Since my first post back on July 29, 2005, there have been 30,000 comments left on this site.
I took me 15 months to reach my first 10,000. Then, it took seven months to hit 20,000. That was back in June of this year.
Now, just over four months later, I’ve hit 30,000. This week alone there have been well over 800 comments.
And yes, I do read them all. When things get heated and comments pour in (like this week) I scan them more quickly, but it’s rare that a comment is posted that I haven’t read.
It’s amazing how many of them are constructive and intelligent (only a small fraction require censoring and/or outright deletion) and I consider them just as much a part of this site as the stories and photographs.
Thanks to everyone who contributes. You make my stories better by adding your perspectives and you keep me on my toes with your unabashed feedback and criticisms. I appreciate all of it and I hope you continue to take part in the dialogue.