Ever since I was a little boy**, I dreamed of a 100-comment blog post. Just now, it happened, sort of spontaneously when I mentioned my dream on a post about endless cell phone conversations.
Thanks to Karen, Joanna, Robert, Cam, Marcus, Tabetha, Ellen, Anita, Jacob, Luke, Sterling, Paul, Parth, Cath, Ulla, Andrew, Deb, George, Rahsheen, Michele, and Amy for making it happen.
I’m sure all of you had better things to do this weekend than inflate my comment numbers, but I’ll tell ya. This kind of project brings out many of the things I really, really love about blogging. Bloggers are generous. Blogging can be whimsical, spontaneous, and informative all at the same time. Even though the 100 comment conversation bordered on the irrelevant (OK, crossed the border several times), we worked through a couple WordPress plugin issues, developed several new subcategories of cell phone abusers, shared experiences about cell phone discomfort, learned something about business and social communication etiquette, and shared our own views and eccentricities about using (and not using) mobiles.
Again, THANK YOU for your conversation. One thing I learned is, 100 comments is a lot of WORK. Liz Strauss, how do you do it?
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What’s Your Blogging Dream?
**I’ve got to come clean – I exaggerated a little bit there. It has been a dream since I started blogging a few years ago, though. Frankly, I never thought I’d see the day. Do you have a blogging dream? How can I help you achieve it?
(Photo – 100 by Duncan on Flickr)
Brad, it was fun to participate in this effort and your post illustrates beautifully so many of the things I love about blogging. While we talk about analytics, monetization, relevancy,plug-ins and more it’s truly the community that makes it all worthwhile for me. I feel like I live in a neighborhood where people still chat with their fence neighbors and stop in for a cup of coffee. My blogging dream is to still be here this time next year, making friends and hopefully sharing information that people still care to read. Reaching at least 500 subscribers would be pretty awesome too, I’d start publishing numbers!
Karen Swims last blog post..5 Great Blogs You May Not Be Reading
Crossed the border? Bubba, it not only crossed the border, it tipped the guards, went downtown and partied all night, then tipped the guards again on its way back!
But even so, it was fun, informative, and illustrative all at the same time! What a great set of lessons learned!
Robert Hruzeks last blog post..A Quick Look Ahead
Brad,
it was really fun participating. And it showed that your blog belongs to those which really built a community (could we call it “tribe”?). And that’s to my humble opinion what blogs are for!
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Winter in Berlin
Brad, this was a whole lot of fun to take part in. I agree with what you wrote here
“Bloggers are generous. Blogging can be whimsical, spontaneous, and informative all at the same time.”
The exercise also reinforced to me how skilled you are in the art of conversation
Thanks for allowing us to hog your phone all weekend.
Joanna Youngs last blog post..When Good Advice Goes Out the Window: Down The Writing Rabbit Hole
I concur with the above comments, particularly those of Karen and Ulla relating to the community aspect of blogging.
Congratulations upon reaching yet another milestone.
Brad, you may not be a ‘little boy’ anymore, but its good to see that you have not lost the gift of being able to dream like a young child.
It’s all too easy to dismiss dreams as childish fantasies. But in my view, provided they are genuine (not merely fantasies), and reinforced by disciplined action, I think that dreams add a great deal of vitality, purpose, quality and excitement to life
Andrews last blog post..Guest post from Brad Shorr
Brad,
Well, darn, I missed out on the fun and helping you reach your milestone! That’s what comes of reading posts in a reader and not reading comments unless I have the time and inclination to leave a comment.
Congratulations to you and your comment brigade.
Lillie Ammanns last blog post..New Review for Dream or Destiny
Hi Everybody, I LOVE Karen’s metaphor of the old fashioned neighborhood. It’s been said many times that blogging is a return to a traditional form of communication, and Karen put her finger on just what that means. Conversations come easy with such a gifted group of conversationalists. Lillie, glad you stopped by – it’s never too late. Besides, I’d like to see Robert try for 200 and you can get the inside track on that project!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..A Dream Comes True – the 100 Comment Post
Hi Brad – congratulations. It’s a great milestone to achieve. It took me ages to get my first real comments that weren’t spam. I thought I was never going to get one – and when I did, I panicked, because I just wasn’t used to the whole responding to comments thing.
Cath Lawsons last blog post..Does Your Business Really Understand People?
Cath, a real accomplishment would be to get a 100 comment post without asking for help, but no matter: I am thankful for my wonderfully generous readers. You do such a fine job of handling conversation, it’s hard to believe you were ever concerned about it. Anytime you deal with something new, there’s an element of fear, eh?
Brad Shorrs last blog post..25 Reasons to Participate in b2b or b2c Social Media
Brad,
“Anytime you deal with something new, there’s an element of fear, eh?” I know that feeling. But the important thing is to overcome one’s fear and to make the leap forward.
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Winter in Berlin
Ulla, That’s for sure. Cath obviously did. I still admire you for starting a blog in your second language. That is scary!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..25 Reasons to Participate in b2b or b2c Social Media
Brad,
please do not be scared! I admire you for blogging every day and for your cartoons. I’ve got some wild ideas about a fiction post on my blog, but at the moment I am too scared to do it. So the element of fear is something I know very well, and it is very easy to say “let’s overcome fear and make the leap forward” and it is really, really hard to do. So let’s support each other in whatever leaps have to be made.
Ulla Hennigs last blog post..Winter in Berlin
Hi Ulla, If you want to test your idea out in a save place, you’re more than welcome to use Scrambled Toast, a humor blog Robert Hruzek and I use as a kind of experiment lab.
http://www.corporatecartoons.blogspot.com
Brad Shorrs last blog post..25 Reasons to Participate in b2b or b2c Social Media
Hi, I am bringing the conversation on talking-behind-your-back over to the new comment stream but how long are going to stay here before moving on the the next post?
Speaking of which, does anyone know of a way to get an RSS feed of all comments on a blog regardless of which post it was added to? I am digging through all of the WP plugins but if you already know how to do it let me know because I am afraid I might miss it. There are over 1000 plugins!
Luke Gedeons last blog post..The Machine is just a machine again
Luke, try this:
http://www.google.com/support/feedburner/bin/answer.py?answer=78483
I have a feedburner option in ’setttings’ which allows me to burn a comment feed through feedburner. I think it came from this plugin.
Joanna
Joanna Youngs last blog post..When Good Advice Goes Out the Window: Down The Writing Rabbit Hole
Thanks Joanna, I will give it a try.
Luke Gedeons last blog post..The Machine is just a machine again
Well, the last thing I thought this blog would ever turn into was a help center for WP. This is so cool.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..25 Reasons to Participate in b2b or b2c Social Media
Yay! I knew you could do it… Now, how many comments is THIS post going to get??
–Debs last blog post..Pondering
Hi Deb, Whew, I don’t know, but I learned that 100 comment posts burn a lot more than 100 calories.
And I can say… I knew him before he hit it big.
Marcus Goodyears last blog post..Jesus married Bridezilla and moved in next door to God
Funny, Marcus, I was just thinking the other day about how I wish I had gotten to know Scoble before he got all famous and everything. I only missed it by about a month.
It is pretty cool to see someone you know move into the major leagues.
Luke Gedeons last blog post..The Machine is just a machine again
Hi Marcus, Luke, LOL. Watch the magic continue as I quickly slip back into anonymity.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..7 Things I’m Thankful For
I kinda think you’re stuck. After a series of posts like this, slipping back into anonymity is going to be tough.
Luke Gedeons last blog post..The Machine is just a machine again
Cool! My last comment was number 11777 – number of some significance to the most beautiful woman in the world, http://tabetha.gedeon.name
Luke Gedeons last blog post..The Machine is just a machine again
Luke, Hmm .. cryptic … or it could be I need some rest.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..7 Things I’m Thankful For
Hmm… I guess I should have linked to a specific post. There a few on the topic, but http://tabetha.gedeon.name/in-love-for-10-years.html should dissolve the mystery.
Luke Gedeons last blog post..Do you have any idea what I am talking about?
Luke, Ahhh … how cool. Happy anniversary!
Brad Shorrs last blog post..7 Things I’m Thankful For
Aw, thanks Luke!! And Thanks, Brad, for the happy anniversary wish!
And Congratulations on your 100 comment post!!
Tabethas last blog post..Five Stones
Hi Tabetha, Thank you! It’s quite revealing it took me over 100 comments to get the connection between you and Luke.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..7 Things I’m Thankful For
My pleasure, Brad. Thanks for being so engaging and intelligent, even when we have divergent viewpoints.
Sterling Camdens last blog post..Chipping the web: December 4th
Hi Sterling, Ditto. As one who has experienced the trials of corporate stovepipes, I believe divergent viewpoints go much better when folks talk to each other.
Brad Shorrs last blog post..Today Is Cell Abuse Blog Contest Deadline