Dear thepublicblogger, why did you follow my blog?

  Posted on by Kendall Fredrick Person

  1,009 Comments

Dear thepublicblogger, why did you follow my blog?

dear thepublicblogger

Dear thepublicblogger: First I want to thank you for following my blog. I could be cynical and say maybe you just did it, so that I would follow yours, but hopefully that is not the case. I am one to always believe the best about people first so I’m going to remain optimistic (although, I am glad to follow yours, because I am enjoying it quite a bit). –  cynical optimist

Dear cynical optimist:  I do not think you are being cynical in the least by inquiring the reasons for my joining your community. Cynicism would come into play if you did not ask. ‘Following’ is a common term used throughout social media, but here, we are neighbors. The cynic would be partially correct, but, in this case, a real cynic would not have obtained a season pass. The cynic would have judged my performance at the door, and never read a single post.  Several neighbors and visitors alike have inquired as to why I would follow them, and one very talented blogger, The Curse of Future Tom (2013 mid-season nominee Best Comedy Post/Blog) even wrote a hilarious piece (I hope he was being funny) ‘There’s Some Kind of Blogsphere in Here‘ wondering if I was up to something by following him. A very valid question and you are not alone in being a curious mind.

With a population of 65,000,000, if WordPress were a country, it would be the 22nd largest in the world, wedged right between  the United Kingdom (63,700,000) and France (65,700,000). It is a fascinating, international community, that enables all to build a platform to showcase their talents and/or to have a voice. I enjoy my trips around the WordPress world. The sites, sounds, stories, rants and raves I encounter from my desktop our priceless.

It is my vision that The Neighborhood become an international destination for entertainment, for discussion, for discovery, for intrigue and most importantly, for peace. Developing, designing and building the type of all-inclusive atmosphere, takes planning, promoting, imagination, intensity and sincerity.  But all of those things become moot, without  people to share in this journey, that unveils itself a little each day.

I learn of new communities, by visiting my neighbors’ communities. WordPress is brilliant in its simplicity of meeting new friends. Simply ‘Liking’ a post or ‘commenting’ on a platform, or ‘following’ another blogger, your Gravatar  or Hovercard serves as your ‘I was here signature’ linking back, from wherever you are, to your blog, making meeting new friends as easy as a ‘touch or click’. Freshly Pressed is an in-house promotional device, if you will, where ever changing categories of blogs and posts, appear, running the gamut from ‘Drawing’ to ‘Inspiration’ from ‘Startups’ to ‘Blogging’ with hundreds of stops in between. And the prominence of WordPress bloggers can be felt throughout the world wide web, as it is not uncommon  to read a headline at another online community or media source, clicking the link to follow the story, and finding it has led you to a WordPress blog.

Cyberspace, where billions have established homes, is made up of hundreds of micro communities.  Many people establish residence at one location and maintain ties to several more. WordPress is my home location, but with so many friends, family members, and early supporters at Facebook, I maintain smaller accommodations there, as well as SoundCloud, Twitter and GooglePlus, which are still  relatively new communities to me. I try to demonstrate respect by contributing to the atmosphere at each location, in a give and take. I fall short, but my intentions are good. Many times, I am outfoxed by the number of hours in a day. But at WordPress, my home base, my online resident location, being a good neighbor does not just solve fair, it is the very foundation, in which The Neighborhood is built.

I have visited, read, listened to and commented on thousands of posts from thousands of WordPress bloggers. I cross share works from different communities, and during the blogger awards season, dedicate myself to finding, visiting and reviewing hundreds of new blogs, as well as, blogs that I have bookmarked. In an effort to expand the consideration pool for the 2014 Thepublicblogger Awards,  judging criteria was established, including opening up the process to bloggers outside of WordPress, and international judging panels, and a popular vote via online poll, were installed. Utilizing this platform, the neighborhood has supported causes such as stopping bullying (BULLY) and supporting homeless Veterans and those suffering from ptsd (The Hypocrisy of War), and I am proud to do so, and humbled that my voice can be heard.

Why do I follow you? And you? And you? at WordPress, at Twitter and SoundCloud? Why do I find  ‘Friends’  at Facebook and Goodreads? Why do I make ‘Connections’ at LinkedIn, add ‘Acquaintances’ at GooglePlus, feed to Bloglovin and Tumblr and post at Reddit?

As a marketer, (the cynic will say I told you so) following is a tool used in promotions and attracting new visitors, as well as, introducing thepublicblogger.com to potential new neighbors and friends, Similar to most (if not all) performance artists, I revel in producing a sold-out show. As an author, blogger & writer, It allows me to introduce readers to my novels, series and other works I post.  As a volunteer promoter, it provides a larger audience for the incredible talent  I discover and share within a post. As a purveyor of peace, it brings the world together in a discussion of civility and respect. And as a visionary, I can see The Neighborhood as a destination, bustling with visitors, bursting with neighbors, teeming with life. But the number of followers is a false indicator for reaching set goals, and while a tool, it serves no purpose if the production falls below par and respect for community takes a nosedive. Smoke and mirrors may serve as an initial attraction, but it is beauty, and heart, and soul, and sharing, and caring, and believing, and understanding, and honesty and integrity and creativity and doubt and prayer and you that enables The Neighborhood to grow.

As of August 20, 2013, The Neighborhood has a population of 18,218 {updated: April 24, 2016: 84,678} and I am honored and proud to welcome everyone one of you. But there are so many you out there, that we have yet to meet.

No worries, we know you are there. And on July 4, eleven players will begin a quest to find you. And a voting audience, will eliminate those that don’t (big smile)

 

We know you are out there 

 Category: society, think      Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

1,009 Comments on “Dear thepublicblogger, why did you follow my blog?”

  1. Sorry, should have been…
    Hello neighbor, thanks for making me feel a
    worthy member of the family. Thanks for the
    follow too.

    Like

  2. Hello neighbor, thanks for making me feel a worthy part of the family. Thanks for the follow too.

    Like

  5. This was an amazing and eye opening article. I thank you for the insights, the depths of clarity this post has brought to me, and for stopping by and following my little piece of this vast ‘blogosphere’ community.

    Like

  6. I like the thought of WordPress as a neighborhood. I never thought of it that way before. Insightful article:)

    Like

  7. Hello,

    As it seems many have said before me, thank-you for following my website. This post seems in answer to the very question I asked when I had read that you were following me. I like your writing style and appreciate your opinion.

    Like

    • Hello, Thank you for the personal hello and I am glad the opening post answered the question before you had to ask. But, either way, glad to have answered them as well. Thank you for adding your voice to this forum and welcome to The Neighborhood.

      Like

  10. When I first read this I thought you had an interesting writing style. After I sat and thought about it (and consumed more coffee) I thought: Wow, he’s a really good BSer. It seems like a very good job of being evasive in a long winded way. I’m really not trying to be rude, I got genuine amusement out of this.,

    Like

    • No rudeness taken.Your interpretation will not change if this welcoming post remains your only stop here in The Neighborhood. But if you defy your carefully crafted opinion of what we are trying to accomplish and return, you may come to believe that sometimes, people are who they say they are. No more and no less. But of course, the choice is yours and either way, I thank you for sharing your thoughts. When we understand that we do not always have to agree, as long as we disagree with civility, all is good, and your words were received with the civility in which I believe they were meant. Thank you for stopping by.

      Like

  11. Hi Kendall F Person, lovely to ‘meet’ you. Thank you for your follow. Intriguing blog you have here I will be popping by often for a visit. Make sure you have the kettle on ! coffee with milk, no sugar will do nicely.. Thanks 😉

    Like

  12. Thanks for following my blog and as I read through the posts on the Neighborhood it helped me to realize that I was part of something bigger than just promoting my little stories and books, there is a large world out there with many voices desiring to be known and heard. Just knowing that someone was interested or received something from my writings was a boost to my morale. There is a place where I can have a say so. There are so many new people to meet and so little time, but what an adventure it will be.

    Like

  13. Eloquent, smart and so very warming!! Such a great intro and welcome to The Neighborhood! ! I appreciate your words and for following me:) Many cheers!!

    Like

  14. Stamp- TED WAS HERE! I am so happy and relieved that WordPress has given me the opportunity to have an audience!

    Like

  15. Hello there neighbour! Thanks for following my blog and I hope you enjoyed looking at the photos from the physical places surrounding me. It’s nice to have a place where people can get into contact despite distances and borders, share their toughts and talents…

    I still hope though that this wordpress neighbourhood does not stay in its bubble and the information found here eventually reaches back into the physical surroundings and people of each one of us – whereever we currently are. Well, work in progress 😀
    Thank you for writing this beautiful article!

    Like

  16. Thank you for following my blog. I’m exited to be a part of The Neighborhood. I too often wonder why people “follow” my blog, especially when I visit theirs and see how much more interesting their blog is compared to mine. Your explanation of this question was very informative and easy for me to understand.

    This is not my first move into the blogosphere. I have started and deleted so many I have lost count. One reason for deleting them comes from personal frustration. I struggle with words. For every post I write, it is in my head, I see it, but when I read it on the computer it doesn’t connect the same way… it sounds wrong. Writing one post takes me days to finish, before I can actually hit the publish button.

    I look forward to reading more from your blog.

    Like

    • Try letting a picture speak for your words. or try writing a short post and continue, on a new post, another day.Post and share it with friends and family and strangers and let them be the judge.But more than anything else, just let your mind go and have fun.Welcome to The Neighborhood. So glad you made it.

      Like

  17. Happy to be on board. Interesting choice of the word “bowl”, since it is an important descriptor of feminine cocreators and “cooks”. I have a spiritual bowl story on my blog you may not have seen yet. Thanks for cultivating a partnership society on your blog. Rev. Cassandra

    Like

  18. Thanks for the follow. Now I know why. Am from Kenya….hope insights from this land intrigue you

    Like

  19. You followed my blog and I just couldn’t figure out why. So I found out. 🙂 Thanks for following an old man on a rant to save America. I have no special qualifications for doing so; just an overriding fear that America has become one of the third world countries I visited while in the Navy. And even though I have one of those “voices in the wilderness” I have to try if only for my peace of mind. Yes, I’m a Conservative/Libertarian/Redneck. But not a bad person for all that. I will give you the shirt off my back if you ask. Demand it and you’ll stay cold and naked forever. Try to take it by force and we’ll have a rumble. But that’s just me. Don’t get me started! 🙂

    Like

  20. thanks for following my blog. I am from Africa. we gonna start from here to create an impact

    Like

  21. Thanks for the follow and welcoming me to the virtual society…

    Like

  22. I love the mission of community here! Thanks for the warm welcome to the blogger community. As a newbie, it is extra appreciated!

    Like

  23. Hello Public Blogger. What a wonderful way to explain why you might want o follow some one. Thanks for following my blog. It always makes one feel like they have just opened a Christmas present when someone either likes a post or follows you. Nice job.
    We are, after all, a community of like minds.

    Like

  25. Pingback: Why become The Neighborhood? Because there’s nowhere but up | Become The Neighborhood Sponsor

  27. Thank you very much for the follow. As a newbie to the blogging experience, it is definitely great encouragement to have a new follower as I go forth on this exciting journey! I look forward to reading your posts.

    Like

  28. Thanks for following my blog! It is interesting how WordPress allows us to interact in a “neighborhood” like way. I think blogging opens up new doors to learn more about other people and hobbies. It also helps introduce viewers to different views of things whether its art etc and a way to grow more within.

    Like

  29. Hi publicblogger. Thank you for following me. I am just on my fifth day of blogging to spread my advocacy – Responsible Trading (My Blog: http://responsibletrader.wordpress.com
    Follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theresponsibletrader), and I am honored that I was able to catch your attention at this early part of my blogging.

    I do blogging to spread my advocacy. My main occupation is Accounting and Management Consultancy. In addition, I also trade the Philippine stock market and my Blog is about helping new traders by empowering them so they will not become unwilling victims of unscrupulous persons operating in the market.

    Please let me now if there are things we could work on together for mutual benefit.

    I wish you more success and the best in all your endeavors.

    Like

  31. Greetings to you Kendall F. Person and to everyone else. I am not entirely certain if “Person” is your real last name or not so I hope you will please allow me to call you Mr. Kendall. I too, am not entirely sure why you would follow my blog “Right Side Up” especially since I only just started it last night but also because of the very nature of it and it’s future content. I am not a professional blogger and most of what I would write is not authorative nor professional but I thank you none the less Mr. Kendall.

    Like

    • We follow want another one to watch them grow, to gain advice, to discover new worlds, to hear new things and to make new friends. Thank you for introducing yourself and adding your voice and welcome to The Neighborhood.

      Like

  32. Thank you Kendall for following. Can’t wait to read more of your posts, and explore more of the WordPress Community/Neighbourhood. 🙂

    Like

  33. Hi Mr.Kendall,
    I have the same question in my mind when you follow my blog. The curiosity drives me to your website and this questions answered by this post in your blog. Thank you for stop by have a quick look at my blog. Have fun in this neighborhood. God bless!

    Like

  34. yes…you do…my favorite part of what you wrote is : Neighborhood as a destination, bustling with visitors, bursting with neighbors, teeming with life. But the number of followers is a false indicator for reaching set goals, and while a tool, it serves no purpose if the production falls below par and respect for community takes a nose dive. Smoke and mirrors may serve as an initial attraction, but it is beauty, and heart, and soul, and sharing, and caring, and believing, and understanding, and honesty and integrity and creativity and doubt and prayer and you that enables The Neighborhood to grow.

    I am thankful for those who not only look at my blog (which is fairly new and not my forte (but I am working on it). I am thankful for honest people, for examples of good blogs…for input and feedback (as long as it is real and gentle enough…should I say tactful 🙂

    So thank you for finding me and taking the time to let me know it. 🙂

    all the best to you.

    In all sincerity, Heather

    Like

  35. First off,thank you for following my blog. I’m very new to the experience and still finding my way around. It’s important to find unique and substantial voices, and I’m glad to have discovered yours. Best wishes sir.

    Like

  37. Thanks for following my blog. I am 63 years old, a retired nurse, teacher, wife, and mother of two grown children. I may appear at peace, but still struggle with the basic issue of why my father “had to beat me and my brother and sisters, and why we were never good enough.” To this day, I am still ashamed that I was beaten, angry that my mother didn’t protect us, even though I know she was as powerless as we were. I think I don’t make excuses for him, but still find myself justifying that “he did love us.” Why do I have to do that? I also struggle with shame for being raised and initially being racist, as well, believing the myth that races are innately different, even though I’d never even had a real conversation with a black person before starting college in 1968, though I quickly learned how ignorant my beliefs were. I know I caused hurt by hateful words and attitude, and nothing I do now can change that. I took responsibility for raising my children with equal opportunity in responsibilities in the home, friends, education, religion, culturally, and exposing them to community experiences hopefully with acceptance and without prejudice, hoping to prepare them for a life without walls, seeking not to hurt, above all. Recently, I talked my grandson about my father, some good things as well as some bad, trying to balance, showing that human nature is complicated. When I got through, he asked me if my father was racist. I had to admit, he was. He said, “I’m sorry, Grandma. I guess that was how he was raised.” That was part of it, to be sure. Thanks for asking the questions that help me express myself.

    Like

  38. Thank you for following me. I was a little unsure until I read your excellently written article about why you would choose a beginning blog like mine which only has 80 (now 81) followers. I now understand a little more. I look forward to being a part of the neighborhood snd getting to know even more of my neighbors!

    Like

  39. Hello,
    Your article immediately caught my interest because this is a question I always find myself asking when someone joins my blog. I ask myself what could be in the content of my blog that caught the person’s attention. So, yes I go to their blog to try to figure it out. But I never have found a connection yet.
    In my blog I am attempting to reach people who are blind or have low vision to let them know about the classes and support list that we offer on Krafters Korner. So, hmm, not sure why you joined my blog, but you are welcome to do so. I also wanted to tell you that I found your article quite interesting. It truly is like a neighborhood on WordPress, though I never thought about it in quite that way.

    Like

  40. Thank you for following my blog. Let’s Talk Self Defense 2B Stunningly Protected. I have also followed yours and read the interesting piece of why did you follow? I am wondering how you found me. I am also new to the neighborhood and felt like I was posting every day and no one could see it. Imagine my surprise! Thank you again! You made all my posting worth it! 🙂 and I will enjoy looking over yours!

    Like

      • Thanks for following my blog and for welcoming me to the neighbourhood. I’m very much a rookie at blogging so your follow is greatly appreciated. I very much enjoyed reading your blog, and will enjoy reading many more. I hope to following your lead in establishing many new friendships in the WordPress neighbourhood. You can also find me on Facebook and Twitter.

        Like

  41. Thank you for following my blog, I enjoyed your answer to the question, “Why do I follow…” I am new to blogging and recently started “Writing 101”. I have been amazed and astonished at how many others are out there, all striving to improve. I like your description of the Word Press community as a neighborhood and I look forward to reading more of your blog!!!

    Like

  43. Thanks for the follow! I appreciate your candor and I like your style. I’m happy to be a little part of your community 🙂

    Like

  44. Thanks for your follow. And your explanation for why you do it. Much appreciation for your passion to influence the “world” for peace.

    Like

  45. Thank you for the follow and the explaination. I’m new to blogging and just starting to get the hang of how it all works. And I’m starting to clarify what it is I actually want to write about.
    You have some very high aspirations for blogging and I hope you reach them! Stop by again sometime when I have more content. 🙂

    Like

  46. I am not as tech saavy @ my kids, but I have plenty to say and I like words and people that use them wisely. Thank you for your optimism

    Like

    • I was late in understanding that my comprehension of the craft of writing was a gift, but once I did I came to believe that my words would be my contribution. Your kind, sincere words are appreciated very much. Welcome to The Neighborhood.

      Like

  47. Thanks for following my blog. Well, I was also curious about this question’s answer and really glad to know the answer finally 🙂
    It’s an honor to be a part of this community, where we all grow together. Thank you for welcoming me in.

    Like

  48. Thanks for following my blog Kendall. You do have one heavy duty blog going, congrats. I may not agree with all the “neighbors”, some I might disagree with very much; I might not like them all either, but I love them anyway.

    Like

  49. Greetings Kendall
    Thanks so much for embracing me into this truly global neighbourhood. It’s so warm and inviting! I am fairly new to wordpress blogging and I can see that I’ll need to allocate my time carefully. I could spend hours travelling through posts like the one you wrote above.
    All the best from Canberra Australia

    Like

  50. Thank you Neighbours, to be honest quite glad Scotland said no or we would fall well below the population of France and they could finally contemplate invading.

    Like

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