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Tuesday, November 21, 2023
Top Ten Tuesday: I'm Thankful for YOU!
12:00 AM
Happy Thanksgiving to those who celebrate! I know the holiday has a problematic history, but I still love that it prompts us to spend one day out of the year hyper focusing on gratitude. We should be counting our blessings every day, of course. Still, I need the annual reminder to really think about all that I have and be thankful for it. After all, my life is rich and full and beautiful, in spite of its challenges and heartaches. We were discussing the Book of James in church yesterday and I love the verse that counsels us to "count it all joy" (James 1:2). I'm trying to do more of that as I count my blessings instead of my problems.
Today's Top Ten Tuesday (hosted, as always, by Jana over at That Artsy Reader Girl) topic is our annual Thanksgiving prompt: Top Ten Reasons Why I'm Thankful for Books. I've done this one multiple times, so today I'm going to go rogue and express my gratitude not for books, but for book bloggers. Over the years, I've wanted to do a personal shout-out to all of the bloggers I love and appreciate, but I couldn't figure out a way to do so without (1) creating a post that's so long no one wants to read it and (2) accidentally leaving someone off the list. Yesterday, I had the brilliant idea of highlighting the top ten commenters on my blog this year. Blogger, unfortunately, doesn't have an easy way to identify these rock stars (at least not that I could find). Since I haven't posted nearly as much in 2023 as I usually do, I decided to just count up the comments myself. How hard could it be, really? Ahem, this is what my desk looked like after tallying up comments for just the first few months of the year:
At this point, a few things occurred to me:
(1) This project was going to take longer than expected and maybe I should quit while I was ahead.
(2) I probably should have used a spreadsheet for my calculations instead of writing everything out by hand.
(3) I really wanted to know who my top commenters were.
(4) A lot of people have taken time out of their days this year to leave a comment on my blog. How awesome is that?
As I wrote all of your names down and scrolled through all of your comments, I was absolutely flooded with gratitude for YOU. According to my calculations, 184 of you (not including anonymous commenters) paused a moment to leave me at least one message this year. Thank you for that! It means a great deal to me. Even more amazing is that a whole bunch of you left me multiple comments over the course of this year. My favorite part of blogging is interacting with you. I haven't been as good about commenting on other people's blogs this year, so the many comments on mine mean even more to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! You make blogging such a joy for me.
Although I appreciate each and every comment left on my blog and it's not a competition, obviously, I still want to give some shout-outs to the bloggers who commented most here at BBB this year. If you're not familiar with them already, do yourself a favor and go check them out. You'll find thoughtful book reviews, on-point reading recommendations, fun book commentary, and, best of all, new blogger friends!
Just for reference, I have published 66 posts this year (not including this one), of which 40 were Top Ten Tuesday lists. (I've been a HUGE slacker on reviews this year!)
Top Ten (Okay, Fifteen-Ish) Top Commenters on BBB in 2023 (So Far)
1. Katherine P. @I Wish I Lived in a Library and Lark @LarkWrites...On Books and Life (43 comments)
3. Lydia @Lydia Schoch and Nicole @BookWyrm Knits (40 comments)
4. Rissi @Culture Characteristics/RissiWrites (32 comments)
5. Louise @Foxes and Fairy Tales (31 comments)
6. Deb Nance @Readerbuzz and Leah @Leah's Books (30 comments)
7. Carla @Carla Loves to Read (29 comments)
8. Dedra @A Book Wanderer (26 comments)
9. Nicole Santana @The Christian Fiction Girl and Vero @The Moon Phoenix (24 comments)
10. Lindsey @Lindsey Reads and Marianne @Let's Read (23 comments)
11. Lisa @Bookshelf Fantasies and Tanya @Girl Plus Books (22 comments)
12. Carol @Reading Ladies and Ethan @A Book a Week (21 comments)
13. Emily @Budget Tales Book Blog and Rainbow Stevie @Literary Loot (20 comments)
14. Suzanne @The Bookish Libra (19 comments)
15. Leslie @Books Are the New Black (18 comments)
A million thanks to these frequent commenters and to all of you who read my blog and take the time to comment. I appreciate you more than you could ever know. I love being part of the book blogging community. Thank you for making it such a fantastic place to hang out!
Have these book bloggers also blessed you with their lovely comments? Which book bloggers are you thankful for? Why are you thankful for books and this bookish community of ours? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.
Happy TTT!
Labels:Blogging,Thanksgiving,Top Ten Tuesday
58 comments:
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FWIW, the whole Pilgrims thing is largely a myth -- Lincoln instituted Thanksgiving on its own merits, not to remember Pilgrims or whatever :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, it's just about the gratitude. I love the whole idea of gathering with loved ones to share a delicious meal and count your blessings together. I find it very wholesome and uplifting (family drama notwithstanding).
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Stephen!
Aww! Thank you for the mention! I don't track comments in any way (although maybe it'd be interesting to look up) but I do love getting used to recognising certain names popping up again, and getting to know a sense of the tastes of the bloggers I read often. This was a great post!
ReplyDeleteAgreed! My favorite part of book blogging is getting to know other bloggers through their posts and comments. It's fun to get familiar with everyone's different personalities, tastes, senses of humor, etc. I love this community :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Louise!
I feel the same way about Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the shoutout. What a lovely surprise.
Here is my Top Ten Tuesday post.
Lydia
You've inspired me to comment on every TTT post each week. I used to only check out my favorite bloggers' lists, plus a handful of randomly chosen ones. Now, I visit everyone's and it's been fun to get to know more blogs/bloggers. Thanks for the inspo!
DeleteAnd thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lydia!
What a wonderful idea and I'll have to note it down for a rogue TTT day (if you don't mind)! :) Great post!
ReplyDeleteNot at all! I'm all about spreading the love :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, dinipanda!
Bless you. Thank you so much for the mention ❤️ I've only been Blogging since 2021 but I love it and all the lovely people that I have been in communication with from all over the world.
ReplyDeleteHave a great week and here is to more commenting!!
It's so fun to be a part of this big, international book-loving community, isn't it? Getting to know other book bloggers is my favorite part of it.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Emily!
Oh, wow! That was a lot of work to figure this out! #2! I feel like I'm in great company. I am thankful for you and your blog. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteIt was SO much more work than I thought it was going to be! LOL. Like I said, though, it was a labor of love and it made me feel super grateful for everyone who visits and comments here. It's very much appreciated :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Deanna!
Wow, that's a time-consuming project. Some of my favorite people are on your list! I have no idea who comments on my blog the most. I don't think I'm motivated enough to find out. :)
ReplyDeleteIt took HOURS, but I'm really glad I did it. It was a great exercise in gratitude and really appreciating the time people take out of their busy lives to stop by here. It made me happy to write out each name (even though my hand got very sore)!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, AJ!
That must have taken hours to figure out. I am so grateful for book bloggers, too! Happy Thanksgiving.
ReplyDeleteIt took FOREVER and I almost abandoned the project several times, but I'm glad I stuck with it. It was a great exercise in gratitude, a perfect way to kick off my Thanksgiving festivities!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Anne!
This is such a lovely post, Susan. I often want to do something too because I am sincerely grateful for the people who take time to read ANYTHING I write (which I've learned can be cringey when I go back to reformat posts ;D), and as someone who enjoys chatting about books or film or pop culture, I'm always glad when someone does take that time to comment. Thank you for visiting my website today and for the kind shout-out! I spy lots of familiar names, too!!
ReplyDeleteI wish Blogger tracked this information. That would have made things a lot easier for me! Ha ha. I agree with you about appreciating all legit commenters. Sometimes I can't believe ANYONE cares enough to read my ramblings :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Rissi!
Aww this is such a great post! It's so nice to take a minute to think about the book bloggers that have been on this blogging journey with us throughout the year and I'm happy to have been a small part of your journey too <3
ReplyDeleteI agree. It was fun to think about and appreciate each and every commenter on my blog. I'm so thankful for everyone and the time they take to visit my little blog.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lindsey!
This is a wonderful post for today. I love they acknowledged these bloggers, that is awesome! Happy Thanksgiving, Susan. ☕📚🦃🍂🧡
ReplyDeleteLeaving a thoughtful comment on someone's blog is a small thing, but it makes me so happy when people do it here :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Jody!
Back at you, Susan. You hit the nail squarely on the head when it comes to comments and those who take the time to leave them. That's absolutely my favorite thing about book blogging, and it's the reason I'l probably not quit blogging until I just can't complete a sentence anymore. :-)
ReplyDeleteExactly! It's so fun to have this community of book lovers where we can hang out and feel seen and understood. I love it :)
DeleteBy the way, if I had put a #16 on my list, that would have been you! Thanks for all the commenting over the years. I really appreciate your friendship, Sam!
What a great idea!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the mention! When I do comment, anonymous is the only option I’m given…..but the downside to that is that I never see your rely so that we can continue the conversation. Sometimes I remember to go back and look for a reply but usually I forget, so then I think you must think I’m rude! Then there are times I’ve commented but have forgotten to add my name! Wordpress and Blogger do not play well together. 😂~Carol @ ReadingLadies
Ha ha. I've never thought you were rude! I love all of your comments and I'm just thrilled that you take the time to make them. It would be nice if Blogger and WP played together better. Someone should fix that for us!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Carol!
Awwwwwwww, what a sweet post. Many years ago someone made an extension for Livejournal that allowed auto-calculation of your top commenters; I'm sure it hasn't worked in an age but it used to be so fun when friends would post their results. I can't believe you tallied this up by hand! But it's very much appreciated. Even when I slack @ visiting blogs for TTT, yours is always a favorite stop.
ReplyDeleteYes! I could have SWORN I'd seen a top commenters widget on blogs before. Good thing to know I wasn't dreaming it. I wish Blogger had something like that. It would have made this list a lot easier to create. Ha ha.
DeleteI adore your comments. They're always thoughtful and funny and just a joy to read.
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, RS!
But how lovely, thanks for the mention :) This is a nice idea
ReplyDeleteThank YOU for all the lovely comments! I appreciate them so much, Vero :)
DeleteGreat take on the topic. Happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun way to twist the annual Thanksgiving TTT. I feel like I've already posted all the reasons I'm thankful for books a million times.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Bonnie!
What a lovely post, Susan! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Kay! It was a happy Thanksgiving, in spite of the requisite family drama :)
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting!
Frequent commenters on our blogs are wonderful and do deserve acknowledgement. I know I learn a lot from them and am encouraged by them.
ReplyDeleteTotally agree. I still get a little thrill every time someone comments on my blog. Like you, I've learned a lot from them - book recommendations, author readalikes, interesting facts about other countries/cultures, etc. This big, varied book blogging community of ours is the best, isn't it? I'm so grateful to belong to it.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Kathryn!
That's such a lovely spin on this week's topic!
ReplyDeleteIt was a fun way to twist a topic I've already done a million times!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Bree!
Wow! That was some extensive research! Kudos to you for doing all that!!
ReplyDeleteI remember getting my first comment on my blog and I cried tears of happiness! I pretty much still do get teary whenever I get a comment! Lol.
Thanks for visiting my TTT!
It was definitely a more intense project than I thought it would be! Ha ha.
DeleteI totally get that. Even after all these years of blogging, I still get a little thrill when someone comments on my blog. Same with getting free books in the mail. It never gets old!
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Jessica!
WOW, I've left 40 comments here? (Let's make it 41!) That's a ton of research. I'm thankful for you as well!
ReplyDeleteMy TTT: https://bookwyrmknits.com/2023/11/21/top-ten-tuesday-forthcoming-sf/
Yes, you have, and I appreciate them all. It's been fun to get to know you through our blogs and bookish interactions. Here's to lots more of that in the future!
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Nicole!
This is a great idea! WordPress can track who comments and how much but idk about other sites! Thanks for dropping by my TTT!
ReplyDeleteDoes it? Nice! I wish Blogger had that feature. It would have made this post a lot easier to create. Ha ha.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Athena!
This is so sweet! Thank you so much for the mention! I've never looked into stats on comments, but now I'm feeling inspired -- I may "borrow" this TTT topic for a future freebie. Wishing you and your loved ones a very happy Thanksgiving!
ReplyDeleteI had a good idea of who my top commenters were, but I had never thought about actually counting up the comments to see. It was an interesting exercise and, like I said, it really just flooded me with gratitude and happiness to see how many people have taken the time to comment on my blog this year. It really does mean the world to me.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lisa!
Here's comment #44...thanks for your blogging friendship over the years! It's been so fun reading your posts, joining in your reading challenge, and doing the AML judging with you. I wish you and your family a wonderful Thanksgiving. :D
ReplyDeleteRight back at you! I've loved getting to know you over the years. Next time I'm in SLC, we need to get together.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lark!
Aw, this is a lovely post, and a great take on the theme!
ReplyDeleteIt was a labor of love to put this one together, but I really, REALLY enjoyed going through everyone's comments and thinking about how much I appreciate each and every one of you who leave me messages here. It's so fun to receive them.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Nicky!
What a nice gesture and an interesting post!
ReplyDeleteI might have to do it again next year. Or maybe not. It was a lot of work! LOL.
DeleteThanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Lisa!
What an awesome idea for a post! I love that I made the list, because I always enjoy coming to check out your TTT lists - they're always so interesting to me. You're personally responsible for increasing my TBR list by a lot, but I'm not complaining at all! I actually did a post for today about the bloggers I'm grateful for because we've formed friendships through our connection because of books, but I like this idea and may want to borrow it later in the year!
ReplyDeleteAwww, I feel the same! It's always fun to visit your blog and I've definitely added books to my TBR because of you. I'm also better about finding more authentic books about the Jewish experience because of you :)
DeleteFeel free to use this idea. I'm all about spreading the love!
Thanks, as always, for coming by and commenting, Leah!
Oh my goodness, I love this so much!! This should be a TTT suggestion. And you put so much work into it. I love that you shared the behind the scenes work it took. So often, we spend more time than we expect on posts. Thank you for the shout-out. I'm so thankful to have found your blog and this wonderful bookish community. Keep up the great work! <3
ReplyDeleteThis is such a wonderful idea Susan!! And I am definitely stealing it for some later day.. And thanks for visiting and commenting always on my posts
ReplyDeleteOh, I love this, although I'm nowhere near patient enough to do it myself, haha. Yay for me making the list! :)
ReplyDeleteOh thanks for the mention! I'm nowhere near patient enough to track that but I do love my regular commenters. Book bloggers are just the best people!
ReplyDelete