Thursday, January 10, 2008

Let's Test the Power of Begging

Every once in a while, I come to my computer in the evening only to find that I've completely missed out on something major in the internet world while I was doing something silly like, oh, say, working. Today, I came home to find out that today is apparently a Delurking Day. Woohoo!

I played this game once before, calling out my lurkers and hoping for the best. I got 12 comments, which, at the time, was a lot for me. But more importantly, I met some awesome bloggers who I now consider to be my friends (as well as daily reads). All in all, it was a great experience for me.

So I'll play again. I've been feeling petty comment jealousy lately, which is stupid, because what matters is that those of you who are reading and commenting are awesome for sharing your thoughts with me. I just feel like maybe I peaked a few months ago, and my writing has decreased in quality since then, causing my readership to decline. But maybe I'm just paranoid.

Still, I know I have some lurkers out there. Hell, I know some for sure: I know J. reads but doesn't comment; I know Mom and Seeser both read, as well as Seeser's roommate N.; I know Jitta reads - sometimes while sitting right next to me! So if you're lurking, I have just one thing to say.

Say HELLO or something already!

Okay, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to shout at you. But still, leave the lurking behind and come into the light. I don't bite. (Very hard.)

To inspire you, I'll take a hint from Aly and Ali (ha!) and give you all a topic to discuss: Toothpaste. Crest, Colgate, other brand? Paste or gel? What are the most important factors for your dental hygiene?

Talk amongst yourselves. (Non-lurkers too!)

37 comments:

brooke said...

Uh, I've already de-lurked, but I figured you needed the moral support. I love me some Colgate MintZing. It's beautiful. I also love their Vanilla Mint... I'm a weenie, and if a toothpaste is too minty and it makes my mouth hurt, then I spit it out after like 20 seconds. Wussy, wussy me. So I like these two because they're milder, and I can actually get my teeth clean. :)

(Side note: I'm such a grammar nerd... the verification "word" was "scrfqaog" and I automatically put a "u" after the "q". D'oh!)

tpiglette said...

HELLO or something already!

Hahahaha. Sorry, I couldn't resist, after having endured 1.5 hours with my 6th graders today. They don't have finals, so we just had normal class during the finals time, but 6th graders sure don't stay focused for that long. I tried taking a break in the middle to play Simon Says, which was great fun, but then someone came in to ask us to be quiet, since, y'know, there were finals going on on the other side of the thin walls. Oops.

Anyway, your "one thing to say" reminded me of what one of my more smart-aleck-y 6th graders did on his homework a few days ago. The directions were to "Write the fraction in simplest form. If it is already in simplest form, say so." So when I was going over the answers in class, he raised his hand to ask if it was okay that he just wrote the original fraction, "because I forgot to write s-o" (spelling it out). I was confused, responding, "do you mean 's.f.?' simplest form?" And he said, "No... s-o. It says if it's in simplest form, say SO."

Ha. ha. ha...

gnomesque said...

Well, I'm not really a lurker, since I do comment occasionally, but still not enough as I could or maybe should. So, um, hello again!

I'm a Colgate girl, myself, although I'm not adverse to other brands.

Carol said...

I often wonder whether the quality of my posts has hugely declined as well... and to tell you the truth, I'm kinda AFRAID to play along with de-lurk day, for fear of three comments! (But feel free to come say HI anyway!)

Oh, and eitjer Crest or Colgate... which ever is on sale.

Carol

BetteJo said...

De-lurker day? I haven't tried that at my place - I'd be afraid I threw a de-lurking party and nobody came.

Toothpaste? Seriously? Colgate, always something that says whitening on it which still hasn't worked to counteract years of smoking (not for 5 years now) and drinking tea.

Oh great, after telling THAT, nobody will come to a party at my place for sure.

Scott Atwood said...

Hi Lara! You told me about this blog many months ago when we were chatting instead of dancing at Alberto's, but I only visited for the first time after I started working on HotChixDig.com and noticed that you were the top referrer.

As for toothpaste, Crest all the way baby. And none of that fancy tarter control crap either. Plain paste for me. The tarter control stuff makes my teeth hurt.

flutter said...

I always say hi!

Saffa Chick said...

Hi! I've just found out that it is delurking week in America... I'm in Australia but most of the blogs I read are in the USA, so in that spirit here's my de-lurk!

I read you most days ;-).

I'm Saffa Chick (South African) living in Sydney, coming to terms with a new country and new(ish) man.

Hope to see you over on my blog. www.wanderingsaffachick.blogspot.com

tmb said...

Definitely not a lurker on your site these days, though lurking remains my primary modus operandi. And I definitely am with Carol and BetteJo on this one - if I had delurking day I think it'd just you, me, and the chips. Maybe you could bring Jitta?

Hanlie said...

Not a lurker either, but just saying "Hi" anyway.

Colgate Gel. And ditto on the granules, tartar, propolis, breath strips, what have you... Plain minty gel is what I like to polish my tusks with.

Rowyn said...

Hi! I'm not sure you know who I am, but I've been admiring your dancing for years and your writing since I found your blog linked from either Speaking Natalie or Whistle Dance.

Toothpaste? I generally buy whatever is on sale but have gotten attached to Aquafresh recently. Daily flossing all the way for good dental hygiene :).

-Rowyn
P.S. On the subject of linguistic nerdiness, my verification word was exciting for being a palindrome! (wdadw)

Enny said...

I think I'm a lurker?

And I use herbal toothpaste from Woolies :o)

Lisa said...

I read too! But I don't always comment....I get what you mean about comment jealousy. I never ever get a lot of comments on my blog and it makes me sad sometime...
And we use Crest with Scope in it. For the record. :)

Maggie said...

Can you be a parial lurker? I don't comment very often, but I think I have on rare occassions.

But...hi!

And gel, not paste...usually Colgate.

Anonymous said...

De-lurking to say I REALLY enjoy your writing and everything you choose to share with us. Thank you.

Toothpaste: Arm & Hammer Baking Soda brand.. Minty and teeth feel SO clean.

Aussie Boy said...

More a stalker than a lurker. It's so much more fun to watch you shower through your window than to simply read your posts without commenting. (Yes Jitta, I know you kids don't have a window into your shower. Just run with it will ya?)

Toothpaste? No idea whate you're talking about. Is that the shit they use to stick your teeth back in once they's fallen out and stuff? I remember having to use some tooth blu-tack for a while there when Lara was all rough-like and knocked one of my permanents out, but I haven't heard of the paste stuff. Maybe we'll get it in Oz soon.

As for "testing the powers of begging", I don't even know where to begin with the thoughts that's conjuring in my dodgy little skull.

Ali said...

crest. gel. the kind with scope. :)

Dee said...

I've been really lazy about commenting lately, but I'm trying to do better.

As for toothpaste, Crest all the way. Sometimes I mix it up with different flavors but it is always Crest.

Mayberry said...

You know I'm not a lurker. But I do have clean teeth. Not picky about the brand, but I love my electric toothbrush!

Anonymous said...

Everyone loves delurking, it looks like! I looooove.. Colgate. Boring, minty Colgate.

Anonymous said...

What an amazing and insightful post. It was a delight to read, I think I'm going to start commenting all the time now. For like...at least 29 more posts in a row or something. ;)

Oh, and Aquafresh. Brush 'em in the morning, brush 'em in the evening. Oh, and I need to get a cavity filled. Son of a...

Anonymous said...

Delurking; I do still read, I just don't make comments. :) But you got me today. As for toothpaste? Anything minty.

Anonymous said...

Hello! I read all your posts, but I've been really busy lately, so I haven't stopped long enough to compose a comment with a point for a while. (As you can see, even this post is considerably doppler shifted as I shout this out in the general direction of your blog while running frenziedly past.)

I'm glad you like your new job!

Anonymous said...

Colgate. Paste. Original.

Period.

Chelsea Talks Smack said...

I had no idea baout the Delurking either, I need to jump on the bandwagon, SO HI!

Anonymous said...

You don't consider ME a lurker, do you? *imagine my giving you a killer guilt trip*

Lara said...

you like me! you really like me! :-P

Mars said...

hmmm.. well, i've never been here before, but you kinda scared me with all that yelling to DELURK NOW... even though i don't technically thing that visting only once makes me a lurker... none-the-less... hi.

ANYWAY... important business...

i like the blue gel toothpaste.

Maxie said...

This is my first visit to your site... but since it's de-lurking day I might as well leave a comment!

I honestly have no preference in toothpaste. I just buy whatever looks good, lol.

Mrs. Chili said...

I am so not a lurker. In fact, I'm closer to a stalker than a lurker. But I digress..

Colgate original paste, please, with the flip-top lid. It's about flavor and texture to me, and Colgate original paste is just right.

Angela said...

I'm a Colgate gal myself. Once I picked up something else that had like built-in mouthwash or something, just because it sounded exciting. And then Nick and I both ended up with canker sores. As soon as we stopped and went back to the regular toothpaste, we were magically all better. Coincidence? I don't think so.

In the words of my doctor, nowadays they try to make toothpaste do just about everything but mow your lawn when all you need to do is brush your teeth.

And that is the longest comment about toothpaste that a person can possibly muster up.

Kennethwongsf said...

I usually leave my little footprint behind when I visit you, so I'm not exactly a lurker, but I just want to add my voice to the chorus. Hi!

Jeri said...

I lurk, I occasionally leave a comment, I'm here alot. HI. As a member of the dental profession I am enlightened to see the popularity of colgate toothpaste. Interesting. I myself use Sensodyne with whitening for my delicate tusks.

Teacha said...

HELLO

Anonymous said...

I'll skip the topic discussion, say my "mea culpa", and let you know that I love your blog so much I think I've adopted your style of writing in my weekly "Bits" to my company. Seeser would know how successful I've been since she reads both. I think of you as I write; phrasing you might use, style, use of sarcasm, things like that. I love you and I love reading you, even if I don't always have words to add.

Unknown said...

I love your blog and read it faithfully. Keep being you!

Wolf Lover Girl said...

Sorry it's been a rough few weeks so I haven't stopped by long enough to comment but I have stopped by to see how you're doing.

Crest gel with mouthwash. I'm always very mindful of how things potentially "smell" since I potentially have to teach at work.

~ Wolf Lover Girl