tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post5894652052639493651..comments2024-01-11T18:39:50.665+00:00Comments on Painting With Shadows: Happy 2nd BlogdayKim Ayreshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-45108593591120871712007-08-17T14:15:00.000+01:002007-08-17T14:15:00.000+01:00Branden - I look forward to the tales and photos o...Branden - I look forward to the tales and photos of your journeys when you have the time.<BR/><BR/>and B.C. is referring to Blunt CogsKim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-81103470819929291542007-08-17T13:51:00.000+01:002007-08-17T13:51:00.000+01:00Thank you Kim for the mention! Happy anniversary....Thank you Kim for the mention! Happy anniversary. <BR/><BR/>My blog has been put on hold for the time being, because I have just been too involved with something exciting I am working on right now. BUT, it will run once again some time in the future...<BR/><BR/>As you may know, I have been in Cambodia and I am now in Thailand (Kanchanaburi, to be exact, famous for the Bridge Over the River Kwai), so sorry for the slow reply.<BR/><BR/>Love to all the folks!<BR/><BR/>El-Branden<BR/>Creator of B.C. ??????Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09198295802920751216noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-72363423536689387682007-08-16T17:41:00.000+01:002007-08-16T17:41:00.000+01:00The other option is to call on my services as a fi...The other option is to call on my services as a first class, superb, fantastic, guru-esque web consultancy abilities and get the company to fly me out for a week for some top-level consulting. Friendship trips disguised as business trips are a great way to get around a lot of how-can-we-afford-it problems :)Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-60297363595634396612007-08-16T17:26:00.000+01:002007-08-16T17:26:00.000+01:00Happy belated Bloggy Day to you, chachacha....I ho...Happy belated Bloggy Day to you, chachacha....<BR/><BR/>I hope you know BidDawg is obsessed over meeting you. Maybe its the thought of raising a pint that gets him going....<BR/><BR/>We will be in Ireland in 2009! Is that close enough?Jan Steck Huffmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02850626523693173636noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-37300244938514268782007-08-14T12:27:00.000+01:002007-08-14T12:27:00.000+01:00Nicole - thank you for your warm words, though if ...<B>Nicole</B> - thank you for your warm words, though if you're attracted to the tooth picture, I'll take your definition of "handsome" with a pinch of salt...<BR/><BR/><B>Monstee</B> - steal away :)<BR/><BR/>As for your question, what a deeply personal one! In order to answer that I would have to expose an aspect of myself I've kept hidden for years.<BR/><BR/>OK, I suppose it's easy enough to work out if you really look, and Foot Eater's already mentioned it inpassing before now - I am in fact Joke Mail.<BR/><BR/>I set up Jokemail as a place to put all those silly jokes people email you but wanted it to be separate - i didn't want to become known as the guy with all those terrible jokes. Then I found it had advantages to have an alterego. It meant I could visit sites that initially intimidated me and comment without risk.<BR/><BR/>But I ended up finding it extremely difficult to try and keep a separate identity going so Joke Mail dropped into the background where comments were concerned. <BR/><BR/>Eventually I ran out of jokes and Jupiter's Girl took over running the Jokemail site, which she's been doing for several months now.Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-56258036060792969672007-08-14T11:38:00.000+01:002007-08-14T11:38:00.000+01:00Sarah - El-Branden's real name is El-Branden - che...<B>Sarah</B> - El-Branden's real name is El-Branden - check his blog and you'll see. If he has any other secret identities I wouldn't reveal them if I knew about them, which I don't.<BR/><BR/><B>Eryl</B> - I amanything but organised. I might keep a notepad to hadn, but that's the sum total of my organisational ability I'm afraid.<BR/><BR/>Thank you both for your comments about my new pic.Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-61501806517767665072007-08-14T11:32:00.000+01:002007-08-14T11:32:00.000+01:00Pat - :)Archie - The idea that someone would buy a...<B>Pat</B> - :)<BR/><BR/><B>Archie</B> - The idea that someone would buy a bound copy of this blog, even if it was just one person, makes it quite tempting...<BR/><BR/>As for the gluten-free, my wheat consumption dropped quite significantly when I started the healthy eating drive 2 and half years ago. I look to avoid it when I can, but I don't really think it's likely to be a big factor in this. However, I appreciate your thoughts on the matter.<BR/><BR/><B>No Longer Anonymous</B> - thank you for your warm words, but I still have no idea who you are...Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-72083104245049663322007-08-14T09:47:00.000+01:002007-08-14T09:47:00.000+01:00Congrats Kim!Wow, 2 years! Good for you.Me love i...Congrats Kim!<BR/><BR/>Wow, 2 years! Good for you.<BR/><BR/>Me love idea you did for posting what with questions and such. Me think me going to steal it for me next blog day. You really hit most of high notes in questioning. And with all me have learned me just wanted to let you know that, for me, you am well traveled exit on info highway. Me not comment here much but me do read.<BR/><BR/>As for me question... You have commented few times about 'real people' like us vs. people who blog under persona. Have YOU ever been tempted to make new blog and try posting as person you am not? All this am assuming that Footeater was wrong all them months ago.Monsteehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09683943387563395281noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-74812674565727725842007-08-14T04:49:00.000+01:002007-08-14T04:49:00.000+01:00Congrats on your anniversary. I think people read ...Congrats on your anniversary. I think people read you solely because you are handsome AND funny! ;) Love the pic of the tooth below. Seriously though, while you are those two things, thanks for sharing your heart and being so open and honest. You are a great writer and I enjoy visiting here when I get the time...with four girls that is a bit too rare.All 4 My Galshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04388794548592051699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-69339031512083777002007-08-14T00:18:00.000+01:002007-08-14T00:18:00.000+01:00Happy, happy...I probably do have a squillion ques...Happy, happy...<BR/><BR/>I probably do have a squillion questions to ask of a seasoned blogger like you but can't think of any right now. <BR/><BR/>I must start doing the notepad thing. I do keep one with me at all times but rarely think to write my own ideas in it. I guess the fact that you're so organised is one of the things that makes you so good to read. It seems effortless because of the effort you make. <BR/><BR/>Very impressed with your new piccie.Eryl Shieldshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01818102006775827503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-70603033413708640502007-08-13T19:48:00.000+01:002007-08-13T19:48:00.000+01:00HAPPY BLOG DAY KIM!!!2 years is quite the achievem...HAPPY BLOG DAY KIM!!!<BR/><BR/>2 years is quite the achievement!<BR/><BR/>did you write the El in front of Branden to hint at the fact of his identity?<BR/><BR/>is he the co-creator of B.C.?<BR/><BR/>also.. your new profile pic is TRES PICASSO!! very creative!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-20494874311636723522007-08-13T19:44:00.000+01:002007-08-13T19:44:00.000+01:00I read & enjoy a number of blogs on a regular basi...I read & enjoy a number of blogs on a regular basis, But the thing I love about yours is it covers such a wide varity of subjects & tones. Congrats on 2years & for my sakes I hope you have many more<BR/><BR/>Thank YouAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-89507631760937163692007-08-13T18:44:00.000+01:002007-08-13T18:44:00.000+01:00Kim, if you bound up your blog and sold it on Amaz...Kim, if you bound up your blog and sold it on Amazon for $24.95 I'd buy a copy.<BR/>And I hate to do this, but have you ever looked into celiac disease? I know a few people with CFAS and B12 deficiency who went gluten free and it changed their lives. The tests for it suck, too, which makes it a bigger pain to figure out.<BR/>-Dr. know-it-all-trying-to-fix-everything ArchieArchiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12308220891655253832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-234990315723193942007-08-13T18:31:00.000+01:002007-08-13T18:31:00.000+01:00Thanks honey; that helps me a lot.Thanks honey; that helps me a lot.Pathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01529798893653033970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-91668155776222151082007-08-13T17:24:00.000+01:002007-08-13T17:24:00.000+01:00TheampuT - thank you :)Pat - I have definitely gon...<B>TheampuT</B> - thank you :)<BR/><BR/><B>Pat</B> - I have definitely gone through phases where I felt like I was under too much pressure to deliver and felt like stopping. <BR/><BR/>I think most bloggers go through it, especialy once you realise you've got an audience. Suddenly you start writing for them rather than for you, and as soon as you start trying to second guess what they might want, the pressure builds. <BR/><BR/>And if you then change your style to suit what you think someone else wants you can end up losing the very thing that attracted the visitors to your site in the first place. <BR/><BR/>In the end I think you have to be true to yourself and write the kind of things you want to write - then those who like your style will stick around and maybe tell their friends. <BR/><BR/>And by just allowing yourself to be you, the pressure goes and the fun comes back into blogging.<BR/><BR/>As for not replying to the commenters, sometimes I create a post where the comments become part of the debate and I think little is contributed by me trying to answer everyone. <BR/>And sometimes, if my mood and energy are low and the comments are heavy, I can't always face giving detailed replies. In those cases I will at least do a "thank you everyone" comment.<BR/><BR/>But mostly I tend to feel that if someone has taken the time to comment then they deserve some kind of acknowledgment or reply.<BR/><BR/>If I was getting hundreds of comments I might feel differently, but when the most I get is a dozen a day, I think it's courteous to reply.Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-55106517775807329982007-08-13T17:07:00.000+01:002007-08-13T17:07:00.000+01:00Mary - There have been many fantastic blog posts t...<B>Mary</B> - There have been many fantastic blog posts that never been written. These days if I have an idea I try and write it (or at least the bones of it) there and then. I nearly always have a notepad nearby - one in my coat pocket, another in my car.<BR/><BR/>As for blog visits and comments I don't know that there's a standard etiquette. Like you, if I comment several times on a blog and they don't reciprocate, I tend to feel they're not interested in the relationship. There are exceptions - El Guapo, for example, rarely commented on his own blog or anyone else's - but I knew from email exchanges that he did read mine, and he linked to me, so I accepted it. <BR/><BR/>I don't think you necessarily have to stick to beginner bloggers - I think it's about what makes you personally feel comfortable. I think most established bloggers love to get new visitors and comments - I know I do.Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-70737178331648697022007-08-13T16:59:00.000+01:002007-08-13T16:59:00.000+01:00FMC - I'm intrigued :)Carole - very rarely. I went...<B>FMC</B> - I'm intrigued :)<BR/><BR/><B>Carole</B> - very rarely. I went through a stage of having to delete a load of spam messages daily until I introduced the word verification, but it's very rare for me to remove a genuine comment.<BR/><BR/>I'm not one of those who feels I have to keep anything up for reasons of free speech - this is my blog and is not a democracy, but someone has to be needlessly offensive before I'll consider it.Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-38155820047147126652007-08-13T16:46:00.000+01:002007-08-13T16:46:00.000+01:00Great to read this. Two thing s occur to me. Do ...Great to read this. Two thing s occur to me. Do you ever - when feeling arid, post wise, also feel pressured and consider stopping?. The average age of a blog is said to be 2 years.<BR/><BR/>Do you ever consider - as some people do - not commenting on your comments?<BR/><BR/>And may I say that, especially just now when so many seem to be away or resting, that I hope you keep on at least as long as I have a computer. And also I persoally appreciate the conversations one can have in your comment box so please keep on keeping on.dkPathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01529798893653033970noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-3831825130588656322007-08-13T16:31:00.000+01:002007-08-13T16:31:00.000+01:00Happy Blogiversary ;-)Happy Blogiversary ;-)MsAmpuTeeHeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03733762919331458954noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-88360669170734470922007-08-13T14:02:00.000+01:002007-08-13T14:02:00.000+01:00Happy 2nd anniversary, Kim. I hope that I can cele...Happy 2nd anniversary, Kim. I hope that I can celebrate at least one anniversary; my plan is to run my blog for one year, then stop cold turkey and see if I can bear it.<BR/><BR/>My question is this: do you do what I do and think of a good idea for a post, then neglect to note it down and forget it? Please allay my fears and say that you do!<BR/><BR/>I have also wondered about the etiquette of visiting other blogs and commenting. If I've commented three or four times on a blog and the blogger does not reciprocate by commenting on my blog, I do feel a little deflated. I suppose the trick is to find other beginning bloggers who are not swamped with commenters and try to build a blogging friendship with them. How have you handled this rather delicate situation?Mary Witzlhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06458299046574564155noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-82721270113006247572007-08-13T13:12:00.000+01:002007-08-13T13:12:00.000+01:00I am curious, if you have ever deleted anyone's co...I am curious, if you have ever deleted anyone's comment. If so how many?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03828426520214270655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-82244439255851551882007-08-13T12:01:00.000+01:002007-08-13T12:01:00.000+01:00Congratulations! What song and photo combo can I c...Congratulations! What song and photo combo can I come up with for this august occasion I wonder, leave it with me.fatmammycathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12307960277363243051noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-78595957283520148062007-08-13T11:24:00.000+01:002007-08-13T11:24:00.000+01:00BStrong - you mean you didn't get me a card and pr...<B>BStrong</B> - you mean you <EM>didn't</EM> get me a card and present? *sniff*<BR/><BR/><B>FLG</B> - glad you're still alive - your blog is great when you write in it (nudge) :)<BR/><BR/><B>Crystal</B> - oh go on then, you've guilted me back into it - I'll be across shortly :)<BR/><BR/><B>Archie</B> - writing... hmmm... well I do have a handful of super fantastic brilliant things started that have been put on hold while I struggle with the CFS/ B12/ Baffling-my-doctor thing. <BR/><BR/>Unfortunately my lack of energy, motivation and enthusiasm, interspersed with bouts of chronic depression is making it extremely difficult to move forward with other writings. Blogging, at least, keeps my hand in to an extent.<BR/><BR/><B></B>Kim Ayreshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02656677501116622953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-55122881238353533072007-08-13T04:12:00.000+01:002007-08-13T04:12:00.000+01:00I'm blown away to realize that I've had a blog a f...I'm blown away to realize that I've had a blog a few weeks longer than you (your fake posts fooled me) - although our visitors were primarily family and friends, until very recently when I began dipping my toes in the blogopool.<BR/>My question to you is this: is there anything else you are currently writing?Archiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12308220891655253832noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15322620.post-34026368834633421702007-08-13T02:28:00.000+01:002007-08-13T02:28:00.000+01:00Hey Kim!thank you, again, for your candor. I told...Hey Kim!<BR/><BR/>thank you, again, for your candor. I told you this in my email, but I'm terrible about responding to comments; however, I will always answer emails. I just find that more personal. However, as far as visiting people's blogs, I'm bad about that, too, and I need to work on that. thanks, again, and I hope maybe someday you'll give me another chance? <BR/><BR/>take care and be well,<BR/><BR/>CrystalCrystalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08450912516874228817noreply@blogger.com