Monday, July 31, 2006

It is Monday

Thanks for joining us.

First, let me start off by saying that I never expected to generate such high volumes expectation around this here blog. This all started out with a random idea I had last week, and I wanted to make sure I 1) didn't forget to write about it and 2) generated at least some interest in reading the post.

So, here goes.

I'm formally declaring that this day be officially known as "De-lurking Day."

Lurking, according to me, is scanning and/or reading blogs without formally participating in the discussion via comments. I lurk on about 80 or so blogs, via the wonderful world of Bloglines. I keep up with tons of people through their blogs. People I don't know, nor have I ever met. They don't even know I exist.

And I'm guessing that many of you do the same.

Now, there may be other folks out there that consider lurking to be different from what I have described above. But for now, let's just agree that if you're reading this blog, or any other blog for that matter, and you're just consuming information without the author knowing that you are out there, you are lurking. It's not a good or bad thing. It's just lurking.

So out of the closet with you! And with me! Make your presence known!

I'm challenging myself to de-lurk on 5-10 blogs today. I'm going to make my presence known to the authors, not for my notoriety, but for their information. You should do the same. Comment on 5-10 blogs you've never commented on before. And suggest that your readers do the same. It's a movement that's sweeping this corner of the internet, so you should be a part of it.

For example, I had no idea that the good doctor read my blog until he commented last week. Voila! A new reader! Yipee! Welcome to the club, doctor!

For those of you who write blogs, don't you want to know who's out there? Encourage your audience to speak up. Threaten them with a nasty note...wait, no. I take that back. Just stick with the encouragement. That'll probably work better :)

Are you in?

8 comments:

malita said...

I'm still waiting for the big Monday announcement...

kimmie said...

...so then you'll be waiting a long time, because "National De-Lurking Day" was the big announcement...

amar rama said...

I just de-lurked myself. hope more people follow. sheesh.. i still think you are in trouble re. Prov 255:25

Anonymous said...

Consider me de-lurked. And to answer your question, I'm not really sure if I do want to know who is actually reading my blog. I may then have to start seriously worrying about them.

Anonymous said...

Another way to find out who's reading your blog (only sort-of works), is signing up for google analytics, after which point, you get a cute map of the world, with pretty dots for the geographic locations of who reads the pages.. And you get the oh-so-interesting referrer stats all prettyfied.

Kate said...

i'm de-lurking. i occasionally access your blog thru malita's. and i actually posted a couple weeks ago about de-lurking in a way. i addressed what i like to refer to as "comment fear" - people afraid of leaving comments..same general idea. anyways, i guess i gotta practice what i preach.

kimmie said...

Asian Kate! (can I call you that?) I need to de-lurk on your blog as well... :)

Kate said...

thanks for de-lurking on my blog last week - it was a great thing :) also, of course you can call me asian kate. i know some people feel a bit uncomfortable calling me that but it really is somewhat endearing to hear it!