Regarding the post, I’ve been out of town for the last little while and am just getting back into all the blogs I read, but it seems like a lot of people are taking some pretty strong positions. Since your post represents my thoughts most closely, I am commenting on the subject here.

I originally started my blog as a gag to tease my wife about hers. The thing was, she got all excited about the prospect of parallel blogging, so I gave it a whirl. Admittedly, I was and still am curious about who reads it. I tossed my url up on a few of the registration type sites to try and “get the word out”. I only use the sitemeter info for the fascination aspect (like when someone from Asia spends five minutes on my blog – I mean, how cool is that?) Sure, I love comments and I am flattered when people tell me they read regularly and whatever, but ultimately I’m writing to write.

I think the interesting thing is that while yes, there’s technorati rankings and blogads and adsense and such, does anyone really get into blogging for all that? (At least in this momblogger/personal blogger community, which I think is what we’re speaking of here.) My sense is that it’s an afterthought. That most people, like you and like Jennifer, start blogging as a creative outlet or a way to find community. If they strike a chord with people, the money (and hits) follows. Not the other way around.

The throwaway comment is interesting. If it’s a new blogger writing “LOL GREAT POST” it’s interesting how it’s perceived way differently than if Amalah comes by and writes the same. The earlier is drumming up traffic; the latter is showing support. Right?