Unfollowing

Someone I like and admire stopped following my blog this week. It wasn't something like they switched to a different RSS reader or something either - it was a removal. It saddened me a lot because for one, I'm too sensitive (not always one of my better traits) and for two, it left me confused and wondering – what did I do wrong? Did I irritate them? Did I post too much or not enough? After I got over being sad, I got offended. How dare they! Who do they think they are? I'm interesting! I'm fun! Right? Right????? Okay, maybe I didn't get that offended. But I was a little.

Later on that night, I got to thinking about all the mom bloggers I've met over the years and just people in general. Some people I've met (online or in person) and I didn't get along with them at ALL. Of course, I don't expect to agree with everyone 100% because obviously we're all different people. But some people you just don't mesh with. In the "blogosphere" it could be for a variety of reasons - they post too much, you don't like their writing style, you don't have any common interests, they only post giveaways, etc. So if I didn’t "click" with some of the bloggers I've met, what's to say that this person just didn't click with me? I shouldn't be judging them because I've done the exact same thing.

Regardless of the reasons they stopped following me – it doesn’t really matter. I shouldn’t be blogging to try and please other people or just because I want to be popular with certain people. I should be blogging for the reasons I stated at the bottom of this post. And of course, I still am...I just got momentarily distracted. ;) So I'm shrugging this off and moving on.

I'd like to hear your thoughts on the subject! What causes you to stop following someone's blog or social network? And if you're a blogger, have you ever fretted like me when someone unfollowed you?

What I've Learned from Blogging

I found two blog posts on the website SeededBuzz today about the topic "What Has Blogging Taught You?" The first post is from Better in Bulk and the second one is from Sugar Filled Emotions. Please check them out! They're both great posts and they got me thinking about what I've learned in my blogging experiences:

photo credit

- I really am a writer. I've always wanted to be one but thought that when I ended my college life sans degree and started the journey of mothering that that idea could be put to rest - how untrue that was! I started blogging in 2004 on and off and it's become a blog with my own domain and more followers than I ever thought I could have. Better than that, people have told me they actually like what I've written, I've been able to write a few articles for actual money AND I've made some awesome friends. :)

- Consult other people before you blog about them and think about what you're writing. Would this hurt someone's feelings if they read it? I'm not saying to sugar coat your posts but if you're writing about someone in a negative way I think you should either make it anonymous or ask their permission. Also, consider what you're writing. Is it really how you feel? Or are you upset, frustrated or mad? Sometimes it's good to write in those moods, other times it's not.

- If you feel like you don't know anyone that likes "fill in whatever you like here" - you're wrong! I'm willing to bet a good amount that there's someone online that likes the same things as you! I've found several of my really good friends through common interests and/or social networking websites.

- Good blogging is not about your numbers or how many followers you have on Twitter. Well, for some people it is. It's not for me. It's about helping and encouraging others by sharing my life, viewpoints, experiences and stories. It's also about improving my writing skills and connecting with other people I find interesting. It's also just an outlet for me to write about whatever the heck I want. ;)

If you're a blogger or writer, tell me what you've learned about it in the comments!

Pssst! MyGetTogether - General Mills Network

I got this email yesterday and thought this might be something you all would be interested in too! I already signed up!

As a member of MyBlogSpark we know that you enjoy sharing the information we provide to you with your readers on your blog.

We also want to let you know about another great network - General Mills´ Pssst... network - and all the exciting opportunities it offers. During the week of March 22nd, Pssst... is launching MyGetTogether, a fun way to try products and sometimes new recipes in the company of good friends, giving you a real inside look at the products, providing coupons, unique giveaways or other offers. Be sure to sign up now so that you can apply to host a get together!

In addition, as a member of the network you will get a chance to try new products, provide insight and feedback to the brands, take part in cool surveys and get exclusive, behind the scenes content. From time to time you will receive samples and coupons to give out to friends and family members you think would enjoy them.

Interested in seeing what it´s all about? Visit http://pssst.generalmills.com. Just click the Join Now tab to become a member and get in the loop on new products. And, please feel free to tell others about it too.

Blog Changes & Updates

Just wanted to let you all know of some changes & new things I've added to the blog! I've listed below the different ways you can keep updated on the blog. And I also wanted to tell you about a widget I added to the right hand sidebar that tells the top people who've commented on the blog - are you one of them? :)

Subscribe in a reader - Use a reader like FeedReader or FeedDemon OR use any other web-based news reader like Bloglines, Google Reader, etc. (I'm partial to FeedDemon, myself.)

Subscribe by email - Get my posts emailed to you. You will only receive an email if I make a post and no more than once a day - I don't want to spam anyone!

Follow with Google Friend Connect - On the left hand side of the page there is a box titled "Followers" that has pictures of people in it. If you use Google Friend Connect, you can follow my posts through that.

Facebook - I have a page on Facebook that you can become a fan of. My blog posts are also published there in case you'd rather use Facebook than a blog reader or actually coming to the page everyday.

Networked Blogs - On the right hand side of the page in the "Pages & Such" box you'll see another box labeled Networked Blogs. If you're a Networked Blogs user, you can follow me using that.

Twitter - If you're a Twitter user, I have mine set up to post something on there every time I make a blog post. I also post on there about my life and every day activities, just as a warning. :)

Just dropping in for a bit!

Sorry for the lack of posts already in this new year! I have a pinched nerve in my shoulder/back/arm that's been giving me a lot of trouble. I've been trying to rest it and am thankfully almost recovered. I have a lot of posts that are sitting around half finished that I'll get to finishing this weekend and posting next week! :) For now, I'll just leave you with some posts/stories I've enjoyed recently.

Heidi Klum Launching Two Maternity Lines @ People.com (I love her!)

The Lowdown on Finding & Keeping a Good Babysitter @ The Practical Mom Guide (Some very good ideas!)

Breast Cancer Awareness: More Helpful than Bra Color @ Generation Cedar (As a side note, when I got that bra thing forwarded to me on Facebook, it didn't mention anything about breast cancer awareness!)

Free Custom Blog Makeover @ I'd Rather Be Changing Diapers (Sounds awesome!)