24 October, 2004 9:20 PM
Thanks for the well wishes for V and my break in New Zealand. We're having a great time. I spent a few days in Auckland before V arrived with Rachel and Regan talking blogging. We'll be announcing some new blogging ideas/strategies/blogs in the next week or so which have arisen out of our time together - stay tuned.
V arrive here on Wednesday and since that time we've packed in a fair bit of travelling including black water rafting at waitomo caves, time in Rotorua (mud pools, geysers, geo thermal activity) and also some really encouraging time with Paul and Kathryn. Paul is someone who I felt I knew reasonably well having been a reader of his blog for just under a couple of years - but to spend an evening and morning with him and Kathryn was incredibly special. Their generosity, enthusiasm, hospitality and interest in us was one of the highlights of this last few days of travelling. To think that blogging has opening up the opportunities to meet people like them is exciting - and a little sad because we don't live closer!
Tonight we also went to Graceway again which was special having read and heard a lot about it over the past year or so also. They have been very welcoming to us this past two Sundays and I'm looking forward to going again next Sunday. I'm also hoping to get to Cityside next Sunday morning also.
All in all we've had a great time so far with still 9 days to go! The only downside has been returning back to Auckland today to my laptop and blog to find 200 spam comments left across my blogs in the last couple of days. It makes me quite angry that people so selfishly abuse my sites for their own gain - often for some fairly sick purposes. Anyway - I think and hope I've deleted it all - its just a bit of a downer after such a great few days.
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yes the spammers are the pits. I'm getting quite depressed by them actually. In the last 24 hours I've spent at least an hour deleting spam from my blogs and I was only away from it for 3 days. I have some spam protection on this blog but its getting out of control - makes me sick to my stomach and is driving me to the point of getting rid of comments on all my blogs which is something I'd hate to do - but something I'm seriously considering.
Darren Rowse » 25 October, 2004 9:20 PM
I can understand you feeling like that - I've had some spam trouble myself recently and it is depressing. But if they force us to ditch commenting we'll be conceding on of the most interesting features of this medium and darkness will have won a small victory. There are some really brainy techy types in the blogosphere. I can't believe that we can't come up with a solution between us.
Richard Hall » 25 October, 2004 9:35 PM
yeah I agree Richard - I don't want to give in - but if it gets much worse I'll spend more time maintaining my defenses against spammers than actually writing. Hmmm. Some days it all just seems too much and I wonder if blogging is for me.
I need a holiday - wait a minute - I'm on one :-)
Darren Rowse » 25 October, 2004 9:43 PM
Darren, i very much feel like you .. I have been SO depresssed checking my activity log over the weekend and seeing so much spam traffic. And we're all paying for it indirectly in dialup charges and in traffic to our sites. Sigh.
steve » 27 October, 2004 7:44 AM
Glad you are enjoying our fair country and all it has to offer!!!! Its so awesome isn't it!
Rachel » 28 October, 2004 8:54 PM
Spammers are the pits, aren't they? But it sounds like you're having a fine old time!
Richard Hall » 25 October, 2004 7:41 PM