Something On My Mind...

I know that my blog is usually about food and family stuff, but I've have something on my mind for the past few weeks now that I want to share. I have noticed that many bloggers post about "stalkers" or "lurkers" looking at their blog and not commenting. Now I know that the internet is a whole different animal than every day interactions between people, and therefore has a whole different set of rules. But I have to voice my opinion here, just because I have personally experienced both "lurkers" and "stalkers".


Having a blog myself for the past year, I know people look at my blog and for the most part, don't comment. And that is ok for me. I made my blog public and I know that anyone can look at it. Am I curious who is looking at it? No, not really. Where they are from does interest me. It seems almost exotic to have someone half way across the world reading what I write. But it's not a necessity that I know who is looking. It's nice and it's a chance to make new friends, but that is all.


When you start a blog, you have a choice to make it public where anyone can see it, or private where you can choose who sees it. Why put your blog on the World Wide Web if you don't want the public to see it? Blogs, to me, are like books- I go to the library or book store to read something someone else has written. I don't feel an obligation to notify the author when I read their book, why do I have to comment if I choose to be interested in someone's blog? I mean it's nice to comment, but do I have to be called a "stalker" if I don't? Seems a little strong to me. Maybe I am missing something here, I don't know.

I realize that some people see blogging as a popularity thing, and that is fine too. But to call someone a "lurker" or even a "stalker", I don't know about that. Unless someone is harrassing the blogger or being particularly nasty, I can't see what harm is being done. Now, I have a stalker who stalked me in real life in the past and now does so on the internet. I have to say that I wish the only thing she did was not comment on my blog! But that is a story for another post.

If anyone out there has an opinion about this, I welcome it. Though I won't post nasty comments, differences of opinion are wonderful.

Just had to get that off my chest.....


"A stalker will look for any kind of attention, positive or negative. A vast majority of them don't see themselves as stalkers.”
-Jill McArthur

"If I wouldn't say it to a reporter, I wouldn't say it on my blog.”
-Jason Goldberg