And thank you.

If you have a critism, such as “I don’t agree with your review of the Eggs Kathleen because” comment that’s one thing. But don’t waste your time or ours by posting inflamatory rhetoric.

The Comet’s brunch is good, but there are also so many other brunches in Northside that are also great. This, along with my bi-monthly Sunday trip to Tuckers and Findlay market is going to result in only one thing: Multiple brunch Sundays. Looks like I am going to be putting on a little bit of weight and eating all my Sunday meals before 3:00pm. (Sigh).

http://mashable.com/2008/11/16/motrin-moms/

http://www.slideshare.net/opinionwatch/nielsen-study-online-power-mom-blogger-mai-09

as some examples.

If you’re new to blogging, I wouldn’t cross the mommy bloggers by saying they’re not powerful. They get kind of testy if you do that.

Yes, I am aware that I can affect peoples’ livelihoods, which, if you’ve read any of my work, you would know that I am very careful when being negative, and can usually find something good in any restaurant. Bloggers are not usually citizen journalists– why would I need a journalism degree? I hold myself to a standard of ethics, sure, but a journalism degree does not make a good writer– or a good journalist. There are others who bash without remorse– I am not one of them. Please do your research in both blogging AND the person you are criticizing before you make such assumptions.

By the way… “restaurant critic” and “restaurant blogger” are two different things. I have never called myself a restaurant critic. How should I be “more respectful”? You must be confusing me with someone else. No one would respect my opinion if I were only positive– that would make me little more than a PR person, and that’s not what I am.

Blogging is the voice of the passionate consumer, particularly with food. It’s dialogue with other people who love food. I know I’ve influenced people to try new places– sometimes they agree with me, sometimes they don’t, and that’s really okay. There is room for everyone’s opinion.

Did I write something negative about a restaurant you like or something? That’s the impression I get from your comments.

I’m confused. First of all, are you saying that a food blogger should only write positive things so that “people” will agree with her/him? How is that the “power of an opinion”? That sounds more like herd mentality.

Secondly, this is a rather positive review for The Comet. What didn’t you like about the review that made you feel like you needed to call into question the qualifications of the writer?

As for the rest, it’s your choice as to whether Julie’s blog or not, so if you have an issue with her credentials then read a different blog with different opinions that you personally can trust. How is it disrespectful to her readers if Julie does disclose her background? You make a big assumption that readers are feeling misled.

We all have opinions. More often than not, it seems when someone offers a differing one, someone gets pissed off. I’m not sure why reading a Kindle at the Comet and giving an opinion about food pissed you off Seriously.

As Julie said, your comments might have voiced legitimate questions, but when one asks legitimate questions with such an unprovoked, fists-on-the-hips-head-waggling-who-do-you-think-you-are tone, one invites a certain adolescent level of response. That’s my opinion. And that’s what blogs are for…opinions.

You’re right. It’s obvious that you are new to this “blog” thing, as am I (relatively speaking).

Blogs generated in this country alone now number in the millions. Some blogs have an extremely high number of readers. Others are read by the bloggers who produce them and by no one else. Some aspire to a level of professionalism and hope to be taken seriously by a regular readership; others are more of an open-to-the-world diary than anything else.

There are thousands of “mommy” blogs on the internet. Is any one of these mommies more qualified than any other mommy to talk about the joys and travails of mommyhood? There are thousands of sports-related “fan” blogs. Is any one fan’s perspective or convictions more valid that those of any other?

Julie has never worked in the food industry. I, on the other hand, worked in a fast-food restaurant for six months thirty years ago. One might conclude that I am far more qualified than she to write a food blog.

What determines a blog’s level of success is the number of people who read the blog, find its information useful or entertaining, comment on its contents, and then return to the site on a regular basis.

Using the above criteria, one might conclude that Julie has attained more than a modicum of success. Though she does have occasional detractors, a lot of people read her blog. On average, several hundred people visit her blog daily, and there are days when her readership gusts to several thousand. The Cincinnati Enquirer has put enough stock her her writings to have linked to her blog for almost a year. Her posts regularly appear in Metromix.

Julie doesn’t need me to lash out at others or attempt to fight her battles for her. She does a wonderful job of that on her own.