A good day in cyberspace

A fellow blogger once told me:

Blogging can feel like such a private activity, words I'm shouting to no one in particular, and it's encouraging to know there are real and actual readers.

I agree completely. So it was gratifying yesterday to see signs that Rough and Rede is being read and appreciated by a few more people than is evident on a daily basis. (Sorry if this sounds self-indulgent, but I think any journalist is curious to know who's reading his or her work and how they're reacting to it.)

Anyway, Obama's Blackberry drew a first-time commenter. The Joni Mitchell video posted under Quick Takes prompted a lovely reminiscence about the part Joni played in bringing a couple together 30 years ago. I picked up a new follower, bringing me to 20. (Yay!)

And...three fellow journalists, ranging from Portland and Vancouver to Washington, D.C., let me know through regular e-mail or Facebook messages that they read the blog regularly. (Yay, again!)

Part of me feels silly sharing this. Does it do anything besides draw attention to a writer's insecurities? I'd like to think so. The positive feedback gives me incentive to keep at this, knowing that somehow, someway people are getting something out of this.

Thanks, readers.