Friday, December 27, 2013

all about you (part 1)


Alright!  I've crunched the data (yeah right) and it's time to release the fascinating (not an exaggeration if you're me!) results of this week's Reader Demographic Survey! Haven't you always wondered who else all the other fabulous people reading my blog are? No? Weird. Well, at least now you can find out about 100 of them. As I explained yesterday- I can't see more than 100 responses, so...boo. (But thanks for all the advice-- I can't believe there's a way to make surveys using Google Docs! I will definitely investigate using that for my next scientific survey.)

I figured you'd get bored if I showed all the results today, so I won't. I'll just do two of them: one straightforward demographic, one 'fun.' 

Where do you live?




In summary: mostly in the southern U.S. Not terribly surprising. Whoever my two folks living in Awesome Vacation Places are...let's make sure we become best friends, okay? No particular reason why.

Five people left comments/clarifications in the 'other' box:


I stated this on Facebook the other day, but as I was setting up the survey I just knew that someone from Texas was going to feel that they couldn't be lumped with any other states and that they needed their own special box to check. I knew they would write it in!! And alas-- I was right! So thanks for being predictable, oddly-state-pride-filled people of Texas! I hadn't, however, anticipated it from a 'snobbish' (their words, not mine!) citizen of Seattle! You learn something every day!

Alright. So now we know where everyone's from. Now let's talk about something less cut-and-dried...and also something with no pretty graphs (since it was all text box responses).

What qualities/features increase your enjoyment of a blog/blogger? What kinds of things do you dislike?

(Before I get to your responses, I'm going to interject a pointless picture. But as you'll see, many of you emphatically and repeatedly stated that you really like pictures, and since I haven't used any pictures thus far in today's post...I wanted to remedy that. So here's a previously-unshared shot of my coworkers and I on my fancy birthday!)



Alright. Moving on to the responses! I thought about just retyping all these out...maybe organizing them into the likes/dislikes...then I decided to just stick with my MO of being super lazy and do a bunch of screen shots. So kick back and enjoy-- 61 of you had a lot to say about your blog likes and dislikes!












If you made it through all of that-- congratulations!! If you're wondering who is the suck-up who said "I like it when the blogger's name is Erika. I dislike when their name isn't Erika," you should know that Lauren has confessed to writing that nonsense (and I didn't pay her or anything). Were you surprised by anything here? I'll confess: I had no idea so many people disliked giveaways! That's actually pretty handy...now I don't have to feel guilty that I never do them, ha. I will feel guilty anytime I do a post without pictures, though. Yikes. Maybe I need to make a new survey: is it better to have a post with NO pictures or a post with a really lame selfie taken only for the purpose of having a picture on the post? If any of you pick B...you're weird. :) But we can still be friends.

Alright. That's a lot of info to digest, so I'll shut up. Feel free to defend your position, posit theories about other people's responses, or make fun of people from Texas in the comments-- I'll work on taking some extra-lame selfies to pad future posts with!! Have a good weekend- my parents are coming up tonight to stay for the weekend so that we can have Christmas (and my birthday, actually!) with them...last night my mom was like "what were you thinking for meals?"...and I was like...oh, I'm an adult now. Am I supposed to do things like plan meals when I have weekend visitors? Because in my mind, it was like "mom's coming, I'm freeeeeeeeeee!!!!!" and consequently I haven't grocery shopped in a week. Am I the only one still living in this mindset in my 30s?? Oops.

18 comments:

  1. From these results, it seems like the key to success for bloggers is to be real! I don't mind giveaways but I tend to skip those posts. Unless it's a giveaway for an awesome book like Elle in Bloom and then I win...then I love them!!! :)

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  2. At the time I wasn't able to add a comment but I have to say I dislike blogs that are sad and depressing ALL OF THE TIME. I hope that doesn't make me a bad person because I know everyone has crazy things going on in their lives but I sort of just don't read blogs like that. I guess even when bad things are happening in my life I try to find the humor or lighter side of it even if it's in some small way eventually. I know in the moment of course I want to share and be supportive of each persons struggles but ya know what I mean. Every blog I read usually has that mix in it. :) Oh and I am a proud TEXAN!! haha

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  3. Okay I will comment more later but I couldn't stop laughing at your last paragraph. I am 41 and I still don't meal plan when my parents come because I know they will just take over the cooking. It's probably an even bigger "Oooops" at my age!

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  4. I love it! Oh, and I never, ever think about cooking when my mom is around. For the Christmas party I hosted last weekend (that no one came to- haha), I even had my mom make the dishes I was in charge of.

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  5. My favorite part of this post? "Am I supposed to do things like plan meals when I have weekend visitors? Because in my mind, it was like "mom's coming, I'm freeeeeeeeeee!!!!!" Hahahaha! Totally. I have in laws coming this weekend and I am trying to come up with the easiest meals there are so I don't spend the whole time in the kitchen! (Spaghetti, Taco Bake and Cajun Chicken Pasta are all on the menu...)

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    1. Props to you for cooking for your people! I would totally show up for the Cajun Chicken Pasta...yum!

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  6. Have fun with your folks! I love it when mine come and I don't have to worry about things...or in my mind I don't....I just grocery shopped for the first time in 2 weeks today....it was getting serious :) Have a great weekend!!

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  7. Haha I love the comment about being expected to plan meals when people visit. I'm like that too (although not in my 30s)...and I can't quite train myself to remember that when you have guests, you actually have to cook for them and stuff. Sheesh. This grownup thing is a lot to remember.

    I am one of those who hates giveaways...I'd much rather read about someone's life and their family than read a sponsored post any day. They also never apply to Canadians (which I am) so even if I wanted to I couldn't participate. I usually just skip those posts and if a blog does them too often, then I stop following the blog. Unless the giveaway is about the blogger's own book, those ones I don't mind as much as a sponsored post.

    Enjoy spending time with your folks!

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    1. Ugh, that is lame that Canadians get excluded from giveaways! Sad! I would skip those posts, too!

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  8. Representing New England/Northeast! Your blog is the bomb for many reasons, but mostly because you keep it real. That's really all your readers could ever ask for!

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  9. I'm sad that I was late in responding and therefore didn't get highlighted in the top 100… you snooze, you lose, right?

    You should do a survey (ok, actually a test) to find out how much your readers really do know about grammar! (I am a loser.)

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  10. Laughing at Amanda's comment b/c I would totally FAIL a grammar test/survey.

    Love that Texas got some personal loving on the survey!! Texas pride all the way!

    I write & publish posts all the time with no pictures. Maybe that is why I only have like 5 followers??? :) Haha! I will still read your posts pics or no pics!


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  11. Ok, I have a grammar question for you. I guess I am confused on when to use "I" and when to use "me". Your sentence above- "So here's a previously-unshared shot of my coworkers and I on my fancy birthday!)"- I thought that was supposed to be "me", not "I". I was taught to remove the other person in the sentence and see if it makes sense. So your sentence would read "So here's a previously-unshared shot of I on my fancy birthday!)- and that doesn't sound right. SO....what is the grammar rule- I am obviously doing this wrong!!!

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    1. Ooooh-- nice catch!! I should say that I did that intentionally incorrectly to see if anyone would catch me...and then give a prize!!!...but the truth is...I just messed up. :) And then didn't proofread. Ha. Your grammar rule is correct-- continue using it with confidence! (And I'm not going to edit my bad sentence...just in case anyone thinks I think my grammar is above reproach...well, obviously it isn't. Here's proof!!)

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  12. I missed the survey :( But I am loving all this in depth analysis of the results! Your blog is the best one in the whole world; obviously you even have fans in Iceland and New Zealand. (Aside from Disneyland, those are the best lands!) I feel that the West Coast population is under-represented. All my friends and family are hearing me quote your blog constantly. Andrew even uses your grammar posts in his college writing classes. You're basically a professor now and eligible for an honorary doctorate. Congratulations!

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  13. I like the person who said "Dunno". I'm going to start saying that when someone asks me something I don't like. As for what I like about your blog, my answer is simple: "EVERYTHING. Every single darn one."

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  14. Wow! I am so impressed with all of the work you put into this! And it's only part 1? Again, impressed. The results were interesting to read too. Some surprised me!

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  15. You're so cute to poll your readers to learn more about them. Love it!

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I love comments almost as much as I love Mexican food. Seriously.