Being new to this whole blogging thing (I never read a blog until I started blogging myself two months ago), I'm still getting the hang of things. I thought, when I started blogging, that I would just write lots of fantastic posts and people would read them, and love them, and word would spread and someone influential would happen upon my blog and offer me a lot of money to write a memoir. (Come on, a memoir about my interracial marriage to a sex addict? I don't even need to bring my hopelessly adorable children into it for it to sell! All the sex addicts that mistakenly come to my blog looking for porn will mistakenly buy my memoir for the same reason. It's sure to be a hit!) OK, actually, I only really thought that people would read the posts, and I'd get to use it as free therapy, but that other stuff (love, adoration, money) would still be a great bonus.
One thing I didn't count on was comments: I leave them on other people's blogs, people leave them on my blog, I leave them on my blog, people leave them on their own blogs. We have some kind of conversation. Is that how it works? Am I supposed to keep up with the comments on other people's blogs? I'd like to, but how? I think I'd have to subscribe to the comments for each individual post in Goggle Reader, which is a hassle. Can I somehow do it for an entire blog? Do you all come back and check the posts you've commented on? I just have no idea how to keep up with, or keep track of, a conversation on every blog post I comment on. (Here in the real world, I can't keep track of where I put the IEP form I was supposed to sign by today.) Sigh! Who knew there was more to a blog than just writing posts?
I know this is frustrating for you..but I just had to giggle....I have been blogging for two years and I remember this dilemma as though it was yesterday..and well...since you asked...I will share my experience...when I leave a comment I don't ordinarily come back to that blog to see if the person replied...unless of course I know that it is that person's habit to do that (there are two or three blogs I read where the writer does this and I do go back and re-visit the comment section)...but this is what I do...I have my comments show up in my email..that way I can send off a quick reply to the person who was kind enough to leave a comment...if the comment has a 'no-reply' address...I just stop by their blog and reciprocate the comment....and many times..if it is someone new..I put them in my bloglines so I can keep track of new posts. This is not as time consuming as it sounds....and many times those that comment are people that you have developed a 'blogging' friendship with and you would be reading or 'talking' with them anyway
,,,I actually stopped by last night and read your last post...I was so blown away by the honesty of it that I wasn't quite sure what to leave as a comment that wouldn't sound trite...anyway...this is how I handle comments...hope it helps 
Danielle, thanks, and I even e-mailed you to say so! Whew! Can you all believe that I was getting comments by e-mail but didn't know I could e-mail the commenter back? I didn't even look; I just assumed they were all no-reply addresses! And I used to work in the tech sector. Sigh! Apparently, six years of sleep deprivation can do nasty things to your brain.
Well, I just learned something new, too. After trying to reply by email a couple times and got the no reply message, I just assumed I couldn't email any back. I actually have been wondering why emails are necessary on all comments, yet I couldn't find anyone's email address. I'll have to go back through some old posts to see who I can email and who I cannot.
I follow the same rule as PP, though. I like to visit the blog of the person and leave comment that way. If I could email, though, I would prefer that when really busy. For now, I leave comment and then do not return to that site unless I'm scouring blogs. I need to create a blogroll ... the rule being those who comment on my blog will be on it. I just haven't had the energy to go back through and do it -- it seems like it will be a chore.
o.k., so I forgot that you are someone who comments in your own comment section. And thus, I forgot to stop back and look again until right now.
You made me laugh HARD with the comment you left me on Gay Legos post. I am STILL laughing right out loud. My dog is staring at me. The cat is staring at me. Neighbors are looking out their doors at me......and I could really give a rip. lol.
I wont go away again, I promise. I DO love you. I really, really do love you.
Peace,
Scout
P.S. J-Wife--down girl. just playin'.