Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Into The Abyss

Well! Thank you to all who delurked yesterday; it was fun to "meet" some more of the people who stop by this humble blog. Many people asked how to find out how many Google Reader subscribers a particular blog has. It's simple - subscribe to the blog (be it your own or someone else's). When you go to its Google Reader "page," click on "show details" at the upper right.

I was very pleased with myself when I discovered this little trick. My self-congratulatory joy was tempered somewhat by my discovery that most blogs I admire have way more subscribers than I do. (That would be my more competitive side coming out.)

Others asked me how I knew someone from Littleton, CO, was hanging out on my blog. Sitemeter (it's free!) supplies all the info you could ever want to know about your readers. Warning: it's addicting. Not recommended for people who have more important things to do with their lives.

And the philosophical award goes to Lynn, who wondered in yesterday's comments if there were Bloglines in Heaven. I don't know, Lynn; but I sure hope so. Otherwise, why go?

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Anna went with her youth group on a skiing day trip last Saturday. I decided to inventory her clothes (as, according to her, she never has enough to wear). I did this without the aid of alcohol. Things I learned:

  1. Apparently, I have never showed her how to properly use a clothes hanger.
  2. "Nothing to wear" is a relative term. Compared to Zsa Zsa Gabor, maybe?
  3. There is a reason my socks keep disappearing.
  4. Rachel isn't the only scissor-happy offspring around here. Looks like Anna wasn't pleased with the modest-length shorts we bought her last year...
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Good-night, all, and thanks again for taking the time to delurk.

20 comments:

  1. Oooh, I'm gonna get me sitemeter!

    I bet Anna was pleased you went through her wardrobe. Did you have a drink afterwards? Did you tell her before she saw it or just let hir find it had been touched when she got home? If you are so uncool why does she want your socks, is it part of her posession "i know how to tip her over the edge, I'll make her wear shoes without socks mwahahahaha" or does she secretly think your feet are cool?
    I think that's enough questions for one day.

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  2. She only wears my socks when she is desperate - and it probably grosses her out the whole time.

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  3. You went in her closet and drawers and didn't have a complete meltdown? You are my hero! I don't drink, but when I inventory her closet there's always a Valium close by (mine, not hers--talk about a meltdown if I ever found a Valium in her closet--I would have to start drinking)!

    Power to the Mothers of Teenage Girls!

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  4. i was wondering how you knew about the google subscribers. you are brilliant.

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  5. So did you find out who Littleton, Colorado is?
    I'm "somewhere in North America" or "somewhere in Michigan" ;-) , depending how sitemeter reads my server

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  6. The clothes issue--it's a toughie all right.

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  7. I have to go through my kids' stuff when they're gone, too. They're 7 and 10 so mostly what I'm going through is toys but if they're there and I throw any of them out then I have to hear how they were "going to play with that just today!".

    Better to do it while they're gone so they never know I was there!

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  8. LOL she steals your socks! I did that to my mom all the time growing up, and it's because her socks were better than mine. As in, they came in normal colors, they were a comfortable length (rather than the weird ankle socks I always ended up with), and didn't have cats, jack-o-lanterns, Santa, or any other cartoony characters on them. Because apparently whenever I told my mother I needed socks for Christmas she thought holiday-themed socks were in order. As if I only needed socks on Christmas. This is why this former teen stole her mother's socks.

    And just to be sure, I asked for socks for Christmas again this year, and she finally got it right--they're not "normal" colors, per se, but there are no cartoons. And they're fuzzy in a comfy way rather than "will get me picked on in school" way. It took us 25 years, but I think we're starting to understand each other (I realize this was all about her understanding my taste in socks, but I think this comment is long enough now that I'll save the parts where I'm starting to understand her for later). (PS - we get along great now, there's light at the end of this tunnel you're in.)

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  9. Sooooo did Littleton ever climb out of the closet? That's what I want to know.

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  10. My feeling is, never attempt this kind of task without a drink or two. If I did, my kids would be momentarily stunned, and be all--"Mom, where's your wine????".. ;>)

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  11. I didn't comment yesterday because I'm not technically a lurker...I regularly fill your comments with mindless babble. Well, it's not always mindless. ;)

    Being the only female in a house of 5, I don't normally have to worry about sock stealers. It's usually the other way around...if I'm desperate for ankle athletic socks, I sometimes resort to digging through teen boy's room. I would say drawer but we all know that the clothing of a teenager rarely hits the drawer.

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  12. suddenly Anna sounds like me when I was that age. Heaven help you, SC!

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  13. I wish they updated the Google Reader numbers more frequently. I find Feedburner is way more accurate - plus you can see how many subscribers your blog has from all sources. Try it out, it will give you all of the tawdry detail your heart desires.

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  14. I'm sad now, I only got like three comments yesterday. Of course I didn't post, but still.

    The Google subscriber count isn't very accurate. According to feed burner I have about 150, but Google says I have 12 or so.

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  15. Rats,I missed it yesterday. But you know I'm still out there after a couple of years. I don't check everyday, but how many readers do you think you have located in Toad Suck AR? Can't be more than 250.
    That would be everyone.

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  16. You awe me with your Google Reader prowess! (haven't delved into that one, yet)

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  17. Last I checked, WordPress can't run Sitemeter. Bah!!

    On the other hand, I'm not getting my chores done as it is...do I really need something else to eat up my time? Nah...

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  18. Thank you for the "reader" tip, although I'm happy to see that I have a few people subscribing to my blog (wonder of wonders), it is a paltry sum when compared to others....oh...I don't know...(cough - you).

    Very cool though. And yes, I concur, Sitemeter is very, very addicting. And somewhat sad when you see that 90% of your visitors is really just you.

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  19. It's creepy all the stuff you can see from Sitemeter and Google Analytics

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  20. Would you come over and go through my five year old's closet? I just can't deal...

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