Blog Hopping

If a man does not make new acquaintances as he advances through life, he will soon find himself alone. ~ Samuel Johnson

I was relieved to realize that today was Thursday, and I should be booking it through... but there's no new post up over there yet. Shoot. Now I have to think of something to say!

Yesterday, after writing about 1,600 words toward my MayNoWriMo goal (woo!), I gave myself permission to do a little bloghopping. I get the shakes if I don't check in with some folks everyday. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that, out of 60 folks who entered at the blog, I was a winner at Paperback Writer! I opened yesterday's blog post over there, and my name was front and center -- and it's a new book by one of my absolute favorite authors, so I'm thrilled to death.

All in all, discounting the pinched nerve in my neck that keeps me from turning my head in either direction (yesterday, it was only to the left, today it's both ways), I had a pretty decent day.

Don't you love to blog hop? Have you come to think of certain people as friends, even when you've never met? Yesterday because of my limited time to look around, I realized that I really only checked in with folks who I've started some sort of dialogue with at one time or another... those bloggers to whom I've left comments before and haven't responded OR never came here to visit ended up on my -- "Ah, I'll get to them later" list.

Interesting, but it makes sense. Aside from the biggies like Paperback Writer, Jenny Crusie, et al, (though, both of these ladies do respond in some fashion to their comments -- so maybe they're setting the example of proper blogging etiquette?) I guess I expect a response of some sort. I know that I try to give one when someone new comes visiting -- and I've discovered some great new blogs that way.

What about you? Do you prefer to visit those folks who reciprocate by visiting you back or responding to your comments in their own blog? Or does that really even matter to you if they're interesting or witty or whatever?

Last day to enter this weeks contest for a free book! The drawing is tonight at 7 p.m. Eastern Time. Good luck!

When Booking it posts a meme, I'll be back.