My car passed the smog test!Didn't have to ask for a thing.
What a lark.
So now I can use this big blank blog post to let you know about three changes here.
First, I've added a new search box to the right column.
Second, I'm about to start labeling posts again, with tags like "career asking," "travel" and "bargain hunting." I stopped in July, but I think some readers found them useful, as did I. If there's a category you'd like to see, let me know.
Third, because I love your comments and the cool ideas that emerge from them, I'm introducing a new feature. It's called Readers suddenly start writing lots of comments. Here's how it works. My fantastic, witty and wise readers suddenly start writing comments, lots of comments, and I smile. And then you read the comments and feel enriched and invigorated by the exciting dialogue going on, and then you smile. And then everyone does more asking.
Now, seriously. About that last one. I've been thinking of ways to encourage a dialogue here, but I understand that many of these posts are hard to reply to. "La Roxy asked for some ham. What the hell am I supposed to say to that? Congrats, Animal Killer? Hmm."
But here's an idea. If there is something you're thinking in reaction to a post, anything at all, and you're not articulating it, please consider this an invitation to speak up. Whether it's "cool" or "what were you thinking!?" or you want to discuss your own negotiations or want to compose a disquisition on the origin of gendered salary practices in biblical Jerusalem, I'd love to hear it -- and I imagine readers would, too. Because in the past, your ideas and suggestions have led to many interesting new directions.
To that end, I recently installed a tricked out new comment system, which should stop eating your submissions, as yummy as they are (like Blogger does).
So I encourage you to challenge my positions and choices of action, to share experiences and perspectives, and to let me know about interesting asking or negotiation themed articles or blog posts you may come across. And if any of my posts end with a question, that's definitely an invitation to talk back. Don't be shy!! =)
Basically, let's just pretend like we're all at a big party, at your cousin's house, yeah, and there's this crazy person who keeps asking questions, and you really want to comment about it on her blog. Or something.
Now the gears are turning. Maybe I'll start a comment contest, or a weekly "what I asked for" smorgasbord? Or do you just want to read in peace and stop being pestered to chime in, thank you very much?
What do you think?
