i received an email this morning saying that today is national fight cyberbullying day? has anyone else heard about this? the email had stories about how blogpeople get harassed by “internet trolls” who are big meanieheads who leave nasty comments on their blogs about, i don’t know, whatever will tick them off. maybe stuff like “your kids’ heads are as big as pumpkins but with hair” or “your blog layout totally does not rock my socks off and the colors remind me of the institution walls.” the bottom line of advice/wisdom they had was “ignore them and delete their comments.”

i don’t know about you but it would be a big thrill if somebody even took the time and effort to leave me a nasty comment. i would feel so special if somebody took the 60 seconds out of their busy day to actually click and type a comment, any comment.

PLEASE DON’T GET ME WRONG -i have 110% love for those people who leave me a comment EVERY TIME THEY READ MY BLOG. ok so that’s only like 3 people, but how glad i am to have those few treasured blogfriends who know how exciting it is to get a comment, any comment. and then i have some loyal cyberamigos who stop by on the regular blog-rounds and leave a comment. and when someone new leaves a comment- oh the joy, the sheer joy!

but i was just having a mental debate the other day about this kind of thing. i was thinking about how back in my blog heyday i was regularly racking up like, 20-30 comments per post. (btw i also just realized i hate the word heyday.) then i went to a scary mental place I call k8 self debate mode:

“well you started this blog so friends and family could keep up with the girls. nobody ever promised you a blog rose garden.”

“shut up, i know. but then i kinda liked it when other people outside of my family gave me attention too. it made me feel appreciated. loved. wanted, even.”

“well you stopped blogging for a while so people got sick of coming here and getting no action. plus you don’t leave as many comments on other peoples’ blogs as you used to. don’t you know that commenting is reciprocal? you scratch their comment back, they scratch yours.”

“but i’m busier now. i don’t have the time like i used to at my old job. i try to evenly divide my blogreading/ commenting time between my blogroll and other new blogs i like.”

“so WHAT? you leave fewer comments you get fewer comments. stop whining. besides, remember how you said you were going to blog on, regardless of whether you got comments or not? it’s not about the comments it’s about the freedom of self expression. anyway, your blog used to be funnier and wittier. there was more stuff to comment on. maybe you’re boring people.”

“great. now i’m fat, pregnant, and boring. thanks a lot.”

“well, there’s just no other explanation. if the same number people of people are reading it, but less are commenting, it means you’re not provoking any thoughts. there’s only so many ways people can tell you how cute your kids are. get some real material. get some excitement happening.”

“oh yeah like when i got blogstalked by that angry group of lesbian twin mothers off of a message board and i had to block their ip addresses, then one even went so far as to go to somebody else’s house to leave me a nasty comment?”

“yeah. (sighs a happy, satisfied reminiscing sigh) those were the days.”