More on blogging

In my recent posting “On blogging and social media”, I commented at some of the differences I’ve noticed between Blogger, where I used to post my rants/raves/reasoned discussions (as always – reader’s choice) and WordPress where I now subject an entirely different readership to my opinions.  I mention some figures in that previous posting, so won’t repeat them here – after all that would be padding my word count for this posting.

The reason I left Blogger is that I wasn’t happy with the response I was getting, either in readership, or interaction with those readers in the form of comments. As I wrote previously, I did tackle a sensitive issue while on Blogger and I noticed that rather than attack my views in that posting, many of the responses chose to attack me personally.  I was accused of sniping at those “better” than me.  Excuse me, but if my name is on the profile, as it is this one, how is that hiding.  I was told I was a loser who got their jollies hiding behind my computer and slagging others.  If I’m a loser, hiding behind my computer all day, why is it I’m rarely home?  Okay, I‘m home today because it’s pouring rain out there.  But the one that I think finally settled my decision to close Cat’s Eye View, the name of my site, was the one that unfavourably compared my intelligence to that of a turnip.  Between you and me, I know I could out-think that turnip two times out of three.

Perhaps it was destined that I abandon Blogger in mid-June and open Catsworld1 on WordPress.  My recent and ongoing series “Bring him to justice”, which, by the way, the  detective handling the case told me she appreciated, has had more readers alone than my entire catalogue of postings on Blogger, according to figures I have here.  That series deals with a Public Safety Alert issued by the Toronto Police Service advising of a man wanted for aggravated sexual assault. He was diagnosed HIV positive in 1996 but never advised his partners of that diagnosis. Here’s the link to that bulletin: http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/newsreleases/pdfs/24254.pdf This series is important to me as I know at least two people who dated that man and, simply put, I want him off the streets.  And to be honest, I’ve found writing those extremely stressful, but for these people I know, I continue.  There will be more postings under the heading “Bring him to justice” once I am able to confirm some information I’ve received.  While these may be opinion pieces, I won’t just post the information because at the moment I consider it to be rumour and, as much as I dislike that man, that wouldn’t be fair to him, nor would it be good journalism.  In the meantime, I try to keep my readers informed and amused with postings such as yesterday’s “Writing 101 by Cat, or what would I say?” and this morning’s “Ford Follies”.  A friend mentioned that “Writing 101 by Cat” is probably the shortest writing course ever, but as I asked in the full title, what would I say?  What else is there to say about writing?

I enjoy writing and even if I didn’t have access to WordPress or Blogger or any of the other sites out there, I’d still be putting words on paper and pestering my friends to read those essays.

Since it’s Friday afternoon, enjoy your weekend and remember to hug an artist – we need love too.

Cat.

On blogging and social media

I actually took the time last evening to click on the “about us” tab on WordPress and read about this site and the people behind it.  Very interesting.  I especially like the part where they admit they’re a bit of an underdog and there are bigger and older blogging sites out there, then mention Blogger.  Trust me guys, there is no comparison.

I was on Blogger for about two and a half years before moving to WordPress.  The difference is phenomenal.  Keep in mind I haven’t changed a thing about my choice of topics nor the way I present them. I can’t even say my recent “Bring him to justice” series is exceptional for on Blogger I also tackled a sensitive issue for someone I know.  One thing I really like about WordPress is the ability for a reader to tell the writer when they like something that’s been posted.  Never had anything like that on Blogger.  It may seem like a little thing, but I think I speak for many of us here when I say it’s nice to know people like what we’re putting up – that we’re not just doing it to satisfy ourselves. To quote Sally Field in one of her Oscar acceptance speeches “you like me, you really like me”.  Now, just to bring this part back to reality, obviously I know there will be some things I post that nobody will like.  According to the stats, I can tell when people are reading it, but it just doesn’t resonate strongly enough that they click on that “like”.  No matter, at least it’s being read.

Since I mentioned stats, let’s take a look at some of the comparisons.  As I wrote above, I used Blogger from October 2009 until mid-June of this year – approximately 2-1/2  years.  Between mid-June and now – about 2-1/2  months I have been amazed.  Total readership here, in the short time I’ve been here matches, if not exceeds, that on Blogger.  As for followers, Blogger – 4 (one of whom was my son); WordPress, at last check 76.  Comments is another area where I can honestly say there is no comparison.  From what I can recall, less than 20 people had commented on my various rants/ravings/reasoned discussions (reader’s choice) on Blogger and, once I deduct my responses – for I try to respond to comments.  If you take the time to leave a comment, you deserve a response – there have been 94 comments.  Also, at the time I posted on Blogger, I had a Google+ page, so would post links there as well as Facebook and Myspace.  I no longer have that Google+ page and have discovered that after two months, MySpace had resulted in one person following the link, so I dropped it as well. I now only post links on Facebook.

There’s the facts.  Now the intangibles.  I’ve found WordPress to be more social in some respects.  In comparison, Blogger seems, I don’t know, “stodgy”.  People here are more willing to comment on other writers’ postings, either to say they  liked the post, or thank the writer for information (this I find with my scam warnings), or to share their experiences with whatever the particular writer has chosen as their topic that particular day.  On that topic, I don’t mind comments that disagree with my view – after all my tagline is “the world as I see it” – as long as they have a better reason than “I didn’t like it”.  Why didn’t you?  If it’s the writing itself, maybe I can improve upon something.  Now, I will admit there were some comments on the “Bring him to justice” series I didn’t approve because in some cases they gave too much personal information, or were personal attacks on me.

Now, social media, Facebook in particular.  I don’t know how many of you have accounts on Facebook, but if you do, are you as mystified as am I by some of the friend suggestions Facebook makes?   You know – the ones where you have no friends in common, and when you check out their profile, you find you have zero common interests?  For example, I’m a 68 year old writer/photographer.  What could I possibly have in common with a thirty-something bodybuilder who likes rap (I prefer classical music), other than we both live in North America?  But Facebook suggested just that person to me as a possible friend.  I recall reading somewhere on Facebook that they try to match up people with similar interests.  If my experience is an example, they seriously need to rework that programme.

Okay, I’m finished now.

To my followers and readers, thank you.  Enjoy the rest of your weekend and remember to hug an artist – we need love too.

Cat.

What did he say?

After using Blogger for over two years, I joined WordPress around the middle of June this year – say two-and-a-half months ago – and I really like some things about it.  I like the fact that people are more willing to comment than they were on Blogger.  I really like the fact that after two-and-a-half months I have ten times the number of followers I had on Blogger.  And one of the four I had on Blogger was my son – who isn’t following me here.  Must talk to him about that.  But one thing that really makes me happy is the amount of material I’m able to glean from the WordPress spam filter.  My posting “Don’t think so” of August 8 is an example of the material hidden in the spam queue.  And that is also where the following gem, intended as a comment on yesterday’s “This and that” came from:

Motorcycle Crash Lawyer
goldbergdohan.com/motorcycle-accident-lawyer/ x
TarkaTurcios87@
    
Submitted on 2012/08/24 at 12:04 am

Undeniably consider that that you stated. Your favorite reason seemed to be at the web the simplest factor to take note of. I say to you, I definitely get irked while other folks think about worries that they plainly do not know about. You controlled to hit the nail upon the top and also outlined out the whole thing without having side-effects , other people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

According to the poster’s name, this is someone trained in the law.  Okay fine, we know legal documents can be rather convoluted on occasion.  This however would make convoluted as easy to read as a Grade 1 primer.  Can anyone tell me what point this person is trying to make?  Is anyone willing to try to translate this into simple English – without getting a headache in the process?  From some of the wording “You controlled to hit the nail upon the top…” it seems apparent the person who wrote this either uses English as a second language, or typed it in their own language and used one of the online translation programmes available.

A quick check on Google tells me that goldbergdohan.com is a legitimate law firm based in Plantation, Florida, but with crap like this, it seems obvious someone hacked into it.  I refuse to believe any law office would hire someone with such a poor command of English.

And to further confirm the “spam” designation applied by WordPress, the posting this was intended as a comment upon, “This and that”, dealt with the hoopla over the engagement of a couple of singers (this) and the fact the mainstream media in Toronto hasn’t done anything  about publicizing a Public Safety Alert about a man wanted for aggravated sexual assault (that).  Nothing in that nonsense above could be applied to that, in fact, I don’t think anything I’ve ever posted would warrant such a response.   So, obviously this is some sort of spam and deserves the fate awaiting it once I’ve finished writing this: “delete permanently”.

Since it’s Friday, enjoy your weekend and remember to hug an artist – we need love too.

Cat.