Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Time marches on. Me? I go backward.

In my July 8th post I waxed eloquent (work with me, people) on the subject of followers. On that particular day, the tally of followers on blogs I read regularly that keep track of followers (as opposed to blogs I read regularly that do not keep track of followers) was:

Jinksy: 158
Snowbrush: 149
Grumpy Old Ken: 98
Carolina in Nederland: 72
Jeannelle of Iowa: 60
Pat, an Arkansas stamper: 51
Vonda: 46
Katherine DeChevalle in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand: 44
Me: 35

Today, August 3rd, I decided to check again, just for the fun of it. This is what I found:

Jinksy: 171 (change: +13)
Snowbrush: 158 (change: +9)
Grumpy Old Ken: 105 (change: +7)
Carolina in Nederland: 74 (change: +2)
Jeannelle of Iowa: 61 (change: +1)
Pat, an Arkansas stamper: 50 (change: -1)
Vonda: 48 (change: +2)
Katherine DeChevalle in Bay of Plenty, New Zealand: 47 (change: +3)
Me: 35 (change: zilch)

Some fun, huh?

If I wanted to be mean, I would go “Nyah, nyah, nyah” at Pat, an Arkansas stamper, whose following decreased ever so slightly, but Pat is much too nice a person to be mean to, so I will just bite my tongue instead. Also, going “Nyah, nyah, nyah” at Pat, an Arkansas stamper, would be a bit like the pot calling the kettle black.

I have the same number of followers as I had a month ago. However, there has been activity, people. An Englishman named Brian who has been living in Spain for the past 22 years came alongside and joined himself to my little crowd and my total leaped, leaped I tell you, to 36. But then, a couple of days ago, someone else abandoned me left me high and dry apparently found a better way to spend his or her time.

As they say in France, La plus ca change, la plus c'est la meme chose (The more things change, the more they remain the same). Add your own accent marks to the French phrase, if you can. If you can’t, don’t. It doesn’t matter to me. I’ve given up the will to live.

Carolina said, and I quote, “Sometimes I think it would be better not to keep track of the ‘followers’. Every time one disappears I need therapy. But on the other hand, every time one is gained, we have champagne.”

As one whose sphere of influence seems to have, shall we say, stabilized, I propose the following change in our By-Laws:

Inasmuch as Jinksy, Snowbrush, and Grumpy Old Ken have had the largest increase in followers since our last meeting, they shall, both jointly and individually, provide champagne to the rest of us as a sort of consolation prize and incentive to continue, seeing as how our own monies, meager as they were to start with, cannot possibly cover the cost of both therapy and champagne.

All those in favor, say “Aye.” All those opposed, go pound sand.

The “ayes” have it.

Truth in blogging: I am not an official follower of anyone, but I am a loyal reader.

And just for the record, Virginia at Birmingham, Alabama, Daily Photo has 294 followers; Ryan at This Is Reverb has 2840 “readers” (whatever that means, probably something different from “followers”); and Ree Drummond, a.k.a. The Pioneer Woman, receives more comments on each one of her posts than all the numbers in this post added together.

6 comments:

  1. Ah, s'ok chickabee bee. Don't concern yourself. But if you really want to, it's easy to get lots of followers. Just write about inane Hollywood blockbusters, New age spirituality, teen clothing fashions and/or current technology. They'll flock to you. But would you really want that?

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  2. Me, I've only got 10, but a what a loyal little band of followers they are and I love the lot of them. I regard Yorkshire Pudding and Katherine as too important to mingle with the hoi pollpoi on the rogues gallery, but they are there for me...and although I don't always leave comments on your magnificent blog please don't think that I'm not a regular follower;I am - I just can't think of anything to say in response to such amazingly, astounding and deeply intellectual posts. x

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  3. I have some ideas to increase your "traffic" and followers.
    a) Join an Art class. When sketching naked (female) models, sneakily get out your digital camera and snap a few pictures then post them on your blog.
    b) Assassinate Sarah Palin and then blog about it from prison.
    c) Change the title of your blog to "Robert's Homely Georgia Barbecue Recipes" and share your culinary skills with the blogosphere.
    d) Use lots of expletives and hip urban grammar as you blog about rapping, house music, indy bands and other fashionable musical styles.
    e) Say you are Jesus. Allegedly, he had lots of followers after his career in carpentry had ended.

    If you need further advice you only have to ask. Have a nice day!

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  4. Veni, vidi...

    Oh, no! Not another follower gone! Oh, the shame of it all! However, I shall take heart in pretending that my follower decamped to the blog of SNOWBRUSH or JINKSY, or perhaps both.

    I probably could have had, if not followers, more hits had I titled my most recent post "Naked Ladies" instead of "Lycoris Squamigera." You think?

    Stay cool,if you can, RWP. If it's as hot in Georgia as it is here, it's too hot.

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  5. Well hello! It's nice to meet you and thank you for visiting my blog. :) I'm not always as depressing as what you read may have indicated. I promise.

    I know I have followers but don't really keep track of them. Oh sure, I 'notice' how many. I'd be lying if I said otherwise.

    Sorry for such a scatterbrained comment. I often AM scatterbrained. LOL

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  6. Well, I hope no one leaves you, beause today you're getting another follower :) That makes 36, quite an improvement. I only have a sad 2...that's also because I'm new to the blogging world, but have always admired the dedication of bloggers from afar..

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<b>Always true to you, darlin’, in my fashion</b>

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