Monday, February 27, 2006

And Now Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Blog...

Blogroll Me!

...not really.

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming to tell you the following:

This post is just a quick filler before I hit my pillow at 3 a.m. It's something that's been on my mind the last few days. See if you don't agree with me...!

There is a joke circulating round and round and round the Internet: How To Tell You're Jewish. One of the named ways is that if someone is in the bathroom longer than perhaps three minutes, you knock on the door and yell, "Are you okay in there...is everything okay?"

When I first read that, I broke out in hysterical laughter; my name was all over it! Perhaps it comes with my natural worry syndrome, or maybe not.

But lately I've found something to parallel my standing outside the washroom door and asking a parent/spouse/child "Is everything okay in there?" when they're in there just a tad too long for my liking.

In blogland, we are used to some people posting regularly, and I mean regularly, daily...perhaps in the evening, perhaps midday or morning. But you know when you click that blog's name on your favorites button or your links and you're whisked over to it, you can expect to find something. It's almost the equivalent of reading "Today's Special" on a menu.

Now, what happens when those regular posters are suddenly missing in action? They haven't given you a heads-up that they'll be away from the computer for a few days, they haven't said they have to rein in their blogging addiction and have been told, "Step away from your computer." In essence, they're just not there, as expected?

Do you find that person's e-mail address to write them a note of concern, just like you're yelling through the bathroom door, "Are you okay?" Do you just sit and bide your time and think of various scenarios where that person might've gone and what that person might be up to in lieu of posting for his/her rabid fans? Do you write to fellow blog friends and discuss your concern about why blogger so-and-so didn't post for the past couple of days? Is there such a thing as a bloggers' ALL POINTS BULLETIN.

APB: Missing...one citizen of the month...one Mirty...one New York's Funniest Rabbi...one Seraphic Secret teller...one PsychoToddler...one Cruisin' Mom. Be on the lookout for these bloggers. They could be hiding ANYWHERE...!

Hey, above-mentioned bloggers: "Are you okay? Is everything okay in there?"

13 comments:

A Simple Jew said...

Both my wife and mother-in-law are known to ask that same question if my father-in-law or I exceed the 3 minute window ;) That made me laugh too!

torontopearl said...

ASJ, I forgot to add you to my "Missing Bloggers list."
You should have topped that list!

A Simple Jew said...

Thanks Pearl. It is nice to feel missed.

cruisin-mom said...

Don't bother me, I'm busy in here!

Anonymous said...

I'm busy reading Dostoyevsky...

cruisin-mom said...

Robert's lying...he's eating babke and watching some guy suck blood from some woman's shoulder.

rabbi neil fleischmann said...

I'LL BE OUT IN A MINUTE!!!

torontopearl said...

CM: I wrote to Robert after he commented, and asked, "Nu? So was it a CRIME or a PUNISHMENT?"
"Both" was the reply. And if you're "busy in here" that means you leave no room for anyone else to be here. HURRY UP!!!

Neil: Of course, "regulars" care; it's not pretentious at all. It keeps me from writing to Cruisin' Mom and asking, "You think Neil is okay? He hasn't changed his post or added comments in two days. Should we complete a Missing Person/Missing Blogger report?"

Rabbi Neil, Tuesday Wishes and Mirty: So I'm guessing I'm not the only neurotic Jew who knows about and holds by that three-minute bathroom rule!

Regina said...

We travel a lot for business so I do post on my blog when I go away because I usually am away for more than 2 weeks at a stretch! That is a long tiime to go without telling anyone! I would want to know if any of my blogging friends were going to be MIA for any length of time, but I can usually give 'em a few days every now and then!

torontopearl said...

RCJ, thanks for your comment. I think it's highly considerate of you that you tell people when you'll be away.

In our workplaces we announce on our phone messages that we are out of the office today, or we are out for 2 weeks. Sometimes we give a contact name if someone needs a replacement while we are away.
Okay, so I guess in the future when I see a lull coming in my blog, I'll write: "Today is _______. Please note that I will be away from my blog for the next 48 hours. If you need immediate gratification, please link on to ________'s blog in the meantime.
Thank you for your patience."

Ezzie said...

LOL - I've been wondering about a few bloggers for a while myself (BlogHead?!). But I realized that just as I sometimes simply can't get to a computer, or am having comp trouble, others might as well. If it's a *really* long time, I might leave a comment or quick e-mail.

Wendy said...

I wonder about that too! Sometimes, I feel like posting a comment on the old but most recent post...

I also wonder if bloggers that I comment on regularly are curious when I'm not commenting for several days or more. Or if they even notice.

PsychoToddler said...

Sometimes real life just gets in the way...