Who The HELL Is Inspired By Dexter (Don’t Answer That)
This has been the longest time that I’ve had to sit around and do nothing while I wasn’t acutely dying and/or pregnant (I don’t handle pregnancy very well) and I’ll be honest that I haven’t exactly been a model citizen to anyone I live with. While some people may long for the time when they can sit around like a banana slug, I will tell you that I am not that person. It’s always been my biggest nightmare (besides being stuck in an episode of 7th Heaven) that I become stuck in bed for days on end.
I’m not exactly in bed but I am wearing a healthy ass-groove into the couch. I sort of fear for the moment that I am released from the couch because I’m deathly afraid that I will go leaping off into the wilderness wearing a tinfoil hat screaming “THEY’RE AFTER MEEEE!”
There is one sliver of good that has come of this whole “sitting around like a cockroach” and that’s that it’s forced me to consider things like, “who is the best detective on Law and Order?” and “How can I hate The Who so much?” and “How can I take better care of my blog?”
The latter sounds douchier than it should, but this is the year of Bringing Aunt Becky Back. My blogging cohorts all seem to be a bit better business-people than I ever have been, and I was sitting there on the couch, the voice of the motivational speaker from Dexter echoing in my head, “TAKE IT!” Trust me, it’s creepy as hell.
I’ve been saying that if I can’t make it as a writer (hel-lo shitty market!)(read: hel-lo shitty writer!), I’ll try and make it as a blogger.
So that’s what I’m doing.
I parted ways with my ad company, I’m selling my own ads and I’m making some changes on my bloggity-blog. Most of all, I’m trying to get motivated to do more.
Why?
Because this is what I do. This is what I love to do. And I needed to remind myself that I am worth it. I need to take myself seriously as a business-person, even if I don’t own the powersuit and sensible heels.
If I don’t take what I do here seriously, why would anyone else?
As female/mommybloggers, people don’t take us very seriously anyway and we all know that’s bullshit. But how are people supposed to take us seriously if we don’t take what we do with some semblance of seriousness? I don’t mean like we need to play our “We Are Women Hear Us Roar” records and dance around the room but I do mean that we are mighty and we are many and we should act like we deserve the power we have. We need to own it.
And I am. One thing at a time.
——————
Here’s where I’m asking you, Pranksters, The Question. The question of the ages (that’s a lie).
I pulled down my blogroll while I revamp it (= it’s gone right now) and I’m wondering honestly what you think of my blogroll. I’m adding a poll and I’d love your comments. Do I bother revamping it and putting it back? Do you guys like having it? I kind of do, but I get upset sometimes because non-Pranksters will be all, PUT ME ON YOUR BLOGROLL, BITCH, and then I realize they’re using me for the free real estate.
Oh, and I will always keep it as an open-door policy, meaning it won’t ever be just like 5 people on it. Does that change your opinion of it?
[poll id=”5″]
Rad, yo.
Okay, so I answered Hells No! but I’m not sure that’s what I actually mean. You see, I’m an avid user of The Google Reader and am quite annoyed when I actually have to click in to read a post. (Comment on a post is entirely different seeing how I WANT to do that.) Anyway. I am 100x more likely to click through on someone you actually mention than I am to go to your site and look at your blogroll. Make sense?
Makes total sense. TOTAL sense. I never look at blogrolls. Especially my own. Which is why I ask. It’s a fuckton of work. If no one uses it, IDK why I’d keep it.
I use blog rolls whenever I’m looking for new blogs to read / stalk…..
I always go through peoples blog roll – my thoughts are that if I like your blog, then chances are you’d like the kind of blogs I like, in which case… lemme look!
However… that free real estate… if it’s offered… gimme!!!
Blogrolls are useful. I guess. I don’t use them as often as I probably should.
Where’s the “I don’t really care it’s your blog and I’m reading it regardless” option?
DAMN. Next time.
I’m going with Hell Yes! simply because I’ve found a lot of good blogs through your blogroll.
That’s because my Pranksters are full of the win.
I wish I was able to kick myself in the ass like literally to make something of my blog so you go girl! You inspire me.
*blushes*
Hey, Auntie, I’ve been thinking of you and hoping you haven’t been losing your mind too badly while on imposed bed/sofa rest. Cleaning blog house and takin’ care of business is a good thing, doesn’t sound lame to me at all.
Then again maybe you shouldn’t be taking advice from someone who has a completely lame-ass blog “design” because she can’t pick a blog designer to go with and get the damn job done already. My ADD-rific brain just doing its thing again.
Also? No $$ making stuff on my blog, can’t even figure out how to make Amazon associates work & that’s supposed to be idiot proof (but not MY kind of idiot-proof, I suppose).
Anyway, keep on keeping on and you’ll be back to your old… er, new and improved self in no time.
My blog design needs some love. Also: COME SIT ON MY COUCH. Bring your kids.
I do SO wish I lived in your state, because I’d be like “Road triiiip to visit Aunt Becky!” and the kids would go “Huh? We don’t have an Aunt Becky and if she’s your aunt why is she younger than you?” and I’d be all “Sit down and buckle up… I’ve heard she has candy.” So that would make them happy and away we’d go.
Unfortunately, I am all North East coastal and I believe you are somewhere in the middle there. So it will have to be just a fantasy. Sigh.
Also? It’s YOUR fault I got nothing done today. You had to mention Dexter again, and that reminded me that I was WAY behind on my episodes (because Ethan is around all the time and the show is not QUITE appropriate for 8 year-olds), so I just HAD to catch up. (OK, the fact that I’m still recovering from a vicious head cold with fangs had something to do with the fact that I was all drag ass today, too)
Don’t feel bad, I’m in the same boat!
I guess saying that I don’t care if you keep it or not is really a vote for losing it. So, I don’t really care. Take that as you will.
Your surgery was a week before mine. (Remember me? Hysterectomy? Tried to give you my husband so he wouldn’t make me crazy?) Why are you still on the couch? How much longer do you have to stay there? Have you considered a second opinion? I went bonkers after I’d been home 3 days. It’s gotten so I wish I could rake leaves and I hate yard work. I swear, the only thing that’s kept my sanity is not even turning on the TV during the day. Harder for you – crotch parasites and all. Although watching the show based on talking sex toys (Yo Gabba Gabba) could help you with posts for Toy With Me and watching Caillou could help you see how Dexter turned out the way he did. Screw the dead mother in the shipping container. It was watching Caillou as a kid.
Get better. But not until the Thanksgiving mess is cleared up.
UH, I always thought that big orange thing was a dildo. And I’m not even that familiar with those sorts of things. Why, HELLO giant phallic thing with one huge eye and bumbs for her pleasure!!
I was expecting YOU to be all, “Damn this sucks,” and me to be all, YAY DRUGS” and yet, here I am, in pain.
Trouble is, he did a ton of work from the SIDES, too. Apparently, abdominoplasties are BIG ASS DEALS.
Who the fuck knew?
I can send you some good drugs. They actually brought back waaaaay to many memories of high school and why I couldn’t pass chemistry so I stopped taking them as soon as I could.
I’m still trying to recover from the Who hatred, you’re going to have to give me a second or two…nope, you’re forever changed in my eyes Aunt Becky, I’m sorry, but a Who hater? Really? I thought so much more of you. *sobs*
Aaaand now about the question. I don’t get blogrolls. I started one when I started my blog to keep track of who I was reading (I guess?) Then I moved on to Reader to do that, and now I find my new interesting blogs usually from either a direct link or a kick-ass comment. So ya, don’t get the blogroll.
I get that, too. It’s a fucking ton of work.
Also: LOVE Baba O’Riely.
Ehhh … blogrolls … I’ve never been a fan of the static variety. I do like blogger’s new option of the ever changing blogroll (based on items in your reader) and find that full of the awesome, but a blogroll blogroll? I don’t have the time to sort through some list of 500 blogs that I might or might not like *shrugs*
I’m trying to come up with a more interesting way to DO blogrolls. Like Blogspot’s changing one. That’s kinda rad.
I don’t understand blogrolls, unless they’re like spring rolls, which I like very much. I certainly don’t have one, but maybe I should. Unless it involves html. Then = weeping. Sorry I’m not much help, but then again, now I have the 7th Heaven theme song in my head which is a BAD place for it to be. (I had four channels in my first apartment. This resulted in 7th Heaven AND the 700 club occasionally sneaking on when I wasn’t looking. DIRTY pool, Pat Robertson.)
SEVVENNNNTTTHHHH HEAVVEEENNNNNN.
Hi I just wanted to say I <3 your blog!! I found it through a friend of mines blog roll. So since I found you on a blog roll I say keep it cause it is super awesome sauce!! I feel compelled to add that I wanted to read your blog cause of the title! First one i read you were in target looking for uncrustables. Since then i have been hooked!!!! (on your blog not uncrustables!)
Uncrustables are full of the win. You should always love them!
And that? You know, I think there’s a lot of love for blogrolls. You know?
Keep rockin’ that blogroll as long as you want. Maybe change things up a bit if someone wants on there to be a total shitlord. It takes ONE shitlord to ruin it for the rest of us legit Pranksters. Daaaamn.
Whenever I put a call out for blogs (which is MEANT for you Pranksters who I have neglected because I cannot possibly keep up with all the links all of the time), there’s a handful of people who must hear that I am putting a call out and ask for a link. I don’t know them, they don’t know me, and it’s CLEAR what they want. SUCKS.
I voted Hell Yes. I like the blog rolls. I feel like I cannot give every blog I love enough credit unless I post about a different blog every day. Which would kind of take away from me, right? So I add blogs that I follow so others can see what I like, too.
Dude, if someone TELLS you to add them then they should be an automatic NO BITCH! If you want it then put it back up. If you dont, then dont. See? That’s easy.
I need you as my backup. I mean that.
So I anwered Hells No but now that I think about it that’s wrong. I barely ever look at them but I did randomly come upon your blog by clicking on a string of two or three different blog rolls. So yeah. I will say that I’m more likely to click through one if it’s a short list because then you know its somebody that the blogger you already know you like likes so it’s more likely to be a good read.
I can see that, too. I’M SO CONFUSED. HOLD ME.
I’m a new Mommywantsvodka reader, so I can’t really say much about YOUR blogroll in particular, but in general, I am all for them. I’ve found a number of interesting and/or funny blogs through various rolls. It stands to reason that if I find someone interesting and/or funny, that I’ll probably find a lot of what they find interesting and/or funny, interesting and/or funny (I’m taking shots each time I say ‘interesting and/or funny’ just so you know.. *hic*)
Otherwise.. Briscoe + Logan > all other L&O partnerships.
Their quippy one-liners are freaking AMAZING, aren’t they? LOVES it.
Well, I found you through a blog roll so I voted yes, but the no’s have some good points…how is that for a nice fence dance.
Bwahahaha! See! This is why I ask! I can’t figure it out!
Well there’s the solution. Everyone else should keep their blogroll!
I also voted Yes, but I remembered that I found your blog when another blogger quoted you in a post, not on a blogroll. So I don’t know if my vote should count 🙂 Hope you’re feeling better!
Of course that counts!
I am a fan of blogrolls… but then I take the time to look at them. I have found great sites from blogrolls. The only thing I didn’t like about yours was that I wasn’t on it. :o)
Also, I emailed you about advertising…
I emailed you back. Did you get it?
*GASP* NO!!! I’ll contact you from my outlook. I’ve gotten emails from you there before… you should have it in a couple seconds.
Emailed you back. Holler if you don’t get it. I wrote it from my iPhone which makes me wonder if my iPhone sucks.
Blogrolls are a great way of finding new blogs. Just put them on a different page that way it doesn’t bog down the other good shit on your blog.
Speaking of uncrustable’s my finance totally threw them back in the freezer section last night and said peanut butter with jelly in bread will do just fine. What the flucking hell is that about? I lost that battle.
I was never much of a Who fan, though I liked Tommy.
I liked the blog roll because a) I was on it and b) so were lots of other folks who were more interesting than I am
You shut your whore mouth when you’re making fun of yourself. I heart you.
I voted to keep the blogroll. I just have to add, it really irks me when you look at blogrolls and every single blogger is linking to the same blogs. Seriously? There are a million blogs out there, we all know everyone reads the same ones, so let’s link to some of them we don’t all know about! Like check this one out, this lady is 83 and funny as shit:
http://loisstearns.blogspot.com
So anyway, I’m just saying. I like the links.
Oh, I’ve always had an open door policy for bloggers. Everyone can be on my blogroll PROVIDING you’re an actual reader of mine. I remember when I was a new blogger and you’re right, always the same blogs on a blogroll. I’d rather have variety.
At the moment, I’m mostly a lurky kind of Prankster cause I’m busy catching up on yer archives.
I have peeked at the blogroll a couple of times, but where I find my bestest reading is your awesome commenters.
That’s actually how found you, not through someones blogroll, but you had left a really funny comment on somebody’s blog and I just had to come & see if you were one of those rare bloggers that are actually good at telling stories, not just giving away free shit.
I get all judgmental at people who feel they can’t hold my attention with their writing & resort to dangling something shiny in front of me.
That said, if you find anymore diamonds in your closet, feel free to send them my way!
Bwahahahahaaha!
I don’t think people want me to shill their crap because, frankly, LOOK AT MY POTTY MOUTH.
I should give away my diamonds. Why? I’M DOING NOTHING WITH THEM.
I went through the same question with my blog. But I decided yes, because when we find one that is great, it’s hard to find Like-minded people. It’s not like you can do a google search for “blogs about funny, smart-assed women” and have something really good come up. (I tried it, and it didn’t give me ANYTHING!) I found you off a blogroll, and people are finding me off of blogrolls, so I vote yes! It still works to bring in new readers!
Yes, I think you’re right. Plus, SO MANY PEOPLE do away with them, you know? They’re a fuck-ton of work, so people are all FUCK THAT, but I think people do like them.
Hells No
Why? Because I’m more likely to click on the links of peeps who actually comment here (and elsewhere) than I am to scroll through a long ass list and look for blog names that look interesting enough to read. Too much effort and I’m fuckin’ lazy.
That makes sense, too.
I think blogrolls are A LOT of work to put together. (That’s why I don’t have one. Plus, I’m not so into blogging right now.) However, they are good for new bloggers to peruse for reading material.
I couldn’t make a decision to save the last Little Debbie Christmas tree cake. *shrugs*
Dude, those Little Debbie cakes RULE. I haven’t had one in years.
You don’t like The Who? Lady, we need to rethink this relationship…
I don’t look at blogrolls so much anymore… I’m much more likely to find new blogs because of comments or a mention in a post.
And Briscoe was definitely full of the AWESOME. And Benjamin Bratt was nice too look at… so he had that going for him. Because I can’t remember his detective’s name. At all.
I’m pretty partial to SVU and the new LA. Have you seen Law and Order LA? It RULES.
Blog rolls are a lot of work, but I do explore blog rolls. I also keep one on my blog. While I may not check every blog roll on every site, there are times when I do nothing but blog surf. Also, blog rolling is a great way of getting your blog out there, meeting other bloggers and giving recognition to those whose blogs you enjoy. Just because I like a blog, doesn’t mean i like it enough to mention it in a post OR that the blog can efficiently be tied into my post. I figure, if I mention your name in a post, it is an “honorable mention”. If I add you to my blog roll, well, it is what it is.
I am not a robot! LOL
I’ve never been stellar at featuring other bloggers on my blog because I’m always afraid that I’ll be forgetting someone. I take issue with that and don’t like to hurt feelers. So I do a blogroll instead. There are so many fabulous blogs out there, you know?
I use Google Reader and have found the majority of the people I follow from their being mentioned in other blogs. I found your blog through a mutual friend on Twitter and have been hooked ever since. Whatever you do I’m sure it will be awesome!
I use Google Reader and have found the majority of the people I follow from their being mentioned in other blogs. I found your blog through a mutual friend on Twitter and have been hooked ever since. Whatever you do I’m sure it will be awesome!
Now I just need to figure out what to do. But thank you for the vote of confidence!
I’m a big fan of blogrolls if the people are particular about who they place on theirs. For example, I love your blog, so if you are recommending a blog, I’m apt to check it out.
But when someone has a blogroll that is 100 people long, chances are I’ll never look at any of them.
My blogroll is HUGEMONGEOUSLY long. I have a thing about including everyone…you know?
I found your blog on someone’s blogroll and found it entertaining.
Entertaining enough that I read some of your archives for back story, which I’m normally like all “meh” about.
I might have been all “meh” except I had surgery on 11/2 as well and have run entirely out of FUN things to read, leaving me a prisoner of the internets and school. More likely because you are funny and angsty without being all Woe Is Me and I’m hooked. And we both had kids at 21, just mine is really big now.
Blogroll, evil, or not? Dunno. But I’m not sure I’d have found your blog without it…
Aw, we’re both prisoner of the internets! We should start a club!
I love what you are doing with your blog! Part of me secretly wanted to be put on bed rest with my second to really work on this whole writing/blog thing but the larger part of me screamed, ran and tackled a to-do list that kept me off the couch for the rest of the day/week/month/trimesters….
I also like the blogrolls to find new people to read.
I love what you are doing with your blog! Part of me secretly wanted to be put on bed rest with my second to really work on this whole writing/blog thing but the larger part of me screamed, ran and tackled a to-do list that kept me off the couch for the rest of the day/week/month/trimesters….
I also like the blogrolls to find new people to read.
It’s time to TAKE BACK THE INTERNET, yo!
If I know that a writer I respect has a list of decent blogs that she respects, I’ll read them. If I open a page and am confronted with 43,008 blogs, I assume that nobody has done the work of finding out if they’re good or not, so I don’t either. I know that sounds elitist and terrible, but it’s true. I see that you have a “thing” about including everyone, but once everyone is on the island, the whole thing sinks. I think. (God I am such a bitch.)
No, I think you’re also right. I think there are two schools of thought and they both make sense. Which is why I asked the Internet. You guys are smarter than I am.
I think some of my favorite blogs to read have come from either comments on your blog, or the blogroll.
I could give or take blog rolls. Mostly because they do feature the same blogs — usually for good reason, like they simply rock or something. or maybe it’s just plain jealousy because my wee lil blog is only on the blog roll of one person I don’t know in real life. I don’t count bloggers who actually know me because, dude, who doesn’t give props to their girls? Uh, me, I guess. I don’t have blog roll… For shame…
They do feature the same blogs and I find that obnoxious, too. I’ll make sure you go on mine when I put it back up. You deserve it.
Hmm. I used to love them, but I hate maintaining mine, and it takes up so much room. I tried to use Google Reader to feed a blogroll but I’m not convinced that it actually works.
I don’t like the Google Reader blogroll. But I’m with you. I don’t like the stress of a blogroll. It’s fucking stressful, you know?
I say no to the blog roll. I have one and it features about 10 blogs that I LOVE–and several of those are “little” blogs that for some reason never took off.
Actually, you are on my blog roll. I don’t think I’m on yours, but that’s okay. I’m a big girl–and I never asked you to add me. So I’ll shut my whore mouth about that. 🙂
Back to my point…if I have one…blog rolls are usually a “you scratch my back I’ll scratch yours” kind of thing. Instead of featuring Greatness, they turn into “People Who Read Me and I Don’t Want to Offend Them.”
I want to hear more about your quest for selling ad space. I’m wondering if I should dump my ads and go solo or is that just a shit ton of work pimping myself to brands? Ugh. The dramaz.
See? I’ll add yours. THANK you for saying something without being all I HATE YOU AUNT BECKY YOU SLUT.
And ads, SIGHS, ADS.
I’m sort of weird about them anyway, because you know. But I hate the idea of giving money To The Man.
I used a network for awhile and they were nothing but nice to me…but they took a lot of my money. They did the work, it makes sense. HOWEVER. I have issues with that. I’m a whore like that.
I’m not overly appealing to advertisers because, well, I say, SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH, and that scares people, even though I’m sweet as pie when you get to know me. So, it’s bitten me in the ass.
Frankly, I’m okay with that.
So, ad networks take the WORK out of ads. They also take over half your money. Except BlogAds, which rule.
For me, I’d rather make zilch than pay someone else for space on my blog.
Okay so seriously? I use your blogroll ALL THE FREAKING TIME. I figure since I idolize you (ignore the shrine on the mantle) then the people worthy of being on your blogroll are definitely worth looking into. So I look through all the links and I end up finding a ton of blogs I love. So I would say keep it because it’s totally awesome to be able to see who you follow or deem worthy of such recognition.
Plus it’s always been a goal of mine to be cool enough to be up there … but I’m nowhere near ready for that anytime soon.
But seriously, I think they’re awesome. I put some up on my blog because I want people to go read the blogs I post there.
In the end, though, it’s YOUR blog so do whatever YOU want to do. I mean … fuck what everyone else thinks, right?
Uh, I would HAPPILY put you up there. Now I’m happy I wrote this post. I can actually get y’all to tell me that you’re not on there.
Hahahaha oh I know, I never asked. It feels rude to be like OMG AUNT BECKY LOOK AT HOW COOL I THINK I AM!
Hahahah but I do feel a bit more full of the awesome now.
Everything’s okay now, I’m adding my opinion, you can all calm down.
(On a side note? I say that because a guy in my office says “Everything’s okay now, I’m here, you can all calm down” every freaking day when he walks in. Which is Reason #417 why offices suck. Though I suppose I’ve just added that suckiness to your comments. So… clearly you’re glad I’m here.)
I do sometimes go through people’s blogrolls looking for something new to read. But then I do think they can be an awkward “popular blogging kids” lunch table. But with less delicious school milk and more swirlies. Which raises the question of why there were toilets in my school’s cafeteria.
But that’s besides the point.
In fact, I’m not quite sure what the point is – but I think you know by now that’s not going to stop me from talking.
But then when you invited people to request to be on your blogroll it made me go all introspective and question my place in the world – for instance, what if I sent my blog and you rejected it, as I’m not a worthy prankster?
Then my mind started filling with pranksters who would be far worthier than I:
1. Clown Killers – sure, clowns are creepy. But clown killers? Those dudes took a weird situation and made it work for them. Not the direction I would have chosen, but still, they committed.
2. Insane Clown Posse – if you’re not willing to fully embrace the death aspect of clowns, why not turn your focus toward the mental instability? Plus, I have a feeling those dudes are devoted lurkers.
3. The Joker – we all know he was the most worthy of Batman adversaries. He’s who visits the Riddler’s nightmares, mocking him with superiority and clever one-liners.
Well, maybe this list revealed more of my psyche than the greatest of pranksters. But it’s a start.
What was I offering my opinion on – oh yes, blogrolls.
I guess I don’t know.
Man, that would have been shorter to type.
I don’t know either. At all.
I am going to answer all your questions today, not because I am a helpful person but because I have a new laptop and I really like the tappity tap sound of the keyboard.
“who is the best detective on Law and Order?” Lenny Briscoe, of course. He kicked ass and looked debonaire doing it too. Plus he was the voice of the candlestick in Beauty and the Beast.
“How can I hate The Who so much?”Because those things on the side of your head recieve sounds waves and trasmit that information to your brain which correctly responsed with a feeling of disgust. I mean, duh?
“How can I take better care of my blog?” Naked photos of Clive Owen or an Alpaca giveaway.
Hope your ass is feeling better soon.XOXOX
Got my restrictions lifted today! Sadly, I still am pretty under the weather.
I personally love blog rolls, mostly ’cause it’s easier for me to find quality bloggers that way than playing “google russian roulette” with random keywords and hoping I find a winner.
At the same time, I understand how aggravating keeping a blog roll up to date and functional can be. I love blogger/blogspot’s widget that basically updates with a feed; it shows who is posting and when and you can alter it to only show the most recent posters, giving your readers the option to expand. People who post often are always at the top; people who have stopped posting are at the bottom and easy to identify. Cake!
Ok soo..
1. I watch Dexter too and yes, it’s creepy to hear that in your head.
2. If we’re not going to sing I am Woman, does that mean I shouldn’t blowtorch my bra?
3. I voted yes, since blogrolls are a really great way to find other cool blogs to read/follow. Chances are, if I like you, I’ll like some of what you’re reading.
TAKE IT! TAAAKKKE IT!
Goddamnit…I was all on target with a comment plan until I saw that someone mentioned eggrolls.
NOW I WANT CHINESE FOOD.
I become irrational about things to eat when I’ve been sick.
So..uh…what? Potstickers?
Oh, yeah! Blogrolls.
Every once in a while I find cool things because if I think someone writes really well or is damned funny, I wonder who THEY think is writes well or is damned funny.
That being said, I did not find you through a blogroll. I found you because a friend of mine RT’d one of your posts and it made me cry.
So, despite mostly going for the humor, the powerful stuff’s got some grab too.
FUCKING BALLS, I AM HUNGRY NOW. Also: my r button is nearly broken.
The two are unrelated.
Dear Aunt Becky,
I hope you’re feeling loads better. I found you on a blogroll, several blogrolls actually cause you’re mighty popular and stuff. I’m going to have to be all bitchy and elitist about this but I think if you do a blogroll you should just have people you actually read on it and not the whole internet. Or you could do an “Aunt Becky wants you to read this blog” type button linky thingie that you switch out every weeks or whenever you damn well please.
Please feel free to ignore any and all of my suggestions.
~Prankster Yuliya
And that makes total sense. That’s a perfect point.
I have mixed emotions about blogrolls, too. I thought they meant that you followed the blog that was on your roll, but find it very hard to believe that folks are keeping up with lists that seem to go on and on. I’m a very busy, capable, multi-tasking woman and still find that keeping up with all my favorite blogs can eat up too much of my time.
[ASIDE: Thanks, Heather, for Lois Stearns’ blog. I signed up, right away, after reading about three of her posts. Love her outlook.]
But, Aunt Becky, that’s what I mean, I will follow Lois’s blog because I enjoy her humor — but, would not have found her without Heather! It’s a mixed bag. I keep my blogroll on a separate dedicated page. I do follow them and check for new posts, daily. HOWEVER, I have no problem removing folks who don’t live up to their promise, too! Because I care about my time and the blogs I follow. When I started out, I was easily drawn in by a great post, only to end up being inundated with follow-up postings on nothing but give-aways and discount-this, discount-that… WTF? Then, I go back and realize it was a guest posting. I was new at this, and simply removed the blog.
Quite frankly, I don’t know of anybody who really makes a living from their blogs — unless, they are writing blogs for other people, as a job! I have to writer friends who maintain four to six blogs a day! with fairly lengthy posts, pictures, upcoming events, etc. My BFF’s daughter writes posts for realtors and makes a great living from it. Most realtors just don’t have the time or what it takes to maintain a great blog and the daughter does a bang-up job AT HER JOB! Most of the folks I know who have blogs and are looking for income spend most of their time trying to figure out how to make more than a few bucks a month. I don’t know what the answer to that is or how you can fix it.
Now, I say this only in passing because I’m not the kind of person to whine or take advantage of someone when they are down or feeling bad, BUT, (and, I’m sure it was because I was scrolling and it went too fast) I can’t recall seeing my blog on your blogroll… I’m just sayin’…
Ok…DORK alert…who the hell is Dexter? I don’t know I think I am too old for you all. I feel so out of it sometimes. :0
The blogroll thing. I too, hate seeing hundreds on the sidebar really. But then again, I think all bloggers in the dinosaur days most likely got their readers from a blogroll. Now, maybe posts. Now me….I blogged years ago, quit, starting a new one, but its gonna be kinda spilling my guts about stuff that might be embarrassing, so I haven’t gotten the nerve to really get going on it, plus, I designed it, hated it did it again, still hate it. You know…I just can’t get my ass in gear on it. So I will most likely never be worthy of your list, but thats ok, I can still read it 🙂
Now, if you do decide to go with it, if you use wordpress, there most likely an app ‘er I mean plugin for that.
Here is one I found that displays the blogs most recent updates, so at least you wouldn’t be displaying dead, indecisive, should I talk about this or shouldn’t I can’t make up my mind blogs like mine.
Here’s the link to the plugin….I’m a web designer so if you need help finding or installing…I’d be happy to help.
http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/feed-reading-blogroll/
Oh, dude, I am SO happy you posted that plug-in! I’m in the process of switching over to WordPress for my blogs (maybe someday I’ll even get around to posting again), and I can’t quite make myself give up the idea of a blogroll. This widge will be something else to play with. And to blame for being a shiny object that distracts me from – SQUIRREL!
Isn’t that plugin rad?
Honestly I only use blogrolls when I am bored and want to read so good shit. So naturally I would go to one like yours (from a blog I love and adore) and click away.
Well….I am definitely gonna follow that 83 year old, then I won’t feel so damn old 🙂
I use blogrolls from sites I like [i.e. yours] because I figure I can find something entertaining in the same vein.
Helpful?
PS The Who sucks ass on a whole different level. Seriously. They are awful.
PPS Tie between Benjamin Bratt [yum] and Jerry Orbach [awesome]
Now remind me, but I think I know the answer, didn’t Pete Townsand get convicted of being an Uncle Pervy?
Well, I kind of answered when I replied up there, but you know me. Ima gonna answer again anyways. I think you should definitely keep the blogroll. Either that, or definitely kill it.
I’ve found some blogging gems on blogrolls, but most of the time, it seems like people have some really lame blogrolls that are just their little clique, and which remind me that in high school I was a nerd who didn’t even HAVE a clique. I mean, damn, I was on yearbook AND in the marching band. How uncool can you get?
Most of my favorite blogs, though, have been ones I stumbled across because someone I follow on Twitter or Facebook posted a link to them, or I’ve followed a comment trail because someone made me laugh my ass off. And one totally awesome blog I found off a Google alert. (Yes, I actually have a google alert set for ‘vodka’. It’s work related. Really.)
BWAHAHAHAHAHA. I love your job.
I like the idea of making a list of blogs you read everyday with another section listing all the Merry Pranksters. Include everyone so you feel good about it, while highlighting the folks you can’t live without.
Thanks for keeping it real Aunt Becky, hope the rest of your recovery is easier!
PS. I Heart Your Blog Very Much!
I’m not a robot, but I could use one that cooks and cleans!
I SO want a robot.
Good call. I love the heading. Thanks yo!
Honestly? I almost never look at blogrolls any more. I have three on B&M at the moment, the biggie of which is aggregator Stirrup Queens. Mostly I just check out new blogs based on post links and comments.
Melikes blogrolls, but I can see they’d be a bit of work… I think if you have one it needs to be short and sweet and only full of the ones YOU read on a regular basis. Maybe consider having a once a month post (or whatevs) where you mention one you have recently enjoyed/found to be full of the awesome, rather than a dedicated blogroll? Dunno. I can see your conundrum ;S
Dude, you know? It’s SO HARD to figure out what to do! I hate the idea of upsetting people and leaving ANYONE out.
I did not know what the blogroll was about…the comments have enlightened me…blogrolls are cool…that’s how I found your blog…and it’s blogs like yours and the Bloggess and guilty squid that made me realize that people like me are not alone in this world…I also realized that ppl with my unique sense of humor run amok in the blogosphere…
I like the blog roll for the same reason as the many people above me stated…I have found some pretty funny blogs that I would not have known were out there otherwise!!
Totally agree!
I am alone, in my house, hearing whispers of “TAKE IT” echoing through my head…
I say, you need to listen to that crazy bastard on Dexter, if only for your own safety.
RE: Blogrolls – I’m a fan. It’s kind of random though – so if you can figure out a way to stress less about it (I know/ annoying statement) that would be the best medium. Maybe when what’s his creepy name says “Take it” he doesn’t mean taking all the pressure to include everyone? If someone ASKS to be on the list – that’s an automatic ‘go to jail card’ – you know who frequents here, who comments – you get to make the decision. It’s your name on the header / URL – you decide.
TAKE IT. TAKE IT!
I need to remember that I’m not anyone’s bitch. Maybe I need to buy my own t-shirt.
Shut your whore mouth, you know EVERYTHING IS better on a t-shirt?! Also, I’m no expert, but I bet you could get a discount on that hot shirt? Or at least write it off? Good luck taking it. You can do it, put your back into it. (well – not until you are cleared from the bed/couch rest)
Disclaimer: Upon the re-read of my last comment – sounds like heckling. No such thing/ super support being sent your way in a way/language I love and I hope you appreciate.
I voted hell yes… buuuut… it’s more of an occasionally yes… I am as likely to click a link (fickle that way)… I like variety. Also, and this is just brain fart (because fart = funny) I probably WOULD read a blogroll at Band Back Together… mainly because that’s where my head has been lately (or for the past year give or take). And resources/family/ideas can be hard to come by.
So I totally voted yes and didn’t even know what a blog roll really was! Doh! I get all your stuff in my reader and like the first poster, I enjoy it that way and like another reader posted, I mostly find new blogs by peoples links on their comments.
So disregard my vote and do what YOU want to do…after all, this is your blog!
And feel better – I’m a new reader so I’m not sure what’s up, but it’s never fun being stuck somewhere you don’t want to be 🙁
I don’t know if I was ever on your blog roll but I totally used yours when I first found you to find others to stalk… ahem… follow. So I voted Hells Yes.
Also, I think you’re wrong where you say you don’t sensible heels. I believe we all remember the pink strawberry heels that Amelia has since taken from you…
I waffle on the blogroll thing. I have one, it’s not up to date. I thought about taking it down, but I guess sometimes others use it? I use google reader. I’m more likely to check out a blog if someone I already read is all ‘Yo, check out this blog’ and links it.
HIIIIIIII you are sooo full of the AWESOME that i decided to help you with that money making thing and bought a couple of your SHUT YOUR WHORE MOUTH shirts and am totallly giving them to the closests for christmas presents… annnnddd i have spread your blog name all over my work and forced people to read …
found you thru stark raving mad mommy and LOVE YOU!!!
that is all 🙂 thanks for being so awesome 😀
You are full of the awesome! Thank you, darlin!