Britta's Letters from her life divided between city-life in German's capital Berlin and life in a Bavarian village

Friday 18 December 2015

Commenting Comments

©Brigitta Huegel
Dear You, 
Comments are bit like letters, and I've chosen "Dear You" with the hope to get 'letters' back. 
Often we talk more freely about ourselves in a blog than in real life (I sometimes forget completely that "all the world" might read it - though luckily the world has other things to care about).  I even start to worry, if a blogger who normally comments eagerly, remains silent - have I said something stupid? or is he ill? 
Till now I was lucky not to have a troll, an evil commenter on my blog, as Rachel has. 
A rough classification of commenters is:  
bloggers who don't allow comments. 
- bloggers who promise to answer all comments - and then don't. In that case I wait for a while - (e.g. John, whose blog I really like - and then I withdraw. Not sulkingly, but with time management in mind: I have to invest so much time to a comment - not only because I write in a foreign language, but also because I look up ideas, quotes etc. and reread and polish - so often a tiny weeny comment takes me a quarter of an hour. Or more). And there are so many blogs I want to comment on! 
- bloggers who allow comments, but don't answer. That is utterly understandable as in Pondside's case (she often gets more than 60 comments on one post - that would be a fulltime job to answer them all). Maybe the famous Hattats gave up their blog because the wonderful way they answered each of their zillions of commenters profoundly was too strenuous - I suspect that even they have only 24 hours a day? Often bloggers with many comments don't answer, but comment on my blog - a very fair exchange. 
Some bloggers give short comments, other long ones. 
I'm often a bit wordy. And Tom was right, when I complained in a comment - in a general way - that some posts are just too long (because one wants to read so many) to answer: Yours are often not short either. So true! (Look at this one!) 
Some bloggers blog every day. That is exciting - but often I cannot comment every day, though I read them - which makes me feel that I might appear as a bit fickle, though I am not. 
On Facebook I have the strange phenomenon that a bright young author whom I know in person complains that one often does not comment on his posts - but he never comments himself on anything we write, even to click "Like" seems to be too much. Well - I might think: He just doesn't like it! - but no: recently he told me that he reads every bit and everything I post. Strange. Worse: if a person answers on a comment in the printed version "above your comment", and on the one "under your comment" - but not on your own comment - that I take personal :-) 
I too love to write each day. 
Thus I invented a new blog - "Rise and Shine!" (a quote from "Vera", when she enters police headquarters in Newcastle). If you go to that blog you do it at your own risk - I warned you! no photos, just morsels from everyday life, mine of course :-) . You find that blog on my blogroll at the right - or under the blog-address http://mandelrosen.blogspot.de/ . Of course comments are very welcome - but I don't expect any. 
Ah - and to humour. I love the English authors for their wit and irony. And when I use some (irony), I often put one of these daft emoticons behind it - otherwise there is a fat chance you might think I meant it the way one could read it also. 
Conclusion: Comments are fantastic. They brighten up our day. 
Or as Eeyore put it: 

“I might have known,” said Eeyore. “After all, one can’t complain. I have my friends. Somebody spoke to me only yesterday. And was it last week or the week before that Rabbit bumped into me and said ‘Bother!’. The Social Round. Always something going on.” A.A.Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh  
 
:-) , :-) . :-) ! 

Toodle- pip!    

    

  

22 comments:

  1. Ah - the luxury of time. That's what I miss. The treat of reading and commenting and entering into a conversation. Life with a big L has kept me preoccupied. I'd much rather answer blog comments in an email but only do so if the comment invites the back-and-forth.
    I will head over to look at your new blog. It sounds like more of what I like!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Pondside, so good to see you here again - and I know to appreciate this, as your life really bears the big L. these days. I so often think of you and your family and wish you well.
      E-mails are a good addition, as we both found out.

      Delete
  2. I enjoyed this, particularly as I've been taking a step back (visitors are here, but in any event), to think what I will do in the coming year via-vis my blog and the blogs of friends. Even though English is my language, writing even the most basic comment can take a while, and when, as now, typing on the iPad, sometimes I have to start again . . . and again. The Internet presents such a quandary for me--I have met, through it, wonderful people, like you, about whom I would never otherwise had known. On the other hand, I do feel I spend a disproportionate amount of my time behind a screen. What to do about it, I don't know. It will be interesting to see what the new year brings

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Sue! I know how interesting and deeply researched you write your posts - they often actually are essays, and I always learn something - often on a topic I am not good at: classic music. To write a blog like yours is demanding very much time.
      Meeting you was a highlight this year, thank you again! And we are waiting for you: I in Berlin, Alina in Bavaria.
      PS: Too much time behind a screen - I utterly understand - that's why I changed back to good old books instead of my Kindle.

      Delete
    2. I did exactly the same (vis-a-vis books).

      Delete
  3. I agree with everything you have said Britta ....... I never used to answer the comments on my blog but, now that I do, the interaction is so much better. Blogging can be difficult at times ..... I so admire those who post everyday. XXXX

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you, Jackie - I like it very much when you started to answer comments a while ago - it is a mini conversation. As to posting every day: I think it is a different way to write - snapshots maybe. Not better, not worse - just different.

      Delete
  4. Dear Britta - the conumdrum of blog comments is a vexing question. I know that it takes time but I have always try to answer all comments. I remember how appreciative I was to have a comment when I first began and in fact still am.
    I understand, however, how very demanding it must be for you commenting and replying in a foreign language, so bravo Britta - you are a star.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Rosemary, I always admired that you take the time to answer all those many comments - and you are right: till today one glows with happiness when someone sends a comment.
      My difficulty is more in the amount of blogs I read (which I like, otherwise I wouldn't do it) and then "polish" what I write - you know: I cut something out, or try to make it clearer, or add some fun by wordplay. Of course I don't do that all the time - and as I said: I like to do it! (Polishes the old synapses better than a cross-word puzzle, hopefully).

      Delete
  5. I am a bit lost in this riddle. I blog and I answer comments. It is like people are speaking to me so I answer each one. If I didn't want to answer them it would seem like why bother with the blog at all. It doesn't take me long to do. The comments are important and it would be a dull place without them, like speaking to an empty hall. I don't like comment moderation at all. If you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. I like comments I leave on other blogs to be answered. I feel a bit cheated if I don't get an answer. I put thought into my comments so I expect something back. Like you do. Where is your new blog? Why not just reinvent this one and give it a new header?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have now found your new blog and added it to my side bar this morning.

      Delete
    2. You, Rachel, are one of those who blog almost every day - and I love it! Brings so much more of "you" into sight - opinions, insights, fun. And that goes for your answers too. To think up such poignant replies to Tom often will take some time - it is foil-fencing instead of using the sword (though sometimes it is a cudgel too :-)
      Of course one wants an answer to one's comments.(Otherwise I could write into Dear Diary (which I do since the age of eight).
      I have more than one blog, because I think, not everybody is interested in poetry as on http://www.burstingwithhappiness.blogspot.de/, (it is my blog with by far the most calls - stats are really exploding, maybe because I sometimes translate poems into English, that haven't been translated before);
      or gardening http://gardeninginhighheels.blogspot.de/ ( I sadly neglected that one - though I love it and it has so many followers).
      Then, though I know very well you all are grown-ups, and choose for yourself, I don't want to force myself on others - of course I know that the word "I" appears quite often in my blogs -- and you all might think: "WHAT? Yet another mirror?" On this blog I am (secretly, but nevertheless) in a way expecting comments (I know what Taoism says to that..) - on a quick sketch as 'RaS' I don't (though of course I am glad, if someone comments).
      I'll just wait and see how all this will work out - it is a bit like walking through Berlin with my camera and "seeing with new eyes". (Though I don't use phtos on "Rise and Shine" - I am a contradiction in myself, sometimes (but not often) - sometimes even a riddle to myself :-)

      Delete
    3. PS: Thank you for adding me to your blog-list - I saw that there are a few Uncommon Readers (I know you don't like the book) travelling the road via Kazakhstan :-)

      Delete
  6. There is one blog I read every day. The author is a person who wees the good in everyone and does good for all. She is a loving person. She also has some great uplifting quotes. However I do not always leave a comment for her. I can only find so many ways to agree with her or to make a statement that is meaningful. I love her messages but I cannot always find words to respond.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Emma, the person whose blog you read everyday sounds marvelous! And of course one cannot always respond - real life happens too!! - so that is utterly OK.
      I am more on the side to see something funny in events, and hope to make you laugh sometimes.

      Delete
  7. We're all so different, Britta, but on the whole we love each other and accept the individual styles. Most everything I write of is so mundane that the comments essentially say "Yes, I know what you're talking about," and I can say "yes," and on it would go. I like to go comment on the other blog instead. There are so many good ideas and thoughts circulating and only a little time to read them all. Maybe when I am retired there will be enough time, but how soon would we run out of things to say?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh Joanne, I always love your dry humour! And you have a lot of that, and wisdom too, and I really adore how you care for people. And adore your stamina (I think we two might meet there?)
      I know quite a lot of retired people - my impression is that they have even LESS time than those with a full-time job. Makes me think of the old management truth: "Chores you have to do will need exactly the time you have for them".

      Delete
  8. I try to visit my blogging friends every time they post but sometimes a post slips through the net. I always reply to comments, for me, it is a blogging courtesy and I like the interaction. When I take the time to leave a comment I do hate not to receive a reply. I couldn't find your new blog on the blog roll!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dear Elaine, I'm glad to welcome you as my very first follower on "R&S"! So you have found it - the lack of pictures makes it easy to be overlooked. And I had a few difficulties to put the second post on my bloglist.
      Your photos are always so terrific!

      Delete
  9. Dear You, I have joined "Rise And Shine"!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That, Geo., is exactly why I do LOVE comments - Master of Words and inventor of so many hilarious enigmas - thank you!

      Delete
  10. There are comments I normerly do not comment - I only didn't delete this one to show you what I mean.

    ReplyDelete