Monday, February 1, 2016

Follow You, Follow Me

This past week I have lost 8 followers.

Just to be clear, I didn't have many follower to begin with.  Losing any amount is painful for someone with a small blog like mine.

To be double clear....out of the small group of followers I had, one of them is ME!  (Hey, don't laugh.  If a presidential candidate can vote for himself, surely I can follow myself.)

Another follower I have is my daughter.  ( I made her.)

Two other followers are my one friend who for some reason followed me twice.  She must have felt bad for me seeing those measly numbers on my sidebar.

I'd like to think this sudden loss of followers is a glitch of some sort.  It seems kind of weird to lose them all at once like that. But that's not all.  People that I followed have turned their own blogs to private.  They don't want me to read their blogs.  That can't be a glitch as well, can it?

I started wondering what I could do to make my blog more popular?  Here's what I'm thinking.

--Join Facebook and post the link for TJM on there.  But no.  For me, the ends does not justify the means.*

--Reply to my commenters.  I usually don't reply back to the comments people leave for me here, but it is a kind gesture and it would show my appreciation of them. 

--Be controversial.  Yes!! Controversy always draws people in.

Some of my ideas for controversial posts would be:

1. Michael Jackson's Off the Wall album is way better than Thriller.
2. Paul Newman is more handsome than Robert Redford.
3. *Facebook is evil.
4. Bruce Springsteen is over-rated.
5. Gene Rayburn from Match Game is sexy.

{Side note: During my writing,  I let Billy read up to this point and he told me, "Mom, I feel if you publish this post you will lose more followers"}

{Side note #2: While writing this, I lost one more follower.  It's true!}

I may never get back up to 50 followers.  In fact, I better wrap up this post before I get to negative numbers over there ---->













19 comments:

  1. This is why I love you!!!!
    And why I jump for joy when I see you have a new post up.
    I'm serious.
    And...I thought I was the only one with a crush on Gene Rayburn!!!!
    You know I watch him every morning. 8 to 9 on GSN!!!
    Ok...so I'm going to tell you something that will make you feel better...
    We all lost followers lately.
    Blogger did some revamping and removed all followers with non Google accounts like Twitter and Yahoo.
    Those people now are required to create a Google account and refollow.
    So, you see, you are still amazing and inspirational and wonderful and funny.
    It's Blogger with the problem. : )
    Love you!!!!!!

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    1. Thanks Billie Jo. Ironically, as soon as I hit publish I saw the alert from Blogger about the changes they made. It did make me feel better. And so did your comment and kind words. Hey, this reply-back might be kind of fun.
      In closing, "Get ready to match the stars."

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  2. Hey, but YOU have Gene Rayburn! :)

    My followers widget started acting up several years ago, so I removed it. It kept disappearing and taking the whole sidebar along with it. I can still see my number of followers myself (but never get new ones signing up without the widget) if I want to, but I don't think about checking anymore. Still, I'm grateful to both of them. :)

    And wow, you sure have some potential controversy over here. Paul Newman handsomer than Robert Redford?!?!?

    I THINK NOT!!!!!!!

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  3. I lost quite a few recently too! Glad to know I'm not alone...and wish I didn't care so much!

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    1. Check out Billie Jo's comment above. It will make you feel better :)

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  4. I just quit blogging. I didn't make it private. Personal reasons. So you are not missing out on anything! Still like to read yours!

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  5. I'm sure you have many more followers, like me, that are not officially listed as followers. Love your blogs. Still trying to figure out how Gene Rayburn is sexy. That's Whack!...Love Brother Bob

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  6. Hello dear Kathleen,

    I feel your pain, really, I do! It is a mystery to me what makes people follow my blog. I have way fewer than you do.

    Comments are always nice and very encouraging. I always hope that people will want to follow my blog, but I would rather have people who comment and do not follow than people who follow and do not comment (I have experienced more of the non commenting followers; I always wonder why they follow if they don't seem to even care). People are a mystery for sure!

    I have also been shut out of private blogs, and when I send those private bloggers a message saying that I would love to follow them, I have gotten not response; so I am certain they went private to shake me loose. Hmmm. Am I THAT annoying?

    I feel that commenting on other's blogs is the friendliest thing one can do. And isn't that what blogging is supposed to be all about? Some people say that blogging is not about the comments. I disagree. If no one comments, what is the point?

    After leaving up to ten comments on a particular blog and getting no response form the blogger, I quit visiting the blog and feel that I must be a bore to her (I only follow female bloggers so far).

    I do not like controversy, but then I saw you controversial post ideas, and they made me smile (you are very funny).

    I am glad that you did not let Billy convince you not to publish this post. I love your heart rending honesty.

    Don't give up; keep posting; I love your blog.

    :)Hope

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  7. I lost 13 in the past 8 days and it had me feeling like crap. Glad to know it wasn't only me ;) I didn't receive any notice from blogger, but after reading billie's comment above, that explains a lot.

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  8. And you know what else is weird? Your comment about commenting back made me realize I needed to follow up on a couple (one was yours!) and I cannot reply back. ?? I tried it while being logged into blogger and logged out of blogger. Weird.

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  9. You are funny! I have not been on in a week because I have been down with the flu big time...still am but had to leave a message for you.. Love every time you have a new post up!!

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  10. Keep blogging! I have no idea if I am a follower--I get emails when you post, is that what you mean? I like getting a glimpse into the Sweeney world and you make me feel normal :).

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  11. Hi Kathleen! You are not the only one. I have read on several blogs the fact that people are losing followers, and have no idea why. As Billie Jo said, it's a Blogger issue. Take heart! You're doing just fine :)
    Blessings,
    Ceil
    PS Robert Redford all the way...

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  12. I read all of your blogs, Kathleen, and love seeing the pictures and reflections. However, I often don't say anything, since how many times can one say, "I love your blog and your pictures!! " - but I do! xo Mom

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  13. I just found your blog and will definitely follow you! I had a blog (Faith Of A Convert) a while back and have just started a new blog recently and have 0 following as of yet. Getting started again is hard. I used to have many followers and followed many people.

    From what I've read so far, I love your writing style.

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  14. You too, Kathleen? I have lost 17 followers in the last month! I couldn't figure out why they were dropping like flies (ha ha)! The fact that this is happening to other bloggers too is a bit consoling. (Shouldn't be, I know, but there you have it!) Must be a glitch? At first I thought I was offending people left and right because I was posting on the seven deadly sins :) Which still could be true I guess but your post was comforting!

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  15. I forgot to add that your post cracked me up! Did you know the St Padre Pio unfollowed me once? And it was definitely him - I saw his picture clearly on my followers list ;)

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