visit blogs.
Great post- I agree with you all the way!
So now I'm wondering if I am one who can't get replies via email after commenting cause I never get any. Weird. I better look into that. If I am and you try to reply to help me fix it my email is kmtkbest@gmail.com off to check settings now! I'm with ya on all the rest. I hate music on blogs!
I'm like Michelle, and don't know if I'm blocking emails, so could you help me too, please? mylhibug@gmail.com
I used to have music, but i went to my blog once, and got scared of what I heard so, no more music.
Marathon blogging - guilty of doing one a day, with an occasional three post day. I don't really have the time to do too much more.
All my names are real - is that wrong? Kind of too late, now that the cat's out of the bag right?
No word verification, got yelled at about that once. :)And I try to only use different fonts, and colors, when adding a quote or maybe a news story. Is that wrong?
Since I have your attention, what's up with META and how can it be fixed? Thanks for putting up with me. :)
I think you're like Simon on American Idol. Sometimes he gets booed but he is usually right on.
I'm with ya. Even on the names cuz if they're ones that are generally gender-neutral, I have a hard time figuring out who or what they are. And I secretly (or not so secretly now) get frustrated with the daily bloggers cuz they're so darn prolific and I just can't keep up since I can only get a chance to read like once a week if I'm lucky (let alone comment). :)
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