Thursday, December 4, 2008

You Tell Me

I've been up for three hours but I have had the hardest time thinking of a blog topic today. Then I was reading Pink Ink's* blog and she asked, among other things, which posts have generated the most comments from readers.

I'd like to say my writing related posts inspire the most from my readers, but I have a lot of readers who are NOT writers, so I try to keep a balance. Sometimes my photo blogs garner a lot of response, and a couple times the stupidest things I've posted have had a ridiculous response (meaning a lot).

So I'm putting it to you: what do you like to see here? Is the writing vs. Mexico-living balance satisfying? Is there something you'd like to see more of? I'm always open to suggestions (like Janna's last week about the price of things.)

I'll be waiting... :)


* I would like to apologize to Jewel if my linking to her means she has even more comments to reply to.

34 comments:

Spy Scribbler said...

I love all your blogs. Can't think of a thing I'd want changed. :-)

I loved Jewel's post on comments. I often wonder what I should do first: visit everyone else's blogs and let my comments go unresponded to for a day, or respond first and miss a day of visiting?

I mean, I try to do both. I meant to blog today about that, take a poll. My post today was sort of lame, so maybe I should just add a new post anyway, LOL.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Spy, I say reply to your comments first. That's what I do. You can always catch up on other people's blogs, but the conversation dies without the blogger's input, imo.

Janna Leadbetter said...

Does Mexico have any indigenous (does that word work if you're not talking about birds?) chocolate? ;)

I think you've got a great balance going.

Robin said...

(He Robin)I read your blog every day and enjoy all of your posts but, not being a writer myself, I tend to enjoy your informational posts the best. I spent several months in McAllen, TX (work related), which is only about 4 or 5 miles from the Mexican border, and I aquired a liking to the culture so I guess that's why like those posts better. I would love to learn the language but it's hard to teach an old dog new tricks, so they say, and I'm a very old dog.

WendyCinNYC said...

I like your "craziness in Mexico" posts. Especially with pictures.

Stephen Parrish said...

This may seem odd, but I like to hear about your immigration issues. It strikes me as inexplicably unjust that a man who is married to a U.S. citizen can't live and work in the U.S.

That, and more cockroaches. Immigration and cockroaches. Thanks for asking.

Anonymous said...

I honestly like both the Mexico and writing entries. I've only been to Mexico for 8 hours on a cruise stop and don't know much about it. I find the perspective really interesting.

Rachel Burton said...

I think you've struck a great balance. I do enjoy your perspective on Mexico a lot though. We'd love to have the opportunity to live south of the US after Alex finishes school here so it's fun to listen to an American blog about it.

Nadine said...

I love reading your blog cause of all the fun stuff you write. You have a fun way of telling stuff - for example, when putting in the kitchen counter, how there was black dust everywhere.

You do a great mix of blogs on writing and about life in Mexico. I love hearing about your adventures!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Janna, chocolate? Probably, but it's nothing compared to what you get in the US. It tastes weird.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks (He) Robin. I'm really curious to see how my dad does here for two months. He knows the important words - cerveza (beer) and cuenta (check) - but other than that... it should be interesting!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Wendy, those are fun! I WISH I'd brought the camera on an errand today. I had to take the bus and they are just so bizarre. This one was neon green inside and decorated with scrunchies.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Stephen, not much is going on with the immigration stuff right now. They keep pushing back our deadline (I suppose I could post on that) but honestly, it's just a big waiting game. And he wasn't granted his papers because he never had a visa. You need some kind of documents for it to work that way.

I'm hoping I never have to post on cockroaches again, but I'm glad they amuse you. :)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Aaron, that's good to know. I'm getting so used to it I forget many people have never really experienced life here.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks Rachel. I feel like the Mexico posts allow more venting & complaining on my part, and I try to avoid that. That'd be great it you can return to a warmer climate!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks Nadine. :) I hope it's entertaining. I write the way I talk so it's mostly just a ramble out of my head, with a quick edit to make sure it's intelligible.

Anonymous said...

I think you have a good mix of stuff. All of your posts have been very interesting. :)

Mary B said...

I like both the writing and general craziness of life.

Plus you're hella funny! :)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Turkey, I think you might be exaggerating a bit. I know they aren't ALL interesting. :P

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Aww, thanks Mary. I try to be funny but I never know how it carries over.

Allen said...

I came to your blog because I ran into you on AW and I was fighting an internal battle of "Let's remember" about Mexico. I have been using your posts to feed my imagination about Mexico.

I think I like your Mexico posts best, but it more interesting to see Mexico from a writer's perspective.

So chalk me up for a "both" I guess.

Anonymous said...

I just stop by here to read about you.
So I would say it really doesn't matter what you write about.
As long as you write it, I will read it.
We got big fluffy flakes here today. And the beard is growing back.


I feel a board sneaking under my feet.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Allen, I'm glad to hear I spark your imagination. :)

Melanie Hooyenga said...

As long as you write it, I will read it.

Penguin, we need more readers like you!! Thanks. :) And I'm so jealous of you! (the board, not the beard...)

Robin said...

I love all the blogs, both writing and non-writing. The stuff about Mexico is really interesting, and the pictures rock!

I also love the way you respond to comments so quickly. It feels like having a conversation. And now that I've met you through the blog and you've become a bloggie friend, I think I feel like Penguin - it's just nice to read about your adventures and how you're doing.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks Robin! It helps that I'm on the computer all day - I can respond quickly. :)

I have another picture planned for tomorrow!

Robin said...

Oh Goody! I like the weird food pictures the best. If you could find some chocolate covered cockroaches, that would make me really happy.

Anonymous said...

Let's play Blog Survivor so I vote Stephen out for his roach request. :-)

Those are the posts I like least and don't read. It's my own issue, not you Mel. Post traumatic stress disorder I suppose.

Jewel Allen said...

You were serious about being inspired to write about this topic! Thanks for the shout out. :-)

I love reading your blog regardless of topic. I love anything tropical, writerly, and cockroaches are just my thing, so you've got it all pretty much covered. :-) But I guess the writer stuff is fun for me to comment on because I feel like you'll *get* what I say, ya know?

The writer, non-writer balance is hard for me, too. I usually try to fit both into my posts, but some days when one feels more overwhelming than the other, I just post anyway I want!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Robin, I generally try to AVOID weird food, but I'll see what I can do. There were dozens of lobster carcasses on the beach the other day - I could've captured those for you.

Melanie Hooyenga said...

AC, I'm with you (except for the making Stephen leave part...). No more cockroaches!

Melanie Hooyenga said...

Thanks Pink. That's pretty much how I do it. I don't have too many completely uninspired days but I worry those drag down the overall quality. Oh well.

Aimlesswriter said...

Your posts are always good. I do like the living experience in Mexico vs USA but what I wonder most about is how you ended up down there and why you choose to go? Either way you have a very interesting life.

Robin said...

Lobster carcasses on the beach would have made a really nice picture.