What I love most about having a blog. (Rachel Lucas)

What I love most about having a blog.

I have opinions. But the problem is, half the time I don't even know why. Something in my feeble brain tells me, this is how a logical person would think, so I think it. I'll have vague ideas about why I feel a certain way, I'll know superficial details about the logic of my own argument, but mostly, I would lose a lot of debates if challenged on my opinions because I don't even know the facts behind them. I own it; I'm not all that informed.

But somehow, for reasons I will never understand, I have managed to attract a great number of really smart readers, and they leave comments. And my blog is like Bizarro World, the opposite of most blogs - rather than me telling you how it is and why, and you leaving comments saying "yeah! cool! I didn't know that!", I simply rant about my opinion and then a bunch of people with IQ's several points higher than mine do what I'm incapable of doing (yet): they tell me the facts and reasons behind the position.

I can't even tell you how much I love it. I hate to name names because I will totally leave tons of people out, but some examples are Mightysamurai, Lance de Boyle, Labrat, Otconnan, Rickbert, Retrocop, rickl, Alexander, Castocreations, SarahK, and oh god...so many others. You know who you are. Seriously, it's like having a think tank at my fingertips. Have a question? Blog it, sit back, and wait about an hour, and BAM. There's my answer. Every single time. I got more than 80 responses to the Hillary question, for example. To anyone who reads my blog regularly and doesn't read the comments - I implore you to start doing so. You will learn about 100 times more from them than you ever will from me.

I don't say it enough, but thank you all. I wonder sometimes if you think I'm not reading the comments because I don't comment back. Ha! Not even close. I'm practically obsessed with them, and I read every word of every comment, sometimes more than once depending on how funny and/or enlightening it is. Frankly, if I commented back on every comment I found, let's say, piquant, I would have no time left to actually blog, or to do my work or have my boyfriend or feed my dogs, for that matter. I'm not kidding. And I even love the ones that tell me I'm wrong, because usually when someone goes to the trouble of explaining to me why I'm wrong, I am. And I like to know why so I won't make the same boneheaded mistake again.

Not to mention the fact that sometimes, your comments make me giggle so unexpectedly that Sunny damn near poops in surprise. A good example, and apropos of what I just said about Sunny, is this one by Page on my last post: "For the first time in my life, I wish I was in New York. I would walk up to the front door of the closest mosque and shit on the front step. It's not a hate crime. It's a shit. On your doorstep. Have fun cleaning it up. I just had corn." I love you, Page.

So again, thank you guys. I can't even imagine blogging without comments, or even worse, blogging with comments but not having such awesome, smart, funny, decent, interesting commenters like y'all. I know I'm being sappy but screw it, I've had two glasses of cabernet and I am feeling the love. Just want you to know how much I appreciate you.

Posted on July 31, 2007 8:29 PM | Permalink

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Comments (28)

sarahk

:) we love you too, even when you're wrong. Like that time you included my name in a sentence and then immediately followed that sentence with the phrase "think tank."

Posted by sarahk | July 31, 2007 8:53 PM

Posted on July 31, 2007 20:53

HitNRun

Whether or not you know the exact rationale, nobody tells it quite like you, Rachel. Some of us still remember you as the INVENTOR! OF! THIS! EXCLAMATORY! STYLE!

Incidentally, whenever I go to your page, I can swear I smell dog.

Posted by HitNRun | July 31, 2007 9:03 PM

Posted on July 31, 2007 21:03

Rickbert

I'm a geek. I own it. When I was a kid, I liked Spock better than Kirk. I live to snaggle with an argument, trying to find it's strongest and weakest points.

But you. You have good instincts. I've known people from time whose instincts I would trust over my own, more often than not. They couldn't always put into words how they felt, like you. But if they had a strong feeling on something, it was a good sign it would be worth my time chasing their 'gut feeling' down as a promising lead.

You go ahead and post your rants. We'll file the paperwork. ;)

Posted by Rickbert | July 31, 2007 9:23 PM

Posted on July 31, 2007 21:23

Bonnie B.

I'm only here for the retarded Sunny pictures.

Posted by Bonnie B. | July 31, 2007 9:24 PM

Posted on July 31, 2007 21:24

rickl

Wow! Thanks for the mention. That made my day.

Now I have a reputation to live up to. The pressure's on.

I even like your dogblogging, even though as you and everyone else here already knows, I have cats.

Posted by rickl | July 31, 2007 9:39 PM

Posted on July 31, 2007 21:39

HurricaneMikey

The comments are cool and all, but I come here for the gratuitous use of the word 'asshat'.

I just wish you would ask a question about alcohol, procrastination, or channel surfing, and then I could sound like an expert, too.

Posted by HurricaneMikey | July 31, 2007 10:11 PM

Posted on July 31, 2007 22:11

Kensington

"Not to mention the fact that sometimes, your comments make me giggle so unexpectedly that Sunny damn near poops in surprise."

Yeah, that happens to me, too, usually when I'm at work. Ever tried disposing of shitty underwear in the middle of a workday? Not fun. And the chafing... Oy!

Of course, it is New York City, so I could always drop it off at the mosque, I suppose, corn and all.

Posted by Kensington | July 31, 2007 10:33 PM

Posted on July 31, 2007 22:33

B.......

I wanted to say something profound, but, well here - just have your work, do your boyfriend and feed your dogs. I think I got that right.

Posted by B....... | August 1, 2007 12:14 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 00:14

Page

I am truly honored and the love is shared. But, SHIT! Now I have to be funny. Dammit. I'm going to have to think about this one...

Posted by Page | August 1, 2007 7:30 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 07:30

WayneB

Rickbert - I nearly always trust other people's instincts over mine. Whenever I "trust my gut" rather than thinking things through, I'm almost always wrong.

My instincts stink.

I like reading the comments here, too, Rachel. I nearly fell out of my chair laughing when I read Alexander's comments on the Koran flushing post.

Posted by WayneB | August 1, 2007 8:18 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 08:18

tedders

You were drunk when you wrote that......... weren't you?

We love you too Rachel, even when we're not drunk!! LOL

Posted by tedders | August 1, 2007 8:23 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 08:23

forgetfulmuse

I read and learn from your comments too, but I also enjoy your sense of humour. :)

I learned a whole load about why I don't like the Clintons myself. Did anyone mention how when they left the White House a load of nice furniture went with them? Cheesy fuckers at best.

Posted by forgetfulmuse | August 1, 2007 9:26 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 09:26

k2aggie07

I wish I had commentary on my blog. I just talk to an empty room.

Here's to jealousy :(

Posted by k2aggie07 | August 1, 2007 9:54 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 09:54

mightysamurai

some examples are Mightysamurai, Lance de Boyle, Labrat, Otconnan, Rickbert, Retrocop, rickl, Alexander, Castocreations, SarahK, and oh god...so many others.

Oh yeah! Top billing bee-yotches!

Posted by mightysamurai | August 1, 2007 10:10 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 10:10

tedders

Oh yeah! Top billing bee-yotches!

too funny M sam!!!!

Posted by tedders | August 1, 2007 10:49 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 10:49

Sparrow

Mighty Samurai, I take back the white-hot monkey love I had for you. No one likes a sore winner. ;P

Especially those of us who *ahem* weren't even mentioned...

I'm not jealous, really I'm not. Really.

Posted by Sparrow | August 1, 2007 10:55 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 10:55

CastoCreations

I have learned tons here...comments and posts. :) Plus I need more laughter in my life and I can usually find something to make me laugh here. Whether it's Lance or Samurai or even you Rachel! LOL

And I think women's instincts are generally more in tune than men's (just a gut feeling on my part...ha!). I trust my instincts a lot. And my instincts hate Hillary!

Posted by CastoCreations | August 1, 2007 11:42 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 11:42

mightysamurai

Sparrow

If it makes you feel better, I have met a significant number of people in my time that can make me eat an entire plate of humble pie.

For instance, my dad could always argue circles around me. Even though most of our arguments (please note, arguments as in debates, not fights) occurred when I was in middle and high school, I still marvel at his seemingly superhuman ability to turn a phrase.

My mom says I take after him a lot, though.

Posted by mightysamurai | August 1, 2007 11:55 AM

Posted on August 1, 2007 11:55

tedders

mightysamurai, then your Dad wasn't an exceptionally modest man...right? ; )

(just kidding)

Posted by tedders | August 1, 2007 4:04 PM

Posted on August 1, 2007 16:04

Sparrow

All right, Mighty S, I love you again. Just refrain from ever calling me a bee-yotch again or I'll have to hurt you. Real bad.

Posted by Sparrow | August 1, 2007 5:15 PM

Posted on August 1, 2007 17:15

Sparrow

All right, Mighty S, I love you again. Just refrain from ever calling me a bee-yotch again or I'll have to hurt you. Real bad. :P

Posted by Sparrow | August 1, 2007 5:16 PM

Posted on August 1, 2007 17:16

Hardliner

lol....

Posted by Hardliner | August 2, 2007 1:17 AM

Posted on August 2, 2007 01:17

Rachel Lucas

Sparrow! See, you are exactly one of the ones I knew I wanted to mention but knew I would momentarily forget. "white-hot monkey love" haha I love that phrase and I love YOU.

Posted by Rachel Lucas | August 2, 2007 7:44 AM

Posted on August 2, 2007 07:44

Alexander

Thanks Rachel!

I tend to divide up how I comment depending on the blog I comment on. I do most of my political commenting over at Wizbang under 'Heralder'...but here, it's often much more fun to look at dog pictures, read some hilarious posts and enjoy some fun comments.

I guess it's kind of like separating business and pleasure (why I avoided the Hillary thread). Often though I try and combine the two into pleasurable business...which em, sounds a little dirty. Awesome.

By the way, the funniest thing I think I've read here was your tequila-tainted 'liveblogging' of the Democrat debate. That. kicked. ass.

Posted by Alexander | August 2, 2007 11:54 AM

Posted on August 2, 2007 11:54

mightysamurai

All right, Mighty S, I love you again. Just refrain from ever calling me a bee-yotch again or I'll have to hurt you. Real bad.

Are we talking real violence or, like, an S&M thing?

'Cause I'm totally up for the second one. :)

Posted by mightysamurai | August 2, 2007 12:17 PM

Posted on August 2, 2007 12:17

mightysamurai

I suspect that the thread may be dead at this point, but just in case it isn't, I have a thought to share.

Rachel,

You say that you base your beliefs on what seems logical to you, but you have no facts to back those beliefs up. What you may not realize is that we all start out like that. I remember when I first got into politics, I had no idea why I believed the things I believed. But as I looked deeper into the issues and talked to people who knew more than I did, I gradually expanded my own knowledge.

For me, RightWingNews.com was the site that essentially taught me how to make a principled and well-researched argument. Commenting there expanded my vocabulary, opened my mind to viewpoints and arguments I had never before considered, and introduced me to several brilliant people. Unfortunately John Hawkins purged all his old threads when he changed the format of his blog, but if you could go back and read the threads circa 2002-2003, you would see how naive and unintelligent I used to sound compared to today.

The point is, the best way to figure out who you are is to listen to other people tell you who they are.

Posted by mightysamurai | August 2, 2007 8:30 PM

Posted on August 2, 2007 20:30

otcconan

Rachel, common sense is not a lack of facts. It's just damn common sense. Those without it will try and find "facts" to back up their lack of common sense.

Your opinions are just based on good old knowing what is right. You don't NEED facts to back you up if your opinion is RIGHT.

Posted by otcconan | August 4, 2007 1:44 PM

Posted on August 4, 2007 13:44

LabRat

Wow. Take a short break due to puppy-induced sleep-deprivation and I miss PERSONAL LOVE.

My timing stinks. A lot. And for the record, there's a reason you're so damn popular with smart people and it's not just because we enjoy showing off.

Posted by LabRat | August 6, 2007 7:32 PM

Posted on August 6, 2007 19:32