Sarah kindly pointed out there are several of these challenges you can do and I inadvertently started on the commenting challenge. I’ve gone back to the original entries of Angela’s challenge and I now think I’m on the right one (well time will tell!). the URL for this is actually on a wikispace organised in part by Michele Martin of the Bamboo Project. The 30 days have finished now, but I think the activities will stay on the wiki for other’s to follow.

Today’s task then is to do a commenting self-audit which Michele suggests will give me a better picture of my blog commenting skills and strategies. I had to reflect on the following:

• How often do you comment on other blogs during a typical week?

I probably comment on at least 3 – 4 blogs a week – it depends on whether I’m concentrating on developing up my own post, or whether I’m reading/cruising other’s to see what is being written/thought about etc. If I’m reading/cruising then I tend to post, otherwise, if I’m posting I might dip into other’s blogs to gain inspiration, or to promote thought, or to link my blog to the other.

• Do you track your blog comments? How? What do you do with your tracking?

Now I know this is something I don’t do well – I’ve seen the words pingback and trackbacks and never quite worked out what they meant or how to use them properly!

• Do you tend to comment at the same blogs or do you try to comment on at least one new blog per week?

Again a mixture – if I find a new occupational therapy blog then I try to comment and encourage, and I do have ones that I visit quite regularly and leave comments on.

The second task was to review Gina Trapani’s Guide to Blog Comments and to look at what I may need to do some work in. Being concise is tricky for me – I tend to get so excited or stimulated by what I’ve read that I can go on a bit (Perhaps it’s my lecturing background!). I should also use more emoticons to ensure the intent of my messages are clear.

I think probably having done this little self-audit that I’m a reasonably good commentor, but I do need to pay attention to some aspects such as length and use of emoticons etc. I also could provide better linking when I’m drawing from other blogs or URLs’.

Okay that’s the first day’s tasks completed. Wonder if anyone else whats to do the challenge with me? And I’m really keen to hear how the presentation goes at COT/BAOT conference. Will, Sarah and Angela have finished shaping up the presentation (with input from Natan and myself)…. so its sit back now and see what happens both during the presentation and subsequently.