The Come Back Comments

Now you know, because I keep you informed, Momma has your average or maybe just above average knowledge of computers because, well, she is a Baby Boomer.  What else can be expected? However, when it comes to Cloud Computing or Cyberspace application, poor Momma is at a total loss and admits the Millennium Generation are miles ahead of her.

Still, although it is beyond Momma’s pay scale to fix computer snafus, at least she can recognize a problem and run with it, because as I have said in the past, she is Quite Contrary. Please do not tell her it can’t be done because, she will turn to me and roll her eyes. Then behind the very backs of the advice givers, she will go ahead and give it a whirl.  The important thing is  Momma gets up, and dusts herself off if she falls flat on her face (again).  Come to think of it, she is just like me!

If you are asking for a ‘for instance’, we will start with a blog.  Many good souls told her stay out of the Blogging Swimming Pool.  Who could be interested in the interpretation of life through the eyes of a Hog Dog (me) or those Cool Cats who are street urchins, without grace or manners.  They asked legitimate questions, like:

• Do you know how to write code? Well, no.
• Do you know about Plugins? No, again.
• Do you know how to customize (I’ll learn), optimize (Is there a plug-in for that?) or categorize (Aren’t all girls are born to do that)?
• Can you create tags so Search Engines find you? Uh, what happens if I don’t?  Oh, no Visitors to the Site?  I’m on it because Tag, your it or your out!

Then there were the fear mongers who let Momma know she was inviting trouble.  The hackers would be relentlessly attacking, the Spam Bots would be mushrooming in an attempt to take over time and space.  It seems there are so many unknowns that you must have your gold  or silver or ivory inlaid sword with a heat-treated serrated blade to run a thorough surveillance.

Even though we have the most recommended plug-in for Spam, we have had our share of the absurd.  Comments that have 50-75-1000 links to nefarious businesses that sell products  from A to Z.  We never knew there were so many types and colors of shoes in existence. Then there are the players and the well, not G-Rated sites.  It is all good. That is what delete is for.  Still there were those treasures among the trash, sincere readers who would send a comment or ask a question about a post. Then one day it stopped.  No more Comments – no one was pushing links, sending a ‘howdy’. The silence was deafening for a blogger.

So Momma contacted her Spam Fighting Comment Plug-in Team.  They were perplexed but gracious. The Millennium Staffers tried to make Momma see that their plug-in was just dandy and proof positive was she was getting no comment spam.  Momma is not easily convinced so she sent her own proof. Even those in her social network, vetted by Google, over the years, were sending comments that did not reach the dashboard. Meanwhile the questionable unknown origin messages somehow crashed through all barriers in place and landed in her email, not even in her spam folder.

And then, a miracle. One day Momma went in and by George, she had Comments. The good news now is that we very rarely get those comments with a thousand links anymore.  Slowly but surely a handful of Comments are making its way to our Blog. We do not know if the Anti Spam Gods relented, the Millenniums drank the Koolaid or if Momma, in her ignorance, did some unwitting deed to jump-start the process.  All we know is the end justifies the means….doesn’t it?

So Bloggers, if you want feedback, there is always hope.  If you look at the sun and squint your eyes just so, you will see a the light.

The Comments you long for maybe hanging about in Cyberspace (or possibly caught on the top of a tall Douglas fir-tree) and  may someday make a crash landing on your very own Dashboard! So drop us a line. Give us your analysis. The Hot Dog and Cool Cats are waiting!