Is it just my imagination (which I will admit is sick and twisted) or is everybody and their brother getting a new blog template these days? And is it also my imagination or are none as cool as mine? HA! Of course I'm not talking about yours, silly.

Other blogging trends sweeping the blogosphere:
Flickr Zeitgeist
Tickers (got me one right up thar)
Blinkies (there has to be a stopping point people, come on you're gonna give somebody a nervous twitch with those excessive blinkies) rotate, people, rotate the blinkies.
Stat Counters
Sidebar chat thingies

Blogging Do's and Don'ts
Please note: This is only my opinion and does not neccesarily reflect the views of the entire world wibe web, though it should bc I'm right like 99.56% of the time. I say this bc I'm pretty sure one or more of these will agitate somebody. So I'm not referring to you. Just remember that.

Do: Visit other blogs and comment when appropriate.
Don't: Beg for people to visit your blog in the comment. Desperate isn't pretty.

Do: Respond to questions in your comments.
Don't: Respond to every frickin comment so as to drive your comment numbers up and exude an air of faux comment popularity.

Do: Ask your readers' opinions in your posts.
Don't: Do it in such a way as too skew the comments all towards your particular point of view or obviously seek pity. If you want pity, seek it in a subliminal fashion, like I do.

Do: Use blinkies if you like them.
Don't: abuse the blinkies. As I mentioned before- too much blinky action=low reader satisfaction.

Do: post cute pictures of your kids.
Don't: post the same basic picture 6 times in a row (junior moves pinky 1 inch to left, junior smiles with 2 teeth showing, now 3 now 4) and bore your poor little readers to death.

Do: Say what's on your mind.
Don't: Get mad at me for saying what's on my mind.

Do: Add some more to this list
Don't: take it personally it's just fer fun!!!!!!!!!!!