Secret Identities

Dear Everyone:

I love writing blog posts for you! I enjoy writing them and I enjoy knowing that you read them and appreciate them. And even if you don't appreciate them, I like pretending that you do, and since you're on the internet, there's no way to prove otherwise!

One of the best and most rewarding things about blogging is receiving feedback from my readers. When I hear back from people that read my blog, I know that people are thinking about something that I've put out there, and people are hearing what I'm saying.

One of the most common ways people give feedback for my words and/or drawings is by commenting on Facebook, but occasionally there are a select few who will comment directly on the post, which I appreciate because then your words get to join my words on the internet, and my post becomes a conversation.

However.

This is where you leave a comment on my blog. I'm sure you've all seen it before when you finish reading a blog post and you're wiping tears of delight from your eyes.

The default setting to leave a comment, if you're logged into a Google account, is to comment under your Google profile.

You will note, however, that the list of options for commenting on my blog include one called "Name/URL" second from the bottom, in case you don't have any of those other accounts. If you select this option, it will bring up a little typey place where you can type your name. 

Do that.

The last option on the list is "Anonymous." 

Don't do that.

Here's why...

I've gotten a few anonymous comments on my blog in the past, and I love reading them as much as any other comments, but the thing is... I don't know who they're from. So I have a little bit of a hard time interpreting them.

For instance:

My reaction to the comment "Your blog totally changed my life. Thanks for writing it. = ) Love ya!" differs pretty greatly depending on who wrote it.

I tend to lean toward feeling flattered, because that seems like a natural assumption.

But there are different assumptions that can be made based on who left the comment.

Another example comes from my post about my delightful little book that I have (that I really haven't been posting stuff from like I said I would, apologies.)

A reader or couple of readers commented and said "I'll take twelve..." and "I'll do you one better... THIRTEEN please!"

The problem is, since these posts were anonymous, how will I know who to give all those books to once I become a famous published author? I'll just be signing hundreds of decorative leaf-pressers for my own self.

And for the most difficult example of anonymous posts, there were a group of comments recently left on a bunch of my posts by an anonymous troll!

This one says "If I eat an earth worm, will I die?"

Of course, being the awesome blog-tainer that I am, I replied with a witty retort. But since the post was anonymous, how could I possible know who to find and kick? 

The good news is, this blog-troll came forward and received his rightful kicking, and all is right in the world again. 

But every day, millions if not one commenter goes without their rightful appreciation because I don't know who to appreciate! I'm not saying that you absolutely can't leave an anonymous comment on my blog. If you're that concerned about being found out, or if you're in Witness Protection on something, then by all means, leave an anonymous comment. 

But if you're my friend or neighbor or stalker, then just take the extra second to let me know, so I can know whether to be touched or horrified. 

Thank you. Love you.

--Jackie

(see what I did there?)