I'm Watching You

So this would have been more appropriate in October, with the creep factor and all, but I didn't think of it then. With my diminished interest in commenting online, I have found myself prioritizing what I read, too. I've noticed that when I see someone has commented, there are a few names which always interest me in the original post and make me click over to read.

There are, of course, other people whose comments I appreciate. I'm bound to think of more and come back to add them later. And certain topics grab my attention, no matter who addresses them. But if you ever wondered if I blog-stalk you, this is your time to find out. Think of it more as a "I'm thankful for these people's online participation," and it can be appropriate for November, too. And a bit less creepy.

In basically alphabetical order:

Ardis Parshall—the reasons for this go without saying. Ardis is not blindly trumpeting one thing, and I find her comments are invariably pointed and well-stated. I have often re-examined my opinions because of something Ardis has said. I want to be offline buddies. Or maybe an apprentice, I hold her in such awe.

Bruce Nielson—Sadly, Bruce almost exclusively sticks to one blog I generally don't bother to read. But when he posts there, I click over anyways. Bruce's posts make me think, and I don't get enough of that kind of thinking. Plus, I can always contact him and pick his ideas apart without him getting testy. (That I know of.)

Ethesis/Stephen—No doubt, this man has lived some life. His wisdom is vastly underrated, in my mind. You can hear the price for wisdom in nearly every comment he makes. I kind of picture him as this wise man on a mountain somewhere.

gst—I'm like everyone else this way. 90% of the time, his comments crack me up and I'm always good for more laughter.

J. Max—If anyone has ever taken an online beating and kept ticking, it's J. Max. Not only are he and his family people I consider friends (and just plain amazing,) his opinions are always well-thought out and nearly always utterly misunderstood. Anything he writes draws out the haters, which has its own entertainment value.

Jeff G.—I don't always agree with the way Jeff says things, but I find myself agreeing with the kernel of his intentions almost every time. He's brave enough to buck the winds, and especially given his history, I find his perspective is always enlightening, even if I don't agree with it.

jks—Most of the time I want to comment, I find jks has beaten me to it and said it better. I don't know them personally (even if they're male or female for sure, I keep thinking I know, but then some comment will make me change my mind) but I really appreciate hearing a voice of balance and foresight.

Jonathan Cavender—I appreciate his cooly logical approach. He tends to carefully disassemble assumptions and restructure them more clearly than before. His opponents don't seem to appreciate this, but I do.

M&M/Michelle—She's a great personal friend of mine, and while I'm glad she has mostly stepped away from the Bloggernacle for her own reasons, I think the LDS blogworld is far poorer for her loss. She's another automatic target for some people, and I admire her wisdom and her bravery.

Naismith—Here's another lady with some serious life experience. She can rub people the wrong way because she doesn't mince words, but that's the exact thing I love about her. Her comments are always worth a read.

Nathaniel Givens—I didn't even make the connection to THE Givenses until just recently, but if I'm going to feel the Spirit reading something on the Bloggernacle, chances are high Nathaniel has posted it. He extends a tenderness towards life that resonates with me more deeply than just about any other voice. My soul hungers for the waters of life, and Nathaniel seems to channel that true Good News.

So there you have it up til now. I'll be sure to come back and add others as I think of them. I know I'm missing a few.