Archives of Our Lives

{a narrow and broad look into the lives of people I love}

Thursday, October 23, 2008

I Have Completely Lost My Capacity for Making Decisions.

My body cannot take much more of this exhaustion. Every morning that I wake up to the sound of my phone's alarm, I think, "If it is really time to get out of bed I'll kill myself." The days are long and the nights are short, and my predominant feeling is one of constant pain.

I'm just...so...tired.

Nevertheless, I care about my blog, and the people who read it. So I will continue to post during this trying time, and hopefully reap the rewards [a readership who trusts me when I say I will write every weekday possible] later on in life.

Oh, I'll write; only I can't guarantee I'll be making any sense.

The good thing is, Thursday is here. And that means I get to answer a question--one of my favourite features here at Archives of Our Lives.

Q (from Loralee Choate):

How the hell and why do you have so many anonymous commenters? I read hundreds and hundreds of blogs and I've never seen such a high ratio.

What's the deal? Have they told you? Is it family that hates registering for things or something?

Finally (Because this would be how I feel):

Does this not drive you nutso? Have you considered turning the anonymous option off?

A (from me):

Oh, Loralee. Your query breeches the subject that is a constant issue among the inner echelon of Archives of Our Lives cronies. To allow, or not to allow? That is my great inner debate. Poor Kyle, he thinks I should not allow anonymous comments anymore. Ever. He gets as annoyed as you seem to be.

Me? I'm not so bugged. I mean, I like readers. I do. The fact that I seem to have a million who are sneaky and unwilling to own up to their true identity...well...I still like readers.

I don't know why I have so many. Maybe they're all one person; maybe they're 100 separate people.

I have considered removing the ability to allow anonymous comments--I consider it every day, and come to no conclusions.

So what's the skinny, everyone? I have completely lost my capacity to make decisions. I am numb from exhaustion this week, and I cannot--physically and mentally cannot--decide if I should do something about this, or leave it be.

You can leave your opinion in the comment section, or at the poll to the right.

I'd be much obliged.

Labels: , ,

25 Comments:

Blogger HeatherPride said...

If I got them like you get them, I'd turn off the anon comments. That's just me. You seem to have much thicker skin about it than I do, though.

October 23, 2008 at 8:27 AM  
Blogger Jami said...

I dont' think you should take away the anonymous comments. I hate it when they are mean to you, but you don't seem to mimd. And it does create a lot of drama, and who doesn't like a little bit of drama?
And you know your writting is good if you stir up some peoples emotions! YEA for you!

October 23, 2008 at 8:28 AM  
Blogger Loralee Choate said...

Beyond the fact that some of them are asshats, I guess it would be less annoying to have that many on there if they went to the trouble to ya know...make up different names or something rather than just having a page full of "anonymous says..."

If you must be "oh-so-secretive", you don't HAVE to just be "Anon" people. It's fine if you want to hide your light under a bushel, I guess, just do the world a favor and make up a name and stick it on there.

And?

Dude, you can SO tell if it's 1 or 100 people. Look at your tracker. You have a counter at the bottom of your page so I am assuming that you have one. Find their IP. If they comment, it's easy peasy. You can easily tell where they're coming from and keep a list of the fugly people.

If 100 comments are coming from one person it's pretty easy to see that and call them out on it. (Or block their IP from your blog. Let me know if you need any help with that. I have over 80 banned at this point.)

October 23, 2008 at 8:37 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I like commenting but don't want to have to use my gmail account. So, I use anon be sign my name the bottom. I imagine I woud comment much less if I had to sign in.

bRAD

October 23, 2008 at 9:30 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Millie,

I agree with Brad on this one. I really don't want to make my name so accessible on the Internet. You know who I am by my greeting. I suppose if you blocked anonymous commenters I would still comment by setting up a fake account with a fake name because I am your sister and I try to support you. But it's so much more convenient this way...

On the other hand, I do not like the hateful anonymous commenters. I suppose that the only way to eliminate them altogether is to get rid of them...

October 23, 2008 at 11:13 AM  
Blogger Busy Bee Lauren said...

Girl...get rid of it. I too had issues getting rid of anon because I had a lot of readers who wouldn't fess up to their identity either. But in the grand scheme of things this is how it is...

YOU are revealing a HUGE part of your life. YOU are letting people KNOW the REAL you...I think that if they have that privilege...they should also have to show a little bit of who they are as well. A small price for such an opportunity to read such a fantastic blog.

Make people stretch a little.

Also...it would be awesome to not get hateful comments. I would know.

October 23, 2008 at 1:45 PM  
Blogger Holly Janeen said...

for some random reason... and i have nothing to back up my thoughts, but oh well...
i somehow find anonamous comments flattering.
in my whole entire blogging life, i have only recieved ONE anonamous comment. and i spent about a MONTH relishing in it... wondering who was this person? a secret admirer? someone who has a voodoo doll of me? would they return? would they ban me? did they go to sleep thinking about my blog? WHO????... i felt so good about myself. i felt like i had reached the mountaintops with my words...

and then i found out it was my husband.
i was shattered. i mean, glad that he read my blog ONCE in his life... but at the same time, i was sad that it wasnt a random stranger.

anyways... i say leave it be... after all, you said your blog was for US- your readers.
i voted accordingly :)

October 23, 2008 at 2:07 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I don't understand how so many of you people have the notion that getting rid of anonymous commenters will eliminate hateful comments. Like Loralee points out, if someone wanted to write something mean, they would just write it under a fake name. I like being anonymous- and it doesn't matter if anyone hates me for it because you don't know who I am:)

October 23, 2008 at 4:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I also like being anonymous. I have watched you grow up and I am interested if what you are doing and what you have to say and how you think. You know me too but I don't necessarily want everyone in blogger land to know all my thoughts.
I love who you are. I love your family. My only concern is that you always be mindful of who else reads your blog and those that you have links to. Lots of young girls look up to you and are very interested in your blog. I hope you and your friends will be aware of how you represent yourself and what you profess to stand for as you write your blogs and vent your thoughts and feelings. Some I have read lately have been very unflattering to the author.
Thans for letting me have my say.

October 23, 2008 at 7:54 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well said, my thoughts excactly. Many many concerns.

October 23, 2008 at 10:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I would sign myh name but I am Old, crippled and a technology dino. I simply don;t know how to set up an account. I was hoping someone would help me but alas, no one has.

GMA

October 23, 2008 at 11:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, I am anon because i dont want to have my name on the internet. I'm not here to say something mean, I am here to read. I love your blog and would be sad to see us anons have to go.

October 24, 2008 at 6:59 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I also didn't know how to set up an account. And now I enjoy the anon status because I guess I'm shy.:) I haven't seen any nasty comments lately and have missed the drama. If you took off the anon commenters I would quite reading this blog just because I would feel you did not appreciate me any more. AND THAT'S A PROMISE! And I am going to comment on Holly Janeen's blog because she's a supporter. :)

October 24, 2008 at 7:38 AM  
Blogger RPH said...

Oh yes, the anon comments make for a little drama here. It is not why I read, but it certainly is an added bonus.

October 24, 2008 at 8:16 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How long are you going to be responding to the commenters? I thought it was just for that one day.

October 24, 2008 at 12:04 PM  
Blogger ✩Molly✩ said...

I think it is of course always up to personal preference, and I know a lot of people who set up aliases to hide their so "valued" private identity. I myself say, "what have you to hide".

I say to the anonymous scaredy cat poster who tells you to "watch your image" and "set an example":

You need to stop standing on soap boxes, and remember that judging people is wrong. People should feel free to be themselves, and express their feelings and interests without having to fear others judgement and ridicule. God loves us all the same. Keeping one's audience in mind is one thing, but all out sensorship and fakery are completely different. To you, I say, F that.

ok, I'm done now.

I love your blog, camille, and I will continue to read it, and post my opinion with my name stamped on it for all to see. love me, hate me, or hate that you love me, its all the same. I also appreciate your efforts to post every day. I am trying my best to be a more regular poster myself. peace for now.

October 24, 2008 at 4:46 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I'm an anonymous commenter because I don't see the point of putting my name out there on the internet, and I don't feel I should be criticized for that. I never have posted anything rude, though- just for the record:)

To the anonymous commenter who said:
"Some I have read lately have been very unflattering to the author,"
I would like to ask: which posts, exactly have you found so "unflattering"? II have gone through all the latest posts and haven't found anything a sane person might find offensive, or mind-corrupting to the "young girls" who read this blog. I'm just curious how people like you think, so would you please answer me, what exactly do you find so risque about these posts?

October 24, 2008 at 6:36 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Was the picture of her hurt thumb too graphic? Is it too disturbing that she tends to say "porbably"? Should she have edited her first kiss out of her engagement story? Are you offended that she actually THOUGHT about which candidate to vote for instead of blindly following the trend? Trust me, there are plenty of worse things those "young girls" read.

October 24, 2008 at 6:49 PM  
Blogger HeatherPride said...

I came back to see how the comments ended up and I'm kind of shocked to see all the anons have weighed in! Maybe your next post should be a tutorial on how to start an account, for the ones who do not know how. And to the ones who claim they will no longer comment if they are not allowed to do so anonymously? I say to you: Pfft.

October 24, 2008 at 8:10 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Okay, When I said i had read some uflattering posts, I wasn't speaking of camille's posts. I have loved her posts. I spoke to camille tonight and she knows who I am and understands what I meant. I am just too old for this. it made me so nervous. You people sure do get defensive for her.

October 24, 2008 at 9:45 PM  
Blogger mistakes for marion said...

Keep the anons alive. Also I'm amazed at the fact that you're still posting on here this week. Three cheers for you.

October 25, 2008 at 12:47 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Camille, I hope you decide to keep "us" on your blog. I look forward to everynew post and commenting. I just don't want to share my name on the internet. Even if anon comments are blocked, I will still come :)

October 25, 2008 at 2:45 PM  
Blogger Joel said...

You know, you don't have to open an account to leave a name. You can use the "Name/URL" button instead of the "Anonymous" button. Just type in whatever name you want. It doesn't link your name to anything, so nobody would be able to find you. It would just make it easier to tell who people are.

October 26, 2008 at 4:08 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

wow- i never noticed that. hm..

October 26, 2008 at 7:05 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i liked your moms anon comment. "watched you grow up" comment. i read it at the very first as, not your posts, but some comments in return. that's certainly true.

you're a lucky,(and deserving) gal,so many kind friends and family.

my penny ante opera re. anons, do what you like dear. i think you're the most fun, and interest, to happen to some anons and Canadia alike. (did you make up that pronounciation cause it sounds more huron? if so, good wordin').

we know you like the anon idea.a sign of good journalism. (i didn't say that, it was bRAD).

yes, i meant when you live in paris, and work at the louvre, can i stay in the guest room?
i'm sorry, but i must mention a cable moment. last week on relocation, relocation, they helped a couple find an arts district flat in paris, one an opera singer, one an aspiring writer, (hint), financed in part by the sale of their london townhouse. and then they want a country house, home base, somewhere around london. seems the opera boy works alot in those two. and then they mentioned brussels. very fickle. and then moscow.

(don't you think the male host has some windsor look to him?)

October 26, 2008 at 7:17 PM  

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