Smrt Lernins

I don’t know if it’s due to the relinking of some of my recent posts or the new traffic to the blog or I’ve just finally been around long enough to be somewhat on the radar, but my spam quotient on this blog is way up the last week or so, even w/ Akismet. I’ve switched comments to completely moderated for the time being, until I can get some things squared away and the trolls become bored enough to wander back underneath their bridges.

If your comments don’t appear right away, do not despair (not that you’d actually despair, but humor me, will you?)! Unless you’re a spammer or just can’t behave yourself, I don’t make a habit of refusing to approve comments, even the ones with which I disagree. What’s the point of putting my words out there if I’m not willing to entertain any discourse on them? I can write for my own pleasure anywhere; Smrt Lernins is about being a part of the Great Conversation.

This comes with a caveat, a mighty big one at that: If you can’t behave yourself, if you use my blog as a means of personally attacking me or my readers, if you lack civility and write condescendingly to my readers, if you attempt to batter your point home through a massage barrage of comments, or if you decide to leave nasty remarks on a post that’s older than, say, six months or so (because, really, if you can’t get into a snit in a timely fashion, why should I play along?), then I probably won’t approve them. We are a decent sort of folks here at Smrt Lernins.

Jon Stewart put it best when he said, “Don’t be douchey.” Take that to heart.

So, I’ve been doing this whole blogging thing for about 13 months now, and am now (including this post) two posts shy of my 300th post! I think that calls for some manner of celebration. Perhaps I’ll bake a pan of these (because while I’m not all that gaga for The Pioneer Woman, I am pretty darn gaga for cinnamon rolls).

I’m also at close to 2000 non-spam comments! You like me! You really like me! Or you hate me, which, in the blogosphere, plays out in about the same way — lots of comments, some relinking, a little smack-talking (or a little butt-smacking, whatever floats your barges) and a great conversation.

I’ve covered a few controversial topics that generated some great discussion (seriously, who know that libraries were such a source of passionate debate?). I’ve written a lot more humdrum posts that generated one or two half-hearted “sounds like a great day” comments. I’ve made one post that resulted in a flood of spam from angry WAHMs who could benefit from a copyeditor (though, who couldn’t?) and some Xanax. I’ve discovered that some homeschoolers feel very strongly about their commas, their choice of dictionaries, and the word “teach”.

Now what?

I’d like to get back to regular “Ask a [Smrt] Homeschooler” and Secular Thursday posts. I want to finish the Secular Homeschool Archetypes series. I want to get back into a habit of reading and commenting on everyone else’s blog (in fact, comment with your favorite post you’ve ever written on YOUR blog so I can read it!) and have some more guest posts.

What else? Where do I go from here? What makes a blog interesting these days?

I always feel flattered when one of my posts inspires YOU to post something, especially if your experiences and opinions are very different from my. Remember, out here in the blogosphere, we’re part of the Great Blog Conversation. Dialogue is what it’s all about.

With that thought in mind, I’d like to point you to two bloggers who have written posts in response to our conversations here. If you need some new blogs to read, why not check them out and put them on your reading list? Consider this the first in a series of “Getting to Know You” posts, where I steer you towards some blogs you might not be reading, but should be.

Cara at Peanuts are Evil responded to my post about why I don’t rely on public libraries for homeschooling by sharing why she loves the public library. She has great rationale for why she loves the library and some good advice for those of you who would like to make the public library work for you as a homeschooler (or otherwise). Check her out! You’re guaranteed to learn something.

Deb at Not Inadequate expanded, beautifully, on the concept behind my post about the “right and duty to learn” and has some great links to share. Read and be inspired to write!