Thursday Thirteen #2: 13 thoughts about Thursday Thirteen

Thursday, 10 January 2008 01:13

Thursday Thirteen #2: 13 thoughts about Thursday Thirteen

I have no idea how many TTs I’ve done over the last year or so. It’s come to be a highlight of my blogging week, and now that I have multiple blogs I have endless options and topics. Here are some thoughts, observations and wishes regarding my weekly Thursday Thirteen.

And, btw, if you happen to like books, check out my January book giveaway too.

TT13 day is like having a day off to schmooze. I try to get to all the TT13s over the week, but I do the lion’s share on Thursday. I sit down, open as many windows as I think I can get away with, go away to make a cuppa, then come back when the pages have loaded.
It’s gotten so that I feel as though I know some of you and that on Thursdays I’m making the rounds visiting my neighbors while being introduced to new, neat blogs.
My “read” list at Bloglines is a bit out of hand, to be honest. ;)
If your blog makes me sign up or log in to comment, though, I’m afraid I won’t do that. Please don’t make it that difficult for me to talk to you.
I wish more people would install plugins to answer individual comments. It’s my own favorite plugin, because it means that a) everyone gets a personal reply and b) none of my readers have to wade through all the comments just to get to the reply to their own.
When I first started doing TT13 at Raven’s Roads, I used to add links to the commenters. Then it got so there were more comments, and I stopped. Then I realized that it really didn’t take much time, and that it would make people happy to get link love, so I started again. I was inspired in this by Buck Naked Politics.
I wish that more people who use Mr. Linky, etc. would turn the links into link-love-giving links with the nofollow tag removed. It’s just a case of copying and pasting the HTML from the links into the body of the post.
Every week I learn something new, often about a culture I have never visited, and I get new ideas of TTs.
Yesterday I borrowed at least three books based on the recommendations of TTers.
I’ll admit that I do have a few niggles. For example, I don’t like the TT13 code. I can see the usefulness of having a code to include the tags and keywords, but I don’t like the graphics or the way they display in my blog. I’ve taken to clipping out the graphics and just sticking with the basics.
I also wish that the weekly TT13 blog post would be posted at midnight on Thursday instead of at some random time which, for me, is typically the middle of Wednesday afternoon. Given that posts can be scheduled ahead, I’ve never understood why this isn’t so. And then when I post on Thursday on general principles, I’m usually one of the last ones there.
But hey, in the grand scheme of things this isn’t a big deal. Here’s the flip side: every week I am amused, provoked to think, moved, entertained, wowed, impressed, and inspired by the things I read on TT13.
TT expands my mind and my world. TT rocks.

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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32 Comments, Comment or Ping

storyteller (2 comments.)

Interesting list … especially since I’m relatively new to T-13ing. I used the code the 1st time and have modified things a bit each week. Today is my 7th T-13 post. I’ve been surprised at how early people leave their link and the slowness of the “hub” itself drives me bonkers! Having acknowledged that, I have found the meme fun and met some interesting bloggers through the activity. I try to spend time on Thursdays making the rounds, but often visit T-13s throughout the week as well. Thanks for sharing your experience.
Hugs and blessings,

Jan 10th, 2008
Robin (7 comments.)

It usually posts at about midnight Thursday night my time :). Before they started doing it that way, everyone out of the US was at a real disadvantage.

I love TT, but I can’t imagine doing and keeping up with comments on three different ones - I can barely visit the blogs of everyone who comments on my one TT (but I do make sure to do that).

I wish Blogger had an easy plug-in for responding to comments. It’s a pain not to be able to do it, but I don’t like haloscan.

Jan 10th, 2008
Melanie (1 comments.)

I really enjoy TT as well and do learn a great deal. It is very fun!

Jan 10th, 2008
Diana (1 comments.)

Great list. I’ll have to check into linking from the comments on my blog. Happy T13!

Jan 10th, 2008
K. (1 comments.)

5. I wonder if some of this is a failing of blogspot (again)? I know I have yet to solve this on my own blog, and it seems like it would be such an easy fix for blogger to do. I might have to look into it in more depth, because you’re right, it does lend a more personal feel.

It’s nice that using widgets and the like, it’s getting easier and easier for us all to support each other in the blogging community.

Happy TT!

Jan 10th, 2008
Rian Fike (1 comments.)

I’ve only been at it for two months, and it already changed my life.

Today I connected with Vaughn Bode’s niece and got one of the best emails in the history of mankind.

Thursdays will always be special.

Jan 10th, 2008
MamaToo (1 comments.)

Fun list! I hadn’t heard of the comment plug-in you mentioned here, but it sounds really interesting. I wonder if blogger has something like that.
I agree with you on the post Thursday/Wednesday dilemma. It’s discouraging to post on Thursday and miss most of the fun visits, and it’s rare (like this week) that I can actually get mine done early. :)
thanks for the visit & comments. Hope to see you again.
-MamaToo

Jan 10th, 2008
SJ Reidhead (2 comments.)

The Wed. & Thurs thing can be annoying, that’s for sure.

Three? I cannot keep up with one!

Thanks for visiting The Pink Flamingo

SJR

Jan 10th, 2008
Allison (aka AngelGal) (1 comments.)

I like your list! Definitely shows the goods and bads about TT and blogging. I’ve found that through doing memes (because I meme Tuesday through Friday), I’ve found some great people, and my mind has also been broadened—and people seem to like my TTs so far, LOL!!! Well, at least 2 that I can think of (this week’s and my 3rd).

I’m interested in plugins for comments, but I don’t know what goes with blogger. Maybe when I finally getting my own REAL website :-) One day, when I’m not doing like a MILLION other things, LOL!!!

Oh, and I’m at

http://crochetingangel2876.blogspot.com

Jan 10th, 2008
Melissa (1 comments.)

Loved your list. Thanks for stopping by, happy TT!

Jan 10th, 2008
Busy (1 comments.)

I’m like you. I start my TT the week before and work on it all week.
Happy TT! Thanks for stopping by.

Jan 10th, 2008
Lori (2 comments.)

Wow, you’ve been a busy girl. Thanks for sharing:) Happy TT and thanks also for stopping by.

Jan 10th, 2008
Nicole Austin (1 comments.)

I don’t know how you do it. I’m with SJ, no way could I keep up with 3.

Happy TT!

Jan 10th, 2008
Cheerio (1 comments.)

I’m a amazed with your being able to put 3 TTs and all with sense. That’s great. Your really amazing.
Thanks for the visit.

Jan 10th, 2008
pussreboots (46 comments.)

I don’t use a blogging software so plug-ins aren’t an option. I do respond to everyone who asks me a direct question but I don’t honestly have time to respond to each and every post. Sorry. :(

I do however have all of the links set up to be followed so comment leavers will get the linky love.

Happy TT and thanks for stopping by.

Jan 11th, 2008
maryt/theteach (2 comments.)

Great TT post, Linda! You say some very smart and excellent things about Thursday Thirteen…Thanks for visiting my post. I really appreciate it.

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Yeah, the hub is overloaded with all the comments. :)

What I’ve done in the past is to use the “bloggers to visit” links, copy them all from the view-source page, and create an offline html page with all the links neatly displayed. Then, I can visit offline. However, I also find that once the page loads, I can right-click each one, hit “open in new tab” and work that way.

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

There’s a subscribe to comments plugin for Blogger, I think, which is a good second best.

I do okay with my comments. I don’t get too many at this time, so I can manage. Who knows what will happen if I actually fulfil my New Year’s goals, though? *grin*

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Indeed, Melanie!

Happy TT :)

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Hi Diana

I think there’s a subscribe to comments plugin, but not one for individual entries.

Thanks for visiting!

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Hello K!

I live in hope that someone will write the plugin for Blogspot…it’d be nice to have, some day…

Thanks for visiting. :)

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Hi Rian

I don’t know who that person is, but it’s certainly changed things for me. TT13 is what started truly dragging me into the blogosphere last year…

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Hello MamaToo

when I can’t visit everyone, I do try to visit the first 50 and the last 50 posters of TT in a week. :)

I don’t think there is anything like that for Blogger. There is a subscribe to comments plugin, though, I think.

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

SJR–I’m prolific. ;)

My pleasure! Your site is fun.

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Hi Allison,

You definitely have more options with your own websites! I recommend Wordpress, myself. ;)

The memes can be great for meeting people online and getting visitors, can’t they?

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Thanks for the visit, Melissa :)

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Oh, I don’t need a reply to everything! But if I’ve taken time to put out a bit more, it’s nice to know I got a response without having to remember to check back, which I seldom do.

I know you’ll answer if it’s worth answering. :)

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Mary, thanks! And, you’ve very welcome. :)

Jan 11th, 2008
pjazzypar (1 comments.)

Thursday Thirteen is pretty cool actually. My uncle who also blogs turned me on to it. I have only been at it six weeks, but I love it. I can’t imagine having three TT’s. That would require an awful lot of thought on my part. Thanks for visiting me.

Jan 11th, 2008
Nicholas (5 comments.)

Are you and I the only people in the US who go through the TTs after making a cuppa??

I agree with you about people whose platforms require you to join up before commenting. I never do it. But I wonder if perhaps some of those bloggers are aware of that requirement, and wonder why they get so few comments.

One pet peeve I have is having to search all over for the comment link. Often it’s hidden away, or even disguised, with some cutesie pie name like “6 dew drops” or something!

Jan 11th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Nicholas: I bet there are others. ;)

Yeah, I do wonder about the comment links! I sometimes feel like a magnifying glass should be a fundamental requirement. ;)

Jan 20th, 2008
Linda R. Moore

Pjazzypar: I have five (six, really, but one isn’t open yet) blogs so I do a combination from them each week. I doubt I’ll ever have a time when I do all six. The ideas just suggest themselves and I do them where I can. :)

Jan 20th, 2008

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