Dear Lurker,

Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to visit here. It is nice to know that you would view this page either by accident on a Google search, a blog content alert or intentionally via Bloglines or some other subscriber service. If this is your first time here, Welcome! You are welcome back any time and your comments along your way are appreciated! If you are a returning visitor, thanks to those of you who leave your comments to let me know that you have been here.

Today, I was reading a blog that I have been frequenting lately and she talked about the number of visitors to her site and the lack of comments she has been receiving. This post then led me to Schmutzie, who was concerned that her drop in comments may be the result of a personal hygiene issue (which made me giggle). Apparently, people have, for one reason or another, stopped leaving comments after they've visited not just her site but the sites of many. I understand the one time visitor: views, decides it's not what they were looking for or expecting, moves on and never comes back. There is no need to comment. If we all commented on every page we ever visited we would be sitting in front of the screen for hours wasting our lives and wearing our finger tips away. Many of us do that anyway but I digress. If one decides to return to a Blogger's site, I think it courteous to let the person know that you've been there and what you thought during your visit. A simple thought or opinion on the matter is welcomed, not even every time but once in a while.

Before I go on, I must come clean. I have been guilty of lurking, especially when I had just gotten started. To be honest, these people scared the hell out of me, like I had stumbled into a blogger cult of some kind. To leave a comment and let it be known that I was present felt like I was intruding on some secret circle but after a while I realized THE INTERNET IS THE CIRCLE. So, for what ever reason you stay in hiding, dear lurker, come out, come out, where ever you are!
The lurking ends now. For those unaware, software exists to see who visits your site and when, from where and identifies IP addresses. Yes, Blackberry's too. So, even if a comment is not received... you've been spied. In a game of hide and seek, you've been found and tagged. It's your turn to talk.

Be Proud. Be Loud. Today is the day of the Great Mother F***ing DeLurking!

Sincerely and Ever Yours,

~ Scoobers


*Update: Schmutzie has created a blog roll with the participants of TGMfDl of 2007.