Creepy Messages From Blogland

Every so often I get an email that says, “Someone is now following, Laura Best, author.”

Sounds a bit creepy, right? Someone is following you..

I mean, should I be checking over my shoulder? You know, just in case some weird little guy with big eyes, stringy hair, and bad oral health is after me?

Na, afraid not,there’s nothing sinister or vile about these emails. In fact, it’s all good. WordPress so kindly lets their bloggers know who out there in blogland is following their blog. But what if the person following your blog isn’t a blogger themselves or a wordpress blogger for that matter? Since WordPress doesn’t know you, the email sent simply states— “someone.” So take heart, if you’re not a wordpress blogger you’re still someone. If you’re someone following my blog, then I happen to think you’re an extra special someone. So take a bow or maybe even do a little dance to celebrate your specialness.

I’ve got to give credit to all my non-blogging friends who drop in to read my posts. You’re all pretty special and I appreciate your visits. Although I don’t publish every post I write to Facebook, I can pretty much count on the fact that if I do, many of you come on by to read what I’ve got to say. Just so ya know this writer/blogger appreciates those visits.

I’m always astounded when my non-blogging buddies get up the courage to leave a comment, especially that first time. I try and put myself in your place, wondering if I would be so brave. Of course to do so, I’d have to get in my time machine, and go back in time before I ever had a blog of my own, back when a blog was this mysterious and scary thing that I would never dream of commenting on.

Maybe that doesn’t sound like such a big deal to all the bloggers out there, but I know it takes courage to post a comment, at least for the first time. It can be just as scary as hitting “publish” on your very first blog post.

Quite a few of my non-blogging friends have subscribed to my blog, which simply means they receive an email every time I update. Since I added that little feature to the sidebar of my blog a decent number of you have signed up, and I just want to say thanks. I really do appreciate the support. I sometimes think that those of us in the blogging community forget about all the non-bloggers out there who stop by our blogs. Don’t worry, we all appreciate the support we receive. To us you’re all “someone,” regardless of those creepy little emails informing us that we’re being followed.

* Oh, and by the way, that creepy little picture of Gollum was sketched by my son, Matt, back when he was in high school. I wanted to add a caption below the picture but wordpress kept saying no. Anyway, I think it was the first sketch he ever drew. Pretty darn good I’d say. Wouldn’t you?

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26 Comments

  1. Elayne

     /  February 24, 2012

    Great sketching………

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  2. laurabriedis

     /  February 24, 2012

    Love the sketch. Try going to your media library, find the image, click on edit and then look for the “advanced” tab to add data to the image.

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    • Thanks, Laura. I was amazed when I first saw it. I didn’t know he had that kind of talent. Kids…they never cease to amaze me.

      Thanks for the tip. I’m going to try it out next time..:)

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  3. Pretty darn good doesn’t say it all. That’s a great sketch!

    WordPress is wonderful for telling us who follows our blogs. It’s nice to know someone is reading.

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    • Yes, it’s a pretty great sketch. I came across it the other day on my computer and thought I’d like to share it. It’s nice of wordpress to let us know that people are out there reading and our words are not simply dissolving into cyberspace. 🙂

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  4. suzicate

     /  February 24, 2012

    Wow, your son did that! I was wondering where you found such a great “creepy stalker” pic!
    Those creepy “someone’s following you” messages are all good!

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  5. Laura, that sketch was better than pretty darn good … it is great. Ah yes, the followers of the blog, the strange names from twitter … these give me the creeps and the willies. Why? WordPress allows you to “approve” comments, twitter gives you the change to rid yourself of unwanted stalking, but in the “like” feature … many a creepy icon has crossed my page … those you cannot delete. Glad for those, like yourself, who do follow and comment. My non-blogging friends and family follow and then never leave comments. LIke they never read my word, but are glad I found something constructive to do with my “spare” time 🙂

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    • I think blogging is a whole other word for non-bloggers. I was the same way before I started. It’s always nice to know that, for some folks, my blog is probably the only one they read since they don’t know an other bloggers. To think that they actually take the time to read it gives me a nice feeling. 🙂

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  6. Carol Ann Hoel

     /  February 24, 2012

    Your son definitely has a talent. And he has a talented mom. Blessings to you, Laura..

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  7. Excellent sketch … and completely creepy! Yes, in some cases, it’s very nice to be followed. 🙂

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  8. The “following” I can handle, but I draw the line the day it says “someone is watching you” ick.

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  9. pattisj

     /  February 24, 2012

    That is a good drawing. Thanks for speaking for all of us, to those “unseen” readers.

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  10. Creepy is right. I know what it is like to be watched … followed … but WordPress makes it pleasant.

    Have you ever thought about having your son illustrate a book for you?

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    • I haven’t thought of having him illustrate a book, but I considered having him do sketches for my next book trailer. Of course I’d probably have to give him A LOT of time. He seems to be quite busy these days.. I think it has something to do with being 24..lol

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  11. I’m late because I’m sick, or else I would have been first to say “Wow, talented son, talented mother.” I love my non-blogging followers too. I don’t like change or I’d switch to wordpress. At least it gives you the option of contacting your followers and thanking them personally. I’d really like to do that. I can’t so I have book giveaways instead.

    I’d follow you if I wasn’t a blogger.

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    • Thanks Joylene. Gee I hope you soon recover. There are advatages to wordpress and they seem to keep oming up with great new features. Responding to comments is much easier now.

      Even if you don’t sign up to follow me, I always know you’re lurking somewhere in the shadows…It’s all good!

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  12. On the whole, the blogging community is an awesome place. I haven’t had many ‘strange’ people show up at my site, but WordPress’s Askimet seems to do a good job of filtering out most of them. I don’t “follow” too many of my favourite bloggers but have subscribed through Google Reader. I don’t know if they get notifications when I do it that way but I like being able to check them all from one location.

    That’s a fabulous sketch! Your son is talented. As Joylene says, like mother, like son, just in a different medium. 🙂

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    • I’m with you,Carol.I use Google Reader to follow blogs. I find it works well for me, rather than having so many emails appear in my inbox. I do follow quite a few.

      I was quite blown away the first time I saw it. While I knew he had talent I didn’t know how much. 🙂

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  13. Wow – that’s an amazing sketch. What a gift! 🙂

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