Tuesday, June 9, 2009

cramping my style

Ever heard of the commenter's cramp? No?

Well, you've heard it now. I have it. Don't google it, though.


It starts with the pressure of writing a witty, sensible comment. Then it escalates with the overusage of nice, great and awesome, peppered with smileys all over. It sometimes culminates in a non comment.


I read many blogs, some because i know the person, a few because i love their writing and many because they make me aware. I generally follow a principle of trying to see the post from another's perspective. Commenting seems to be a tricky art to master. There is the pressure to be politically correct while commenting. If you want to disagree with the views expressed then you have to figure out the right way to do it gently without hurting anyone's feelings. It never used to bother me before but it does now.



If the post has touched me in some way or made me smile, like they usually do, then i have a problem expressing the level of excitement/sorrow, differently each time. I avoid using Lol, LMAO ROFTL, (the latter sounds like i'm barking). And if i do try to leave the blog without commenting, the feedjit indicator beckons me like a stern taskmaster getting an errant kid to do the job right. bah!



The commenter's cramp seems more difficult to overcome than my blogger's block. More so since i get such perfect comments from you all. That felt good! Nothing like shifting the pressure on someone else! So when i comment and its not up to your mark, you know the reason. If it continues, i better compile a blogger's dictionary and at least impress you with more adjectives like stupendous, marvellous, fantabulous, etc.


While this has cramped my style, my elder boy is going through a 'no snaps pls, i'm serious' phase. The younger one is torn between his wanting to pose and his desire to follow big bro. So, sometimes we have blurs and backs masquerading as our sons and sometimes we have this.

saying no to the 'papa'razzi !

Someone should warn G (the hubby) that if this boy is anything like me, then G better take it easy with his camera. The 'papa' could soon have a close up of his own nose or ear adorning his cell-phone.

49 comments:

Smita said...

:-) Even I go through phases quite regularly but then I leave without commenting. But sometimes I force myself to comment and the cringe at what I have written.

Nice post :)

rayshma said...

see.. u have no excuse for not commenting on my blog. RARELY does much make sense there... so u can feel free to say what u want, how u want! :D

are u saying... i have to THINK before i comment here?

i love the "no press" pic.. but heyy... i love seeing the photus... so now YOU be the muse! :D

Rambler said...

I like how G is shaping up, true celebrity ha

Jaya said...

:) Do guys have this more in them? Of not posing in front of camera.. You have triggered my mind for a post. I know a friend of mine who never likes to be clicked and even if we somehow click him, he makes such horrible faces....

Great to see a post from you :) :)

Pavi!!!! said...

haha! the elder ones means it whn he says no pic pls...i guess!

commenter's cramp...i like that!

Preethi said...

See. I have that too.. now I no longer blog if I have nothing funny to write.. and I have noticed I keep saying the same things over and over again.. I am my biggest critic for sure.. so you can imagine what a big case of commenter's cramp I have.
Btw agree with you on "ROFTL, (the latter sounds like i'm barking)"

Gauri said...

ahem ... the commentor's cramp might not be so uncommon, after all, huh ? Happens to me too - sometimes I read a particular post and don't really know how to say what exactly I want to say ....

Like for instance, now !!!! :D

And I so agree with you on the ROTFL bit :D It does sound canine. BTW, it used to take me a long time to figure those abbreviations out. errr ... with these abbreviations making the rounds, I've started to feel kind of Jurassic :).

rm said...

hahaha gald now u gave a nameto it. "commenter's cramp" !!! super.

Keshi said...

yeah I kinda get sick of saying the same thing too :):) Cos there r some awesome bloggers ard and I hv to say AWESOME all the time LOL!

I love that last pic! No p a p p a r a z z z z i plzzz!

Keshi.

manuscrypts said...

commentor's block, i thought.. cramp sounds very erm, physical? :]

WhatsInAName said...

Lol (sorry cant help writing this ;-)
i am totally blocked and cramped too! and seriously it gives me heartburns to type meaningless comments! but what to do? Sometimes we just comment for attendance sake:-) I accept!

aMus said...

Smita:

my comment in your post was almost a post long...:)


Rayshma::
I read every post of yours and have commented on most :)
no, hehe...heh...you don't have to think before you comment here...sab chalta hai...
and as for me being the muse, we want the kids fotos...


Rambler:
u mean S? yeah...brad pitt can learn a thing or two from him, i guess :p


Joy::
i don't know about that...my lil one loves to be photographed...the elder needs to either have a car or a football near him to look animated :)
nice to see you posting too.


Pavi!!!!
yes..we have to sneak and get some snaps taken...

Meira said...

er...ummm...oh..oh..oh..I mean, you know...its like this...arrrghhhhhhh!
Is this what you mean? yeah, I do it too:D I sometimes write things that sound totally profound but which have nothing to do with the blogger or the post. You know, to leave a good impression, like I'm doing now :D

broca's area said...

he is like my big bro..he too doesn't like me taking his snaps!!...

aMus said...

Preethi::
I'm so glad you started posting again...now let's hear more cheeky tales now that you've 'settled' down :)



gauri:
hehe...feel free to comment with a smile here, see, i'm not demanding :D
as for the abbreviated lingo, i'm doing all i can to keep up with them.


rm::
:)
you liked it?



manu::
anything which cramps my style is a cramp :p



WIAN::
wait, let me roll out my red carpet for you...you are back! attendance on this blog is compulsory even if you want to just LOL :)
now do post soon...



Meira::
haha...
actually you guys are such model commenters here, that its hard for me to catch up :)


broca::
frustrating, nah?

WhatsInAName said...

suma
your blog does not require forceful attendance! I am a fan of your writings any day.
As for me writing, i am still trying to find a semblance of normalcy in my life. But i will be here soon :-)

Preeti Shenoy said...

heh heh heh..Too good!
I never think what to say when I comment on a post--i just say it..ROTFL, LOL, the whole works! :)
Loved this post.
Cheers
preeti

pink dogwood said...

I think we need a thumbs up like they have on facebook so the blog poster know that you have read it and you liked it. But I know exactly what you mean. There is only so many times you can say "great post" and "enjoyed it"

btw, great post, really enjoyed it :)

Aparna said...

I leave most of the blogs without commenting as i dont really know what to say.
Apart from LOL which i really detest,I also find (((hugz))) irritating. Dont know why.Since I can not think of any profound words to praise your brilliant post, I am borrowing the expression from pink dogwood. "Great post, really enjoyed it."

Mama - Mia said...

:D


you cant think of a comment, but you can get an entire post out of it!! :p

great read like always Suma! grins got wider at 'papa'razzi! :D

cheers!

abha

aMus said...

WIAN::
what a sweet thing to say :) and yep, waiting for your posts too.



Preeti,
that's a good thumb rule to follow.


Pink dogwood,
Now, THAT's a GREAT idea, makes life so much easier.
:)


Aparna,
i've got used to (hugs), because there are times you want to show how deeply moved you are by what he/she has written and this coms closest to expressing it...besides its easier for me to give a virtual hug...



Mama-mia::
hahahaha! sahi bola! trust you to think of that...

as for the foto, what is it with boys and pics?

Madhumita said...

Most often I read blogs for some of the same reasons you mentioned and do not have much to say - just reading, absorbing and learning should be enough. If I have a related, relevant opinion or a compliment at something well written, then comments come out naturally, otherwise it all becomes a bit insincere - but thats just me :D. Good post though - such is the dilemma of the blogging community! :D

aMus said...

keshi,
sorry, i have no idea how i overlooked your comment.

yes, most bloggers i read have some wonderful things to say and i love reading them, my difficulty is indicating that always.

my son's learnt to handle the 'papa'razzi early enough :D

Reflections said...

I suffered from this disease BIG TIME for almost a year but now I have a simple plan.....if I dont know wht to comment on the whole post I just one part of it & add my bit to it.

Yeah its very easy to read & walk away but we all know how we track eachother on feedit;-D & I r aware how much our comments are appreciated by some so I make that effort:-)

Nice thinking post:-))!!!!!!

Reflections said...

Ur header is beautiful:-))!!!!!!

aMus said...

madhu::
so much told in such few lines, loved it too :)


reflections:
yes, i agree, since i absolutely love each and every comment i get,
and thanks, that header was shot by me in singapore. :)

UL said...

Dear Suma,

It has been ages...so lovely to hear from you...and I have to say you left me the perfect comment ;) I have been so busy in my world, it has been impossible to blog hop these days... but I am going to put on my blogroll so I can visit you everyday...hope you are well...I see that things are going real well at your end...talk more soon.

love loads,
UL

Anonymous said...

If I am allowed to be honest, 90% of the comments I see in the blogworld & review sites to be 'back-scratching type' with lots of praises, smileys etc.
There's nothing called 'opinion' and rarely there's any 'discussion' and the least is probably 'funny'.
But then, internet is all about pretending (with 'friends'). It's the strangers who create trouble.
Time to add a smiley :)
On 'Papa'razi I have crossed that phase. My kids now make horrible faces while facing the camera, bad enough to discourage me pressing the shutter.
Did I say good post ?
Cheers!

Shruti said...

usually I never think twice before commeintg. Right now I'm so very nervous :-I
Wont an ok ok comment do? Now if the post was not marvellous or fantabulous, why falsely flatter? na? na? na?
:P
mm the kid has celebrity airs! ;)

BrownPhantom said...

Over here from Preeti Shenoy's blog.
I knew that they have to have a name for this syndrome. Some, I know are a master at commenting.
LoL and the family is definitely a no-no for me too.
There's a bigger quandry I face sometimes; I know that a couple of commentors on my blog don't read the posts (going by their comments) and they are regular too. It becomes hard to thank them since their comments are formed out of reading others' comments and hence misleading many a times :).
Nicely expressed {you can use these words somewhere else :)}

Guruprasad said...

you are so right about this diarrhoea (i hope i spelt that right) of smileys! :) (there you go!)

in my case the son is still in the posing phase... and the daughter poses because she has a mind of her won! so no worries of my nose getting plastered as the wallpaper yet! :P

SJ said...

Have you tried commenting on food blogs? Awful!!! The same chole/rajama tweaked and made into 400 odd styles bah nuts! I have gone through many food blogs and have marked some frequent comments "mmm YUmmy" "nice clicks!!" "Please parcel me some" "I make it the same way too!!" "Wow! I never knew you could use bittergourd in this way" I have used many of these lines myself!!! But I totally agree with Udtahaati, its never an opinion its always some praise with a million smiley ! Anyway, since you asked ROFTL !! Nice post blogrolled you will be haunting you now.

aMus said...

UL:
i'm so glad tohear from you...hope to see you more often


udtahaathi::
i was talking about my ability to comment. i have been following most of the blogs i visit for some time now, so there is a degree of familiarity when i comment, when i visit someone new, it gets a bit difficult...

as for opinion, some blogs encourage discussion and teh topics are such too

Some are records of moments/feelings, and i don't think i would like to take that moment away from them by giving an adverse comment, that's when the smiley works, i guess :)

aMus said...

Shru:;
hahaha...precisely,



Brown Phantom::
thanks for commenting.

and 'nicely expressed' is a good way to phrase a comment. i've hardly used that recently...must start :)


Guru::
:) :) :) :)

lucky guy, the kids still pose for you...wait till they grow older :p


SJ
food blogs make me drooooool... i do go back and let them know if i've tried their recipe and it has turned out well.

thanks for commenting here :)

Sumana said...

Now i am the last to comment from always being the first few. Blame it on the reader. I just hate being photographed too unless it is a group of friends or something like an occasion etc. So the younger on loves it.

cm chap said...

Nice one... Also you made use of the post to clarify yourself to the world.. Ha Ha... Thats clever :)

First time here... Very nice blog.

I dont comment if I dnt feel like commentg... Simple

aMus said...

Sumana:
I did miss you :)but then i understand, i sometimes read on the reader too, thinking i'll come back later to comment and then i forget...
so you hate being photographed? that explains such few pics of you on fb :)

aMus said...

CM-chap::
you noticed that?! have been feeling a little tied up for words recently and wanted to avoid a few hurt feelings in the blogworld
thanks for the compliment, hoping of course that you meant it :)

Prats said...

This is the thrid time i'm typing in my comment, and if it doesn't show up...i'm calling you and telling what my comment was :)

I go through that phase too of non-commenting period...I was in that space for the last few months...I had nothing against blogs or the person...I just couldnt see past the words and so would never know what to say.
And those smileys and whatever, i spend half my time googling what people meant...i guess i'm just plain dumb:(


Hey that picture of my papa' razzi baby is too cute...i'll have tons of them in my collection too...both the sons can't handle being photographed..

cm chap said...

Yes I mean it... Thats why I blogrolled u n my Google/reader.. oops I didnt ask u at all. Sorry abt tht.. Hope ur ok. Let me knw

aMus said...

prats::

so nice to see you back...i've been missing the wise owlini :D

you said it perfectly..i needn't have hemmed and hawed :)
i think i use smileys quite a bit now, have got accustomed to it finally, which means the rest will follow at it's own time

aMus said...

CM-chap::
Thanks for asking,

No, i don't mind being blogrolled...actually I would love being blogrolled :)

Monika said...

he he i use lol, rofl all so much :)

but i do get what u mean... when i am in that mode where commenting is difficult i read all blogs in reader and hence feedjit doesnt leave a mark either

Rohini said...

I suffer from commenter's cramp too. I think I comment on one blog for every five I read on an average. Like you said, I don't like to leave comments just for the same of it - of the LOL variety, etc.

Just Like That said...

for a post on commenter's cramp, you get 44 comments! LOL! :-D
ok, don't comment.... but hey girl, what's with the blogging silence???? No posts for log? post maadi. jaldi!:-)

aMus said...

monika:
yeah i too end up reading on the reader sometimes, but then i feel i should comment because they all should know that i have read it no? :)



Rohini:
so i noticed :D


JlT:
trust you to notice that and comment on it :)..my commenter's cramp seesm to have eased, see i've replied to every comment here...

kids have vacations on...and i am donning one hat after the other...the blogger's hat is missing :)

magicalsummer said...

commentors cram morphed into writers block? waiting for your next post

DotThoughts said...

I sfuuer actuely from commentators cramp. I can naver seem to think of anything witty and relevant! Great post (see, that's what I mean!)

aMus said...

magical summer: posted...you can't say that i didn't listen :)


dotthoughts: haha..i don't believe that for an instant :)