Blogger Appreciation Week

April 14 was declared kind of an unofficial Blogger Appreciation Day. If you missed it, don’t feel bad: there’s nothing stopping you from appreciating the blogger of your choice right this minute. Here are a few suggestions for ways to appreciate your fellow bloggers this week:

Speak up
Too often, too many of us feel like we’re blogging in a vacuum. You might have thousands of readers, but if none of them talk back you can easily get discouraged and stop blogging altogether. This week, take the time to comment on a post you like. Let the blogger know you appreciate his or her humor, intelligence and style. Remember, comments are the new roses.

Speak out
Throw a little linklove at your favorite blogs this week. You can do a blog roundup post on your own blog, add links to your sidebar, or just float some suggestions to your friends via email. Helping to build another blogger’s readership is the new box of candy.

Cough it up
Some bloggers have Paypal links or other methods whereby readers can donate to the upkeep of the blog. If you spend a lot of time reading a blog, consider tossing some cash in the cup as a thank you for all the great entertainment. Of course you don’t HAVE to pay to play, but it’s a nice gesture that could really help a blogger out. Blog donations are the new diamond rings, without a diamond’s high cost in human suffering. Bonus!

In conclusion, I’d like to applaud a few of my favorite bloggers:

Things I’ve Bought That I Love: A blog by Mindy Kaling, who writes for The Office and plays Kelly Kapoor on the show. This is a witty, silly series of reviews of stuff Kaling buys, everything from shoes to vitamin pills.

The Closet Shopper: A fashion blog by a personal shopper. I like this because the author actually discusses stuff I can afford to buy, and talks about ways to spice up your outfits with items you already have in your closet.

Incas of Emergency: A Santa Cruz grad student moves to the big D.C., where she thoughtfully considers her experiences, mocks where appropriate, and emerges with insightful conclusions. Also, her posts are nice and meaty (though she herself is a vegetarian), making each one a very satisfying read.

Got a blog you want to appreciate? Leave them in the comments.