Spam party no more

If you are an avid Miles and Laurel commenter, you may notice something a little different about the feedback process soon. I didn't like that awkward roadblock that makes you type out a barely-legible phrase to get your comment through the spam filter - mostly because I am terrible at guessing the correct letters and have to guess most people feel the same - but I had to put it back up. Blogger is having trouble with spam commenters.

The first time it happened, I was tickled. My First Spam Comment! Then it kept happening...more and more. You guys know I blog for lots of reasons that are just for me - recording daily life, practicing my personal writing voice, and so on - but of course I love, love, love to get comments from readers. And it's a total bummer to get the little email that you've received a new comment from someone who took the time to see what you wrote - and then have it be spam!

(That was a weird little look behind the curtain of Miles and Laurel. Apologies.)

Anyway, I said I was tickled to get my first spam comment, but a small part of me remains tickled, because the spam is oddly creative. Basically, the spammers try to flatter you with over-the-top praise for your wildly amazing blog - sometimes for a random months-old post - and then drop the hammer with their spam links, which are totally and blatantly unrelated to their praise.

Like this one. Well. I'm not sure if "I do not believe I have read through a single thing like that before" counts as a pure compliment. Bad example.

And this one! This made me laugh out loud. "You definitely know how to bring a problem to light and make it important," regarding a post on decorating my mantel. I also burst out laughing again when I read, "It's surprising you are not more popular given that you certainly have the gift."

Finally, the third example. "It's great to come across a blog . . . that isn't the same outdated rehashed material." Any regular reader knows that I am quite adept at rehashing material about my dog, shadows and the sky. I also appreciate the italicized second spam link. MY WEB SITE! DIET!

Okay, now I have mixed feelings about it, but the spam filter's back up. Don't let it stop you, though!

P.S. I teased a recap of a weekend project in yesterday's post. Soon!