Blogging · Uncategorized

Your Gravatar Has Expired… Yes! It’s a rant

jacquelineobyikocha

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In the sea of gravatars, yours might not stand out much. As a matter of fact, it may have expired!

Your gravatar is not a postage stamp, that you slap on each blog post with such speed and sporadic turn that can leave someone dizzy.

I wonder how a blogger can go from liking one blog post to fifteen blog posts in 2 minutes flat? How possible is that?

On a serious note, no one expects that you will read all the blog posts out there. That’s not only impossible, but a suicide mission.

However, you have to make a bit of an attempt to engage with your friends, otherwise, they will never get to be your friends, because you will remain on the periphery of the blog chain. A fairly vague face or name, if at all.

This is one of the reasons that I feel so uncomfortable just sticking a ‘LIKE’ on a blog written in only a language that I cannot understand.

It makes me feel like a cheat and I simply don’t like that. I have even gone to extra lengths of dropping a line for the blogger and suggesting from a readers point of view, if they could at least just put an English title so that one has an idea what the whole thing is all about, but nope! Not even a response from any of them. Oh well!

With the amount of stress out there and a long list of blogs to read, it will not be easy on anyone to take the extra time each single moment to translate a blog post. Let’s call a spade what it is. A big, hard spade.

How does a blogger foster growth if they don’t engage with the readers and friends that they have made?

All the hard work that goes into preparing a blog is wasted if no one is reading it or commenting on it.

I would rather engage two decent readers than a blog full of gravatars.

Yes of course, there are days that we see a post and  we have nothing to say, so we leave a tiny footprint of a like.

However, there are some, whose style is bulldozing through blogs with lightning speed and on a consistent basis.

Some are so rude that they won’t even bother commenting on a post, but the simply say  ‘hey, come and check out my xyz post, it’s awesome’ and they stick on their URL without as much as a hey ho!

That is rudeness. It can be compared with going to someones’ house and barging in without knocking. It’s only burglars that do that.

That it’s a blog and online does not mean courtesy is dead.

For your information, to those few who barge in rudely, it’s not cute and secondly, everyone else is equally busy. So behave yourself!

We blog with integrity and the primary objective is to impact on those around us positively no matter how little that is.

I think that we shouldn’t lose sight of the objectives of what we are doing, which is to enrich lives, creativity, fulfillment, tranquility and not excluding making something economically meaningful of the effort if the opportunity arises.

If it’s just about crunching numbers, then be prepared to be frustrated and wear out fast, because that is not what pays over time.

What pays over time, is the building of relationships, as fleeting as online relationships might seem.

Blogging is a lifestyle like a lot of other social skills. It is not a sprint, but a long enduring marathon, where you walk when you tire, take a sip of water, pace yourself, listen to music and hobble along.

My two cents.

This is for those bloggers who go from one season to another, slapping their gravatars on posts like postage stamp.

© Jacqueline Oby-Ikocha

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Published by jacquelineobyikocha

A wordsmith with a vivid imagination, an eager mind and a burning desire to carve out tales. As I journey with my muse to that land of all possibilities and self discovery, I hope my personal evolution will serve as a beacon of inspiration for anyone who chooses to stop by.

104 thoughts on “Your Gravatar Has Expired… Yes! It’s a rant”

  1. You wrote this with a touch of humor but you nailed it. I visit and comment as much as I could. It’s called fostering a relationship and yet my pet peeve is some don’t take the time to respond or visit my site at all. Hahaha that was my rant. Great post!

    Liked by 4 people

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  6. Hi Sis,

    This rant cracked me up. Spot on as usual, you always tell it like it is, without mincing words. XD”

    I know what you mean, some people do this stamping of gravatars as a means of getting your attention. 15 likes in 2 minutes shows that the person barely glanced at the posts, which is quite an insult to the blog owner’s intelligence. Lol

    While I understand that we all have different interests and preferences with regards to what we like to read,, it’s easier for me to find another blogger’s article worthwhile if they find my own articles worthwhile enough to read properly and leave a comment instead of a half-hearted like.

    I feel that the blogging relationship should be based on mutual support.

    Enjoy the rest of the day!

    Liked by 1 person

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  7. Hi Sis,

    This rant cracked me up. Spot on as usual, you always tell it like it is, without mincing words. XD

    I know what you mean, some people do this stamping of gravatars as a means of getting your attention. 15 likes in 2 minutes shows that the person barely glanced at the posts, which is quite an insult to the blog owner’s intelligence. Lol

    While I understand that we all have different interests and preferences with regards to what we like to read,, it’s easier for me to find another blogger’s article worthwhile if they find my own articles worthwhile enough to read properly and leave a comment instead of a half-hearted like.

    I feel that the blogging relationship should be based on mutual support.

    Enjoy the rest of the day!

    Liked by 1 person

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  8. I long since gave up trying to read every single post on my reader… there are a handful I always go to and let the rest jump out at me.

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    1. No one can actually read it all. That’s impossible! We can only read so much and comment so much in a day. It’s just that I observed some who have never bothered to interact from month to month they just stick on their post stamps 😉

      Liked by 2 people

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  9. Yes, this is not the first time you’d mention those using other languages apart from English. It is a whole lot of confusion, who are they blogging for anyways? A few selected fellow tribesmen?

    I like this post, it’s got humor. Thanks for sharing your view on this.

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  10. Well said, Jacqueline. It is exactly the reason that I don’t want the volume of followers to get out of hand. Some follow just to reciprocate. I follow because I want to read a blogger’s posts. It’s as simple as that. When my Reader gets too crowded, I start to eliminate folks that never comment, never answer a comment/question posed, or those that make a comment that reflects they really didn’t read the post. I enjoy the interaction, or I wouldn’t do it at all. Thanks for your thoughts on this. You are not alone. 💕

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    1. Thank you Van for this in-depth comment. I quite understand this philosophy of keeping the followers within your manageable ability. It doesn’t make sense to keep someone who is not interactive hanging around. I try to read a lot of blogs in a day, I have no idea of how many and a lot of times, I find something to say, except when there’s really nothing that comes to me at that point in time.

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  11. The interaction is what makes blogging so much fun and interesting. Sometimes it’s difficult to read as many as I would like but periodically I will go back to blogs that I haven’t seen for a while just to check what I’ve missed x

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  13. When I come across a post in a different language, I usually get it translated. Not sure if it’s by Google but there’s a line in the right-click menu… although I can always figure out the Like button, I refuse to click on it just because, without reading first.

    Thanks for posting this

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  17. Funny …but not so funny, I actually buy -into what you just said, I have been pondering over these for a while, It’s difficult reading through all the post no doubt, and like John Maxwell said,’ People don’t care to know until they know you care.’ I believe this principle applies to the blogily as well. As for those who write posts in other languages, they might as well read it themselves.
    I have seen the impact of taking the time to read posts that resonate with me, and dropping comments I read a handful in the morning and at night and always drop a comment, when there is nothing to say I#iLike. Once again thanks for your 2Ccents Sis.

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    1. Thanks dear. You always go the extra mile and it really helps the relationship. I find it irritating if someone is just busy sticking their gravatar all over the place just to get your attention and not because they care much about your blog. The days I don’t have much to say, I leave a like or just something short.

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      1. That’s it, Like you said, it is not only for the numbers but most Importantly building relationships that lingers on, it may seem virtual but those comments,presence of other bloggers keeps one going sometimes…

        Liked by 1 person

  21. Sometimes I wonder why they pattern this like social media But alas who knows…..triple digit following just tells me I sparked enough interest they Bookmark me here so to speak. I can’t read everyone everyday and I Have spare time! I think I follow a foreign photography blog. Yet when was I last there? Hmmmm good point!

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  22. Interaction is the key to every good relationship, and that also applies in the bloggosphere. What is the point of gathering followers if one isn’t ready to interact with them. One thing is for sure, the difference between a successful blogger and an unsuccessful blogger is based on the difference in their level of commitment to their followers. Some people have 5000 followers but hardly have 10 likes on any post. In other words, taking the time to read a blog helps nurture friendship between the writer and the reader. As for me, I always try to interact with my followers even though it’s just in a few words, but sometimes I retreat from those followers who reply only from their blogs and don’t visit my blog at all.

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    1. I agree with you totally. I have several blogs that are like that and I have stopped bothering with them. I visit their blogs, comment and it’s only then that they respond and this is done consistently. Come on. There are so many other blogs out there to read. Sheesh! No time for such.

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  24. I like this! I have a half-written post on the computer that I call ‘manners for bloggers’, and it covers much of what you’ve put here. It is all about engaging with others and behaving well, as you put it.

    Like

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  25. I like that “blogging is a lifestyle…not a sprint”. So very true. I am learning so much about the blogging world in the 6 weeks I have been blogging. I would love to dedicate more time to it right now, but its hard. I love what I talk about though and every chance I get to get online and read/share view, I take it. So I don’t drive myself crazy trying to keep up, I will be setting a schedule for myself of when I will post content, read other post etc….Oh so much to learn. As always Jackie, great post!

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  26. I so agree with you. Yet at the same time I follow so many blogs that even though thoroughly engage each post, if I took the time to comment on each one (I tend to try to avoid the quick the quick one or two word comment) it would be impossible to get to all the posts I want to get to. I have sometime spent fifteen to twenty minutes formulating and writing a comment. Given the limitations of time….

    Yet there are definitely those who go flashing by just liking a post, maybe reading two or three lines. It’s the nature of the beast – people trying to drive others to their blog. Driven I suppose by a sense of the more likes the better the post, when the quality of the post has nothing to do inherently with the number of likes.

    How many great artists died in obscurity only to be “discovered” after leaving their mortal coil?

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    1. You just left good food for thought here about the great artists. Well, I think that my mind has matured enough beyond the hunting for likes. I follow so many as well and I have lost count of how many blogs I go through in a day. It’s really not easy to comment consistently on someone’s post and that is easily understood if the blogger is usually the commenting type and the just like a post. There are some who do it as a pastime. Those are the one’s I find irritating.

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  28. I know reading to be read is a sure way to put your eyes out and kind of like listening for a break in the dialog so, you can speak doesn’t do end in gaining much from the time spent reading. I am terribly behind on my reading for one, my reader was blank for a day and ruined my routine which was already imperfect and I’ve also, been asked to contribute to another blog, and a myriad of personal reasons. However, I’m slogging through and trying to get back on track. I’m making sure to say hello to my blogging friends and read the blogs I really enjoy, even some to who never read or like me back…but I have to admit, I’m losing time for those because I do need some time to write. It’s not easy this blogging thing in fact, it has a way of turning into work. As in all things in life, we have to keep the right focus, be honest, and try to find balance.

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    1. I really can be tedious Pam. Not easy at all which is why wasting time on blogs that have no time for me is not my idea of fun. I would have given up blogging long before now if all there is to it is a sea of stickers. We really do have to find the balance.

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  30. Well said! I’m still trying to get my head around all this blogging stuff. I could never understand how people manage to get through so much mail, comments and have any time left in the day for writing posts! You’re right, it is about relationships. If you don’t chat,at least sometimes, how can you relate ?!

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  32. Well said. One thing Ialways endeavor to do is actively engage with my favorite bloggers. I keep finding new bloggers I like initially, but then there are not enough hours in a day to read all of them so I’m learning to be more selective. Fortunately, I’ve only run across a couple that were in a foreign language and I didn’t even try to read them.

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    1. I totally love engaging other bloggers. That’s where the satisfaction lies, not if publishing the post. I have so many of the foreign ones, I don’t even know how they found me and if they can read what I write, ‘cos I can’t read theirs :/

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      1. I don’t follow everyone who follows me, although I deeply appreciate that they find something of interest to them in my blog.

        Like

  33. I agree with you…but…If I’m having a busy day I hate deleting the posts without even looking. I feel worse if I haven’t acknowledged that they’ve kept working while I have been busy. I like to show that I’m still around. I actually think it is a little frustrating that the comment box is at the bottom. Sometimes I do want to see other peoples comments and sometimes I don’t. Good topic 🙂

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  34. The bloggers you wrote this for wont even see it lol!! There is a translate option for blogs written in a different language…I’ve been able to read some that way. I lol when you mentioned liking 15 posts in 2 minutes!!

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  35. Interesting, I was just presented with this dilemma this week. I had someone follow me, so when I went to their site to check it out it was in another language that I did not understand. So I paused to think about what should I do, should I follow or not, I’ll never be able to read a post so how would I know if I liked it or not. If there were a photo only post then I could decide if I liked the picture. I finally decided I would follow the site as a thank you for following mine, however I could not Like any posts because as I said I did not know what I was liking. So that was my decision. You are on fire this week!! 🙂

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      1. I know I smiled at the fire part too! There is a French blogger I follow and I know French, un peu, so I try to figure out what she’s saying, I find that challenging and fun.

        Liked by 1 person

      1. I am very lucky to have her. I only speak English, which I find frustrating, and while I am trying to learn a different language it is difficult. But I agree the people who manage to like 20 posts in 5 seconds are interesting. On some of my posts I get it but others I am scratching my head

        Like

  38. That’s quite a rant, and a funny one, Jackie. I never see it like slapping a stamp but now that u’ve got that analogy, it’s so true. I mostly just skip those blogs not written in a language I understand. Reduces the stress! Then again, I don’t mind the likes. 😉

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I love it when you decorate my heart with your words..

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