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. Why thank you for following “The Cheshire Cat’s Quill” …have had a squiz at your blog, and I dig it very much! Looking forward to the exchange in sharing in our fantastical adventures in this amazing blogosphere-dimension!

    Like

  4. Pingback: The Blogosphere, the Neighborhood | Hike and Forage

  5. Hi Kendall
    Thank you for making the crossover to The Netherlands and following my blog. I’m honored and proud to be your neighbour 🙂
    I hope you enjoy my posts like I do yours!
    The iternet is a magical place, without it I never would have known about your inspirational community.

    Like

  6. Thank you for the follow,Kendall and for welcoming me to the neighborhood. I loved reading about what you have to say about it and will visit often.

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  7. AWESOME post, Kendall. Put a smile on my face. Popped in to check you out and say thanks for following my blog — and now I’m looking forward to visiting by The Neighbourhood whenever I can. Cheers!

    Like

  8. Thanks for the follow! My blogs are infrequent and ranging in topic, but I’m very passionate about writing and deeply appreciate the platform, audience, and feedback from the WordPress community.

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  9. Thank you for following my blog! Glad to a part of your collection, and always delighted to find a friendly neighborhood, as I hope mine will become, ultimately. Sooo …shere’s the nearest good coffee shop, and do you bake your own goodies? I do (big smile) so come on over any time! Seriously, I think what you are doing is more than commendable, and if hanging around in your neighborhood helps achieve your goals, it will be my pleasure to do so. Oh …and if our population is between that of the UK and France, does that put us in the middle of the English Channel? Just wondering.

    Like

    • There are coffee shops and shopping centers and everything you need here. Love your enthusiasm, your imagination and your grand way of making an appearance. Welcome to The Neighborhood. Glad you made it.

      Like

  12. Thank you so much for stopping by and following my blog. I enjoyed your reading and look forward to more!!!

    Like

  13. Thanks for following me! I’m rather new at this and it is a wee bit overwhelming still. With all the bloggers out there, and I have read some wonderful stories, it’s surreal to have someone choose mine to follow. I will be back…cheers!

    Like

  15. Thank you, Kendall for following my blog. I appreciate it very much. I agree with you that it’s very gratifying to connect with people in online communities. It’s exciting to have the potential to connect with the whole world through WordPress! Best wishes for your continued success! ~Lauren

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  16. Welcome to my irregular and eclectic blog, Kendall.
    It was quite a surprise to see that you had found my blog and are following it. Of course I, too, asked ‘why?’ because too many people rely on robots to send a follow to anyone who retweets or likes something they posted, in the hope of collecting a reciprocal — and possibly equally robotic — follower. I’m more into quality than quantity, so I check out every follower and welcome those whose attitudes I can applaud and hope to share.
    Kendall, it gives me hope to find writers like you and your fellow bloggers, all shining with the the light of peace. May it grow ever brighter.

    Like

  17. Thank you for following https://dutchuncletalk.wordpress.com/ – community building is at the core of my beliefs and the essence of my heart. For too long, we have lived as aliens in a loose society. My aim is to bring the true meaning of Life to the broad public, so that others can see where they should be fitting in. It goes the opposite direction of evolution theory, which is just a theory. Instead, I come with a message of every human being created for a specific task or purpose, also that nothing in nature just happened – every part has its role.

    You and I are not freak accidents but called for a higher purpose.

    Like

  18. Nicely said. My thanks for following my blog and I too am following yours with immediate effect. I am not doing it just as a ritual reciprocracy but in a serious way as I have quite relished the way you have expressed yourself in this blog post. Looking forward to further inspirations as from you.

    Like

  19. Thank you for following our blog. I have been exploring this space for a while now and it amazes me how we can connect to so many individuals and real people through this blogging community. I have often in the last few days asked the question you have answered here: why would anyone follow my blog? I think i found some very satisfactory answers here. Thank you for taking the time, and I am glad to be part of this growing Neighbourhood.

    Like

  20. First, please let me thank your like of my blog re Plato and China.
    Second, I came to find that your blog’s concept, pictures and presentations are very amazing. I will revisit again to learn more.

    Like

      • Thank you so much for following my blog. I know it belongs to quite a different community because it’s kpop group based and I just wanna say I really appreciated it:)

        Like

  21. Thank you for following my studio blog. I’m still experimenting and find my way in the blogosphere, and I’m impressed with your concept of cyber community. I’m looking forward to exploring your site. Thanks again!

    Like

  22. Very many thanks for taking a look at my blog and liking it enough to follow it. 🙂

    Like

  23. Thank you for reading my postings. I am new to the communities, still finding my bearings and am glad to meet such great neighbours. You and others I have visited so far, are a great inspiration.

    Like

  24. Thank you for following my blog! As a newbie, I feel honored and humbled. You have a great Neighborhood here and I’m sure I’ll be back often for inspiration. I have a lot to learn from you! 🙂

    Like

  25. Thanks for visiting McAdams Therapy and thank you for this post, which gives me some fresh perspective about blogging and the WordPress community.

    Like

  26. Kendall, thank you for following my blog. I am sort of new to this and I find your site informative and encouraging. And I agree with your premise that writing can be an art form. Only hope I can measure up. Jeff at Renaissance Musings.

    Like

    • G’day Kendall,
      Being a newby of sorts,(which is a contradiction in a way) as I started blogging on Yahoo 360 years ago, looking back one could allude to those early days as cyber kindergarton, as the writing addiction grows, hopefully so do we, and now I find myself here with the big kids so to speak. Thank you for following my blog, I wasn’t quite sure what it meant, so here I am reading your words and those of your neighbours, and thoroughly enjoying the learning experience, thank you again, I will be returning

      Like

  28. Hello Kendall,

    thanks for following Gert Loveday – Fun With Words and we hope you’ll have some fun there. Interesting to read your take on WordPress as a community. We;ll be back for more of your insights.

    Like

  29. Wow! I am at awe with what you have here. I’m new to the neighborhood of blogging, so thank you for following my blog.

    Like

  30. Thanks for visiting Balance the Circle and introducing me to your blog; you have a wonderful balance between the serious and witticism. I think that the more I read here, the better I’m going to like it!

    Appreciate you following….please allow me to reciprocate! Oh, and sharing with my friends and family on Google+ and Facebook is also my pleasure!

    Best of luck and please don’t ever run out of things to say!!

    Like

    • Now those words you have added to this forum, may have been of the nicest and I have ever received. You are appreciated so very much. Welcome to The Neighborhood. Come back anytime since the neighborhood belongs to you.

      Like

  34. Thank you for the follow. I have several posts about “Good Neighors” and it’s nice to know that they are here on the net as well. Thank you.

    Like

  36. I wanted to say thank you for following my blog I hope you have a nice weekend 🙂

    Like

  37. Well, what could be better than living between England and France? Very thoughtful post.

    Like

  39. Thank you for following my blog. What started out as an assignment for an undergraduate degree in education is gradually evolving into a passion. Combining my family, my career, my community work and my passion for lifelong learning is a challenge, as it leaves me little time to indulge some of my other passions, including writing. Nevertheless, I am gradually carving out time out of my super-packed schedule to satisfy this need. Meeting e-neighbors like you makes it even more worthwhile.

    Like

  40. Always a pleasure to meet the neighbors! Thank you for following my blog SeeingSunrise. As you can tell from the content, this is highly personal to me. It is comforting to know others have joined me in this experience.

    Like

  41. Thank you for following my blog, Kendall! 🙂 It’s great to have you as a neighbour and I look forward to reading your posts.

    Like

  42. Thank you for following my blog, Kendall. Now that we are neighbors, feel free to borrow a cup of sugar from me anytime !

    Like

  43. These platforms we use in social media today are quite amazing. So many people in today’s world have not had the chance or are not willing to take a chance on exploring our planet’s continents. Everyone has their own reason, but for them, they can explore the minds of the people throughout the world with blogs. They can explore the crafts and ideas that people share to express. Yes, indeed it is not the same as sitting down face to face with someone in Nepal experiencing their daily life, but it is a unique experience none the less to ‘follow’ someone and learn about what they want out of life, or what they are interested in. Each blog is unique. Each has it’s purpose. Educational, comic, mood changers, eye openers, etc. I am thankful to others for sharing, and I am thankful we live in a time where we can do this. Cheers.
    Keith

    Like

  44. I love your vision of a ‘neighborhood’. I have always said that we live in a global village so your idea of a neighborhood resonates- I look forward to following your blog and will make every effort to get to know some of my other extremely talented neighbors too!

    Like

    • Kendall,
      First, thank you for adding my blog to your list of writers that you follow!
      I’ve been reading a few of your pieces and think you write very well and enjoy your point of view. Look forward to reading more from you in the future!
      Best Regards,
      Joe Hines
      A-Cubed Marketing
      Orange, CA

      Like

  45. thank you for following my blog. Your post was a wonderful read….yes we all are neighbors i guess. Very apt. i am still struggling with the blogging thing…lots of things i don’t know actually just the basics.

    Like

  46. Thank you so much for this thoughtful post, and wonderful introduction to both your lovely blog and this big blogosphere I’ve just dipped my toes in to. I’ve just started a little blog and was so excited that you’ve followed me. Now that I’ve read a bit of your blog and seen the inspiring range of posts and learnt more about your vision of community, I am inspired about ‘meeting’ more new friends and ‘like minds’ – it’s amazing how’re technology can connect people.

    Thanks again, and am looking forward to following!

    Like

  47. Thank you for your follow. It’s easy to feel small and safe in our personal blog but your ‘explanation’ does a wonderful job of reminding us we are all part of a larger world, a community across the planet. The world would be a better place if we’d all reach out a bit and get to know our neighbors.

    Like

  49. Being relatively new to this community, in fact still learning the ropes, it was interesting to read of your perception of the blogging community. It still blows my mind of the power blogging and associated social media tools have on the ‘neighborhood’, allowing many to voice social concerns, market products, and makes those who would be alone in an ordinary world once again part of a community.
    Thanks for following burgessellis@wordpress.com

    Like

  50. I love your writing and the whole idea of blog neighbourhoods! Thanks for following my blog – I’m looking forward to being a part of this great ‘blog nation’.

    Like

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