Evolution

No, not the ‘we came from apes’ kind, although for the record, I am not the descendant of an ape.

I love this blog! Seriously, I LOVE it! Because it gave me all of you! I can’t tell you how much it has meant to me to find comfort, support, encouragement and even a few good laughs from this beautiful community.

I don’t think I can stop blogging right now, nor do I want to. I have gotten to know most of you from comments left here and the discussions that we’ve shared, but last week I realized that I had not responded to any of my comments!! Yeah, I know, right! But, I always said to myself that if I could not respond to comments, for any reason (because obviously it was not due to the shear volume!) that I would disable commenting.

Now, I do not wish to stop the community, and I still LOVE the interaction that blogging provides, in fact, I think I need it, so I thought about it all week and I am pondering putting in a tiny forum, just to keep our little community going, so we can keep the interaction, but more informally.

I will still allow comments on some posts, and of course on contests, and on the food & favorites posts, but just not all of them. So… over to you… what are your thoughts?

Thoughts from Em

Salaam.

I’m obviously a lot more regular at our dear Mousehunter’s than yours, hehe, but here’re my thoughts anyway.

Those free chatbox thingies on the main page are often rather annoying, but you’re the web specialist so maybe you could design one without the spyware and popups. They do give an informal feel to a blog, and open up the comments to the floor without being localized to a particular post. When you’re busy, your commenters can comment on other commenters’ comments (sorry that sounded a bit rumsfeldy), and keep it lively.

Thoughts from MamaLee

I just want to say that I enjoy blogging as well, and I have cherished the new friends I’ve made thru the blog and thru all the comments.  The support, encouragement and friendship has made my soul very happy indeed!

Thoughts from wayfarer

don’t you dare leave blogging!

Thoughts from Mona UmIbrahim

keep comments open, and just do what you can. When you don’t have time to reply to each comment, just do a mass ‘thanks’. It’s very boring to blog without comments – for you and for your readers.

Thoughts from sf

I do enjoy reading your blog(and mousehunter’s too), mashallah very funny couple!

I feel like I know the bloggers too, there is this sense of community and people are helpful even though I don’t blog myself.

Thoughts from Tasmiya

I love the comment section! How else are people going to know my opinion?

Seriously – I think we all understand you are a busy mum and have tons on your plate. You can leave a note on the commenting (you know like, where you say “please don’t forget to submit after you preview!” to let people know that while you aren’t able to respond to all comments, you do read all of them and value and cherish and love and adore your readers and their comments…etc etc.

Thoughts from shaz

Em, good idea, thanks! I’ll consider it.

Mamalee… it does make a soul happy!!! mine too!

wayfarer! ok oooh, I’m so giddy that I have a fan! hehe

Mona, good point! I’ll have to consider that as well.

Thanks Tasmiya! I guess it’s staying on for the time being then, and I will be making the effort to respond here, although sometimes I do also respond by email.