The blog of photographer Kim Ayres

The Fleeting Fickleness of Fame

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What a fleeting thing fame is.

By some random quirk of fate, 4 weeks ago my blog was picked up by “Blogs Of Note” (See also Concerning the Historie and Nature of Blogs of Note. Overnight I went from 50 visits a day to 5,000. For the following 10 days I averaged around 1,000, and then suddenly it dropped to around 150 a day where it has remained for the past 2 weeks.



For a while I suspected the line I used in the blog post prior to the loss of visitors, “As self-medications go, it’s not as harmful as alcohol abuse, drug abuse, organised religion or voting Republican…” was responsible. Clearly I had upset an awful lot of drug abusing, alcoholic, religious republicans. But upon reflection, I think it was more to do with the fact I’d moved off the front page of Blogs of Note, where they only display their 10 most recently featured blogs.

When the maelstrom began I kept thinking, if only this had happened 2 or 3 years ago when I was still intending to become a writer, rather than a photographer. This sudden rush of attention and interested followers would have been exactly what I needed.

But now the storm has passed, I realise I’m quite pleased it didn’t.

It’s not that I wouldn’t have enjoyed the attention, rather I’d have probably been more devastated by the massive drop off in attention in the following weeks.

I mean, look over there on the sidebar on the right, at the Google Followers widget – it used to say 40, and I got around 50 visits a day. Now it says 875 but I get 150 visits a day. Clearly the vast majority of my new Followers are no longer following. It’s not a sign of how popular I am, only a footprint of how popular I was.

We think if we manage to get thrust into the spotlight then we’ll have arrived, when in fact all we are is a minor curiosity for a fleeting moment.

We all know, we’ve all read a thousand times, how fame is full of false promises, is shallow, hollow, smoke and mirrors, and completely pointless. And yet we still want it. We believe it will be a stepping stone to something more.

But what more do I actually want?

Certainly it would be nice to have more money, to own the house I live in, and to be free of the tiredness of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (although fame and money wouldn’t cure me of that).

But it’s like the idea of what would happen if we won the lottery (assuming we bothered to buy a ticket, that is) – what would we do? Ok, we’d buy a house, and a couple of cars, and have some nice holidays. But then what? Well, then I’d pursue my photography and Maggie would continue with her art. Our lives, fundamentally, wouldn’t be much different.

When we decided 6 or 7 years ago to create the kind of life we wanted to live, the biggest decision was made then. Rather than wait for fate to intervene and give us a lottery win so we could do whatever we wanted, we worked out what we wanted and decided to set about creating that life.

Fortune might help us speed it up a bit (and if someone’s got a spare million they want to throw our way, I won’t object), but Fame would only take me away from what I truly want and enjoy.

However, as the visitor statistics show, my brief blogging fame was only an illusion anyway.

I think the vast majority of attention I gained was from new bloggers who were casting around to see how it was done, and then gave up.

In those first 2 weeks I received dozens and dozens of emails from people who had just started up their blog and had found me through Blogs of Note. They saw I had these hundreds of followers and believed I must have access to arcane knowledge of how to create a successful blog, not grasping the fact that for 4 years I had accumulated no more than 40 followers (lovely, beautiful, wonderful followers of course), and it was only a random chance event that gave me a 2000% increase in numbers.

However, for those who still insist I must have some kind of supernatural assistance, I have created this for you (click on it for a larger version if the text is too small):



* you can create your own South Park style cartoon characters at http://www.sp-studio.de/. Putting them together into cartoon strips requires an image editing programme like Photoshop or Gimp, an obsessive temperament and too much time to waste.

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100 comments

Barlinnie said...

I shall reveal a post soon that will see Kim Ayres elevated far higher than he could ever have imagined himself to be.

Kim Ayres said...

Jimmy - so long as it's not jsut before I'm then shoved off the top of a tall building...

Really good to see you up and about again :)

A Daft Scots Lass said...

Fame is short-lived and fickle...I'm still here.

RainyWest said...

Fame is a sad illusion chased by so many wannabe's, just look at the X Factor. Well no maybe don't do anything that rash!

Keep rockin' Bearded One, your life sounds pretty groovy to me. I don't own my own house either, if its meant to be it will happen.

2to4aday said...

I do look at Blogs of Note and rarely, if ever, follow them after their initial appearance. My most common feeling is that I'm not the blog's intended audience. But something in your blog struck a note with me and I've continued to follow it. You never disappoint.

Maybe it's better to have 40 appreciative followers who enter through your door than 5,000 casual window peepers.

Eoghan Cregan said...

The journey ends.

Found the post really poignant and you certainly picked up some followers that won't be jumping ship just yet.

You sound more well off than most could ever hope to be, in any case.

Unknown said...

I am still here. I am stuck with your wonderful notes in your blog. By the way, nice advice in your footnote under your cartoon.

Rachel Fox said...

Welcome back.
x

Jan said...

Well this is a wonderful post.
You're so honest Kim, and when I arrived from blogs of note that was the first thing I noticed about your writing.
A rare thing in the 'blogosphere'.
And yes I'm still here too.

savannah said...

style and grace, sugar! your words and images have been and continue to inspire, amuse, sooth and delight your friends both old and new. i am honored, darlin! xoxoxo

Anonymous said...

Ah.. ow. It's odd how a little graph can have such impact on our feelings isn't it? People come and go... I think it was an interesting phenomena in itself and gave you a great post topic!

Melanie said...

Ramblings...of honesty? I appreciate it. I don't recall how I found your blog, I never read blogs of note (feels like cheating). A warm kitchen (paid for is optional as long as I can call it mine), good food, friends and family, and check fame at the door. Thanks for the post, it was lovely.

Peaches said...

I am one of your new followers...and I did find you through B-O-N. I must say I do check out the BONs, but I rarely agreed with them. You were the exception. I enjoy someone who just is, if that makes since.
I was listen to NPR (National Public Radio) on my drive to work yesterday and listened to a piece about research on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. There has been some great discoveries on the causes of the disorder. I am sorry you suffer from such a debilitating illness.

Helen Mac said...

I couldn't agree more with all your post today. Well said, but I shall be sticking around for a while. Sorry Kim (don't worry, I don't stalk!)

snoble24 said...

well fame is short lived. but hey some of your followers still come around. i still do i like your blog and it seems you got a few other followers who still come around

Jennifer said...

I find myself wanting to "carry on the conversation" when I read your blog. I have so many questions that come up that I want to ask after reading a post like this. Blogging and following a high profile blog like this is interesting. At the time I started to read Ramblings I did find it in BoN. I was only days old in the blogosphere and although very new to this world, not new to reading and enjoying GREAT WRITING! That is why I've stuck with this blog, but I recognize now that as your experience with the new following is SO different for you, so is my experience as a follower of such a high profile blog. Somehow though you manage to keep me/us engaged and a part of your work which I realize is such a huge part of the Blogging Atmosphere. I didn't know that initially. The "Notice and being Noticed" factor. I LOVE THIS BLOG!! I love what I have learned about down syndrome, cfs, grief, joy, humor all conveyed in your work. I'm one of those people who actually believes that what someone reads might CHANGE THEM. I even have a favorite post to date of Ramblings: your recent anniversary post with the pic of you and your wife. I LOVE THAT POST! I am gaining a great deal of learning via Ramblings! Thank you Kim for being HONEST and available to write. I believe the sincere followers will stick to with you, maybe it will take another 4 years to see the results. : )

Kiki said...

I do follow you since blogs of note. Just thought I'd point that out to you. I don't know, I'm kind of weird like that :P

Jayne Martin said...

Well said,as always, my friend. Love the cartoon. You won't be shaking me any time soon.

Susan Carpenter Sims said...

I started blogging right when you were made a blog of note, but yours is the only one I've started following since then.

From looking at what's out there, I do find your blog to be superior in many ways, and, like another commenter said, it just speaks to me - as many (sometimes good) blogs do not.

I also find your blog to be a great model of "how to do it," not just content-wise, but with format as well. It's nicely organized and pleasing to the eye.

And I just sincerely enjoy reading your "ramblings." Like Jennifer, your blogs inspire conversation in me, which is really the best thing about blogging, I'm finding.

I'll most definitely be sticking around, thank you.

Falak said...

Fame is vapor, popularity an accident, riches take wings. Only one thing endures and that is character{Horace Greeley} Your blog reflects you.... I am going to be sticking around for a long time to come.

Suzanne Bosworth said...

I still check in to see what you're writing and how things are. I love your honest and beautiful writing. I may not comment much but I still read.

Pat said...

Still here somewhere in the pack..=D

The Brokendown Barman said...

im kinda glad things are quietening down. there were far too many comments for one man to handle at the height of your superstardom. keep up the blogging tho. I might not always comment, but i try my best to keep up!!

Daphne Wayne-Bough said...

Well you've had your 15 minutes of fame. You wouldn't really want the great unwashed pestering you, coming to your house .... oh wait a minute ....

A.T. Post said...

Dang, you've almost got me wishing to never be put up on Blogs of Note. The high would be incredible, but the following low is something I didn't think about. I'd probably have an attack of low self-esteem or something.

I will say this: yours is the best (meaning most entertainingly and articulately written) blog I've run across, even though I've only run across about 15 blogs and have only read one all the way to the end (er, beginning). So I'm sticking around, whichever one of those 825 I am.

David Wagner said...

It is an interesting case study. I trust you're not too disappointed over it all. I'm certainly glad I found your blog.

Nice comic.

Jacquie Finister said...

Nah..you don't get rid of me that easily...especially when you write such heartfelt, thought provoking words - you inspire me to write (albeit infrequently) and inadvertently encourage me to not hold anything back when I do - thank you Mr Ayres.

PS - I didn't find you via BoN...your page title was the hook :)

Stella Jones said...

Better to have 40 true followers than 1000 hangers on! I think that the Blogs of Note are entirely random, so any one of us could be picked. Just think, if you had 500 comments a day, how would you ever reply to them all? and the pressure to produce a new post of significance each day would be horrendous. Also, I think people post themselves as a follower of yours on the Blog when it becomes famous, just to pick up some new followers of their own. There is nothing wrong with that, except that they are not really following you, but trying to pick up new followers for them. That's life, ain't it.
I like your honesty and I found your post interesting and informative and I hope you soon get rid of your ailment.
Blessings, Star

BB said...

Ei KIM, I just wanted to say that i loved "TALES OF THE BLOG".
Awsome...I almost wet myself laughing.
Congrats.

erika said...

Fame has nothing to do with talent or accomplishment. Who is better-known, Paris Hilton or Louis Pasteur? Whose books are selling better, Stephenie Meyer's or Toni Morrison's? The drop in your visitor stats is by no means a reflection on your writing or the quality of your blog. And as I told you before, I'm always impressed how many people you move and inspire. You are a great writer, an excellent photographer and has a persona that attracts many people. Stats don't matter, what matters is all these people who comment every single time you post something. And influencing 150 people every day with your writing, is pretty darn good in my opinion :)

Brittan said...

:) very nice

Brindy said...

Still reading it, still loving it!

Anonymous said...

Everything I was gonna say got said. This is just to pad your numbers :)

GirlBoyGirl said...

Reading this just made me laugh because I often find myself thinking that if I were to make the "blogs of note" that I would suddenly become famous and have oodles of fans eager to read my Every. Last. Word. I dream of being an author and I wonder if I will find myself down the road thankful that it never happened?

Helen said...

Hey Bearded One - I just liked the name of your blog - kinda catchy - and then as I read, and continued to read, I felt connected with your ramblings. A life put in print. Maybe not your entire life, but some very poignant feelings, emotions, thoughts etc. Thanks for that......

Cindy said...

nice rambling today, from a republican in nebraska

Nicholas Garcia (Nick) said...

fame like fortune are relative concepts. one day you got it. the next dat it's gone. we should never focus there.each of must find our main focus. i spent many years listining to those saying i know the only way. andchecked out those trendy way. what? to discover whatdidn't work. it wasn't till i started listining to my own advice. NOT WITHOUT, WITHIN..... NICK

Lisa Page Rosenberg said...

You are one of the good ones.

Joan Crawford said...

I still thin you're a good egg :)

scrambled.

Tgoette said...

So many bloggers swarm to Blogs Of Note recipients because they supposedly possess the magical key to blogging fame. But like you said, it's years of blogging and developing a loyal following of people with whom your writing strikes a chord with that creates success, not some silly gimmick. Although, if you were to maybe snap a pic of Nessie...well, you may find yourself back on top in a hurry!

Administrator said...

On the internet everyone will be famous for fifteen people.

Mary Witzl said...

Actually, it's more complicated than selling your soul and kicking the Devil where it counts. You have to be one of those Scheherazade-type people who can go on and on until people's eyes glaze over; you have to visit other like-minded people a lot, and you can't really take a break for more than a week or so, at the longest. I hope you tell them all that, Kim, or they're going to be very disappointed! This blogging thing is hard work: make sure they know it!

Rachel said...

I came accross your blog through b-o-n. I'm going to stick around too if that's ok.

Whitney Lee said...

And here I am, a completely unoffended alcoholic sometimes republican. So your initial theory does have a few holes...
I found you through blogs of note but actually enjoyed the writing and have stuck around.
You can blame the drop off on fame whores. They were just sticking around until the new wore off and then went on their merry way.

Unknown said...

I must admit that I found you through Blogs of Note as well. It was the first time I looked at it and I decided to have a look at your blog because the name "Ramblings of the Bearded One" made me smile.

I love your style of writing. The words you use, the honesty, the things you choose to write about. You're really talented and I think you did the right thing by deciding not to become a writer and pursue photography, because now you can do both. And I can enjoy both you talents!

Midnitefyrfly said...

uhg- note to self, do not read any of the comments before commenting.... I am actually quite happy with things calming down around here. I found you by blogs of note too- somewhere I can never go again! I was a new blogger trying to find my way around and boy am I lucky you were the blog of note!

I am note sure i would even WANT that much recognition and think you have handled it quite well! I think that you recognize that it might have done more harm than good is great perception.

Hope you don't mind that I am not one that you are going to get rid of :)

Susan Carpenter Sims said...

I just want to bring up a different angle on all of this, which is that through following your blog, I have connected with three other people whose blogs I'm now following and who follow mine. Each of these connections has become very rewarding and exciting.

In my most recent post, I actually discuss this a bit, and I put a link to your Mr. Grumpy/Mr. Photographer post because of how it connected to something I was thinking/writing about.

So, thank you for existing in this blogging world.

Unknown said...

I am hooked and I guess It will stay that way....U just struck a chord with me. Loved the cartoon. By the way ...........I really don't know how to put this but its striking that someone like you can escape being rich and famous I just don't get it!!!! Call me naive.....Oh well ...I guess U know more this way...

Entrepreneur Chick said...

Now imagine that graph had been representative of your CASH FLOW as a business.

Been there. Done that.

(What you've just done, in business terms, is "quantify" your blog. As I said to you some time ago; it's always in the numbers. Everything is a numbers game. Period.)

Philip Dodd said...

I found you through blogs of note and plan to stick around. It's like trying to pan for gold finding someone who's writing you like. I like yours, I'd like it if it was on the back of fag packet left down the back of a sofa. Don't knock the attention. Some of it is for good reasons. I just like reading you - that's what it's all about.

Hindsfeet said...

It's the classic "Crown Him King!"/"Crucify Him!" scenario...at least you're in good company, albeit 'less' company ; )

still following,
'Hindsfeet'

hope said...

Just checking in...in silent mode. ;)

mapstew said...

There are four of us in our 'big' band (the one that makes the most money), and two of those people still crave the 'fame'. Myself ad the other guy just still love the job we're in, and, quite honestly still can't believe how much we get payed for doing it! Fame was never on our list. And as we all know, fame is fleeting. I am happy to know a person so grounded as is you.

(Oh man, word verification = deaddag!)

Cindy said...

I found you through blogs of note because I was looking for some I might like to read and didn't really know how to find them. It worked out for me that I like this blog. You are stuck with me. :-)

The Confessionist said...

hahaha I love the cartoon!!!

It's true though, that money and fame can't buy you happiness, yet it is still chased by many... hmm... I really love your honesty :)

Jasmine said...

Oh my Kim. That cartoon is funny, but the caption underneath it is even funnier.

Don't go shaving your head or anything. :) (In reference to the Spears).

Hope you had a great weekend.

Kim Ayres said...

Thanks for all the comments - I have read and absorbed every one.

I was going to attempt to reply to them all, but in all honesty, 54 comments was just a little too intimidating and time consuming.

However, it was lovely to read them all :)

I think one of the things I was surprised by was the several references to "honesty" in my writing, as if that is a rare thing in blog circles.

However, quite simply, to be an accomplished liar you need to have a good memory to keep track of everything you've said and the implications and knock-on effects, if you don't want to be caught out.

And frankly, that's far too much effort.

Unknown said...

Just a note to let you know that though some us (me) still lurk and read and don't comment doesn't mean we (I) are not alcoholic religious repubicans who just love the dickens out of you anyway.

John Woo said...

do not worry, now I'm here with you, if you do not mind of course

Kim Ayres said...

Thank you so much for taking the time to de-lurk, Carole - it means a lot to me :)

Welcome John :)

Cannwin said...

When I get new followers (you know, once every other year or so) I am always excited enough to go over and snoop about their blogs.

I go into the profile and I see one of two things.

1)a list of three or four blogs their following. This makes me excited because I know they actually might be reading me.

2) a massive list of blogs they follow to which I have been added almost as an afterthought. I find this rather annoying.

Seriously if you aren't going to read it why make your profile so messy!?

Then I go to my own profile and cringe. I have a long list of blogs I follow and the truth of the matter is I know all those people! And I actually do read their blogs. In fact if they don't post for long periods of time I will get annoyed and delete them of my list--even my own sister.

I think that clicking follow is a serious action, people ought not to be so flippant with that little button above them. :)

Cannwin said...

P.S.I'm not republican nor am I an alcoholic, but I am religious... can I still stay? :)

Micsteel said...

I honestly can't remember if I found you from the Blogs of Note or in my daily blog hopping. I'm just glad I did find you. I enjoy your Ramblings and intend on keeping up with you for some time.

Kim Ayres said...

Cannwin - so long as you don't provoke any holy wars on this site then of course :)

Mike - thanks :)

Eolaí gan Fhéile said...

I was kinda waiting for your comments to go right down, and then I'd step in to catch gently your falling self-esteem - but it looks like I could be waiting a while.

Meanwhile at the Irish Blog Awards over the weekend I recommended you using that old-fashioned method of actual speech.

Sami said...

excellent. especially loved the insight about fame taking one away from what one really wants...the cartoon strip also rocked.

Helen Mac said...

Kim, I was amazed at the thing about honesty too. I am clearly too trusting. (Note to self - sort it out)

Ron said...

Your recognition by "Blogs of Note" was well worth it. I'm not a faithful follower of your blog.

I've searched a long time for a smart, intelligent, easy to read blog that also gave me a few chuckles and encourages me to think a bit from time to time.

When I found your blog on "Blogs of Note" (which, ironically I never looked at before), I knew my search had ended.

Thank you for being just yourself Kim. I wish you a long and happy life, with or without the lottery win.

Ron said...

After I made my comment I read all the other comments on your blog "The Fleeting Fickleness of Fame." Then I read the first paragraph of my comment:

“Your recognition by "Blogs of Note" was well worth it. I'm not a faithful follower of your blog.”

I misspoke. What I meant to say was that I never went into "Blogs of Note" before. I meant to say that I wasn't a faithful follower of Blogs of Note.

I just happened to see your blog title “Ramblings of the Bearded One” scroll by: as I was exiting my blog Well, I thought, this blog looks interesting.

So I took a read. I was hooked. Your style of writing, the content of your writing, and your intelligence is exactly the type of blog that I like to read even though we have little in common. I enjoy reading your blog posts.

Rest assured I will be returning again and again as a "faithful follower."

Leoni said...

I love how honest and genuine your blog is, and from what I see, you have a created a true fan base. I certainly belong to it.

plainolebob said...

Kim,
man i know how you feel, ever time I run outta beer they all go home, don't see em agin til they need more beer.
HUGS

Kanani said...

Well, this is what made me laugh --when I saw the 800+ "followers." As it is, I don't check google reader or even my stats that often.

Anyway, perhaps you blog because you find a measure of happiness doing so --50 hits or 2000, 72 comments or 7.

problemchildbride said...

Fame, fame fatal fame
It can play hideous tricks on the brain
But still, I'd rather be famous
Than righteous or holy
Any day, any day, any day.

Morrissey.

You deserve the spotlight treatment, Kim. The thing to remember is not to lament the loss of the 850 becasue statistically one of them was probably a murderer a lunatic or a Republican. You'd have been forever wondering which one is was.

Coralee said...

great post. ..I do enjoy reading your blog. ..and I return. ..not every day. ..but I return. ..best regards

Long dark hair, blue eyes said...

your post made me laugh out loud. I love the south park style comic. We humans are a needy bunch.

Mother (Re)produces. said...

Oh, for the love of peat.
:)
I have one follower on my blog. In the two+ years that I've blogged, I can count (I'm pretty sure) the number of comments on my fingers. Honest.
So the answer to the question, "would I write even if no one were reading?" is, obviously, yes.

but it's true; nothing recedes like sucess. You screw something up, you'll torture yourself for a long, long time. Get something right, get kudos or aknowledgement and we will convince ourselves it's a fluke.
Thickheaded humans.
How many followers do you need to keep it going? What if you're down to two, but they *adore* you, and you're making a difference for them?

(for what it's worth, I came by your blog via a search, and continued checking in occaisionally because of the beard :)

ADRIAN said...

Thought it was great I found your blog, had it not been blog of the week, would have missed it.I still follow, I like your style. Cos it ain't real. Real is some body divvying up. Still jealous mind you. Hey, glad you are back in the real world

Someday..... said...

Hello Kim -
I finally have the start of a teeny new blog.....my old one died a sad and prolonged death.....
I have been a follower for a few years - and my offer of hospitality in Texas is still open!! I am thrilled to link your blog onto mine -
Stop by and say hi -
I will start writing soon....

Pat said...

Hey, nice background...=)

Library girl said...

Yeah - what they all said :)

Kim Ayres said...

Eolai - I'm still waiting for them to introduce the Scottish Blog Awards. I tried to get into the Irish ones once before, but they weren't having it...

Sami, Leoni, Patrick and Library Girl - thank you :)

Helen - too trusting, eh? Could you lend me £5,000? I'll have it back to you on Friday...

Ron - I hope your search hasn't ended - there are some superb blogs out there, far superior to mine

Bob - do you run a pub by any chance?

Kanani - partly being creative, partly socialising, partly self-medicating instead of food.

Sam - as long as I don't lose you, I'll be happy :)

Coralee - there's little point in returning every day as I rarely blog more than twice a week :)

Long Dark Hair - we are, we are... well, I am, I know that...

Mother (Re)produces - so long as I have a small handful of people I like and respect, that's all I need

Adrian - I don't live in the real world. No one does - everyone is making it up :)

Someday - my plan is to one day get a world map and put pins in where everyone I know lives, then join them together with a piece of string and go round the world couch surfing.

Hayaah said...

he he... loved the cartoon strip and also loving the new look to ur blog (compared to when I 1st came on to it and commented)!

re: temporary illusion. I would just like to say, NOT an illusion , but it was there for the duration of the time that it was meant to be. Thats it. Just as with other things in life. Those who became followers like me at the time, perhaps will be back time and again. I mark places that I like, but come back for reading when the readin mood pokes at me... Perhaps there are more like me out there?

At the end of the day, those who didnt stick arnd also dont really matter, for they would have been no good for/to you anyhoo. Thats my philosophy :)

Keep blogging!

Kim Ayres said...

Hayaah - good point - it was a reality while it lasted - the illusion was the idea that it had some kind of substance that was going to last :)

Hayaah said...

Well in that case, the transience of fame is the same for all, no matter who or what shake hands with it ;)

What matters is that at a pinnacle/some point of life, a person gets to touch/feel and treasure it, no matter for how short the duration,IMHO :)

Some ppl forget to treasure it, just as they forget to treasure other things in life that seem too small otherwise...

I dunno why im blubbering... perhaps im very bored at the moment, but I do mean whatever im spouting out of boredom 0= )

Kim Ayres said...

Ah, but the thing is whether we invest more importance into it that we should. The thing about fame is that, by its nature it is fickle and transitory. We think people suddenly like us because we are popular, but they just like the idea of us that they have, which is not necessarily any real reflection of who we are.

So many of us think popularity on a large scale is desirable, and yet it can detract us from seeking what is really important in our lives.

Far better to seek respect and friendship from those who see beyond some suface, momentary celebrity :)

Hayaah said...

True that :)

My only point was, dont seek it, but treasure its 'feel good' for while it lasted, without 'missing it' when its gone, but 'feel good' knowing it had knocked your door, irrespective of how long it actually stood there on your step for...

Now I feel like I'm ging around in circles with my blubber blubber :P

Kim Ayres said...

Don't get me wrong - I did enjoy a *smug* moment while it lasted...

:)

CorZa said...

Well... I see your point here... But some of us do really like your blog, but with school, and work, and facebook... Well, a young bloggers life can be very full.

I'm sorry!!! *cries* I didn't mean to forget to check for new blogs by you...
But, all's well that makes people remember to visit blogs, right? Lots of luv, and visits every day!

Kim Ayres said...

Real Girl755 - there is never any obligation here - you visit if you wish (and you will be very welcome), but if you don't, that's up to you. It's a very open relationship I have with my commenters... :)

CorZa said...

Yeah, but I still missed you. ;) That's why I'm gonna be coming back. It's funner that way.

Kim Ayres said...

Well if I can make anybody's life funner, then I'm a happy man :)

Fay Campbell said...

The more I read, the more I like.
How do you get a widget, gadget, thingamajig to count how many readers v. followers you have? some sort of magic?

Kim Ayres said...

There are 2 possible ways - one is to sacrifice the neighbour's cat while having an orgy around a bonfire in your garden.

The other is to use Sitemeter, which is perhaps less interesting but ultimately more effective. If you scroll down my sidebar on the right until you find Sitemeter, you can click on it and see my visitor statistics.

You can then sign up for your own counter. There are various instructions on the site - or google "insert sitemeter into blogger" and see what comes up :)

Susan Carpenter Sims said...

Oh, I'm so glad you posted this. I was going to ask you myself, but since you're so famous and all, I didn't want to bother you with it.

Thanks. I'm going to go find my neighbor's cat now.

carlie_star said...

yup that's what we did made the life we want now otherwise we may never have got it

J said...
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Anonymous said...

it makes me very angry that i am not a blog of note yet... it makes even angrier that they dont allow you to comment on the blogger teams blog. wtf?!?! I WANT TO BE BLOG OF NOTE!! just so people can see my blog! UGH!!!!!!!!

Kim Ayres said...

Given that probably 100 million bloggers would love to be a blog of note, I'm not surprised they don't allow comments on it. Can you imagine wading through tens of thousands of comments everyday yelling "pick me! pick me!"

However, I have no idea why I got it, and a year later it hasn't made any significant difference as most of the followers wandered away 2 weeks later.

Still, best of luck with your quest :)

Sine said...

Awesome, Kim. Very well said. Yet even reading and believing all of this, I still find myself longing for a huge readership... We just can't get away from it, I think.

Kim Ayres said...

It's because we are brainwashed so thoroughly, it's very difficult to break free from the desires implanted in us by those who wish to manipulate us (e.g., anyone who wants to sell us something or wants us to vote for them) :)

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