Blog Questions

I have heard about blogs for a few years, but I sort of thought the idea of a web log sounded lame. So I never looked at any unless they showed up in a search and then they usually were lame. I had no way to find where any of the good ones were at the time so I ignored the whole thing. Now I find I do not know the etiquette for blog related things, not that I am a great follower of etiquette anyway, but if I were to try it would be nice to know what I should be doing.
When I first started this blog, I thought that people would appear from nowhere. See, I heard people say things like, ''oh I wrote about that on my blog'' and '' I just blogged my vacation'' and so I thought if it was blogged, someone was reading in the air somewhere. Very quickly I noticed that did not seem to be happening. I installed a visitor counter which confirmed that yes indeed, I was writing to myself. This seemed pointless. I went looking for tips and hints and put my link out there on a few list-serves that I had been on all along. It worked in that a good many people came to look and a discouraging lot of them never came back. A few did, and I really was quite grateful! Then I came across some of the good blogs and I commented and some of the writers came to visit me, and some of the other commenter's came to look too! AHA!
Back to the etiquette thing, I did not know what I should do in regards to listing blogs I like. At first I just started plugging them in. Then it occurred to me that I probably should ask the writers, being as they might not want to be associated with me, for permission to list them (I am fine if someone does not want my blog associated with theirs, I use bad words and say rude and sarcastic things, my humor is not for everyone!). Everyone said, okay sure! And then like, TWO, listed me back. Fortunately those 2 totally rock, Kids Special Needs and Parenting the Hoovers.
Along comes this following business and I do not really get that either. I have a blog list, and I have this subscription dealy up (does anyone use those?) and now followers? I have been embarrassed to say that for the longest time I only had ONE follower. ONE! Mind you I have always been very proud of my follower and I very much appreciate her and you should know immediately who you are. Just last week some one else joined to be a follower so now I have TWO! Still, 2 does not sound like a lot, there is no getting around that fact, and I will feel kind of silly putting up a follower list with 2 stickers on it. Especially because there is a blogger whose little kid put up a blog and like in 10 minutes had 900 followers! I do not really know either, should I just sticker myself onto other peoples blogs? Is that polite? I went searching yesterday and got myself a pretty sticker, different color stairs going up with a white background. Appropriate as my blog description ends with..." and things have gone uphill from there". It is sure to be complimentary to anyones color scheme.

So, I guess this is partly a warning. I am tired of trying to find people all the time going back through comments and into my saved favorites etc. I am going to put you on my blog list if I read you and I am going to sticker myself on you, like it or not (with the exception of aforementioned child, whose wonderful mother probably does not need her daughter reading my sassy language).

AND I WOULD BE REALLY HAPPY IF YOU WANT TO PUT ME ON YOUR BLOG LIST AND PUT YOUR STICKER ON MY BLOG AND I WILL SHOW THEM ALL.
AND FEEL FREE TO SPREAD ME AROUND TO ALL THE PEOPLE YOU KNOW TOO!
LIKE A REGIFTED FRUIT CAKE!

And if I miss anyone, feel free to speak up!!!!
And a little housekeeping, I did rearrange the furniture in here, not sure yet if I will keep it. I also added my title onto my signature to be Essie the Accidental Mommy. There is another blogger who travels in the same circles with the same name, so I decided to be more specific as to avoid potential pitfalls.