Barb, Zen riddle: Q: What is the sound of one hand clapping 50 times? A: Nugatory.

Personally, I like clapping 50x when I read a good story or a thoughtful post. The 10 seconds I spend with my finger pressed on a key is my thanks to the writer. Easy, and costs me only my time, during which I mentally thank them.

What I got from your post though is the added value of highlighting and responding, which I only do every now and again. Your post encourages me to give more of the responses that are helpful to writers whose work I enjoy. (ps - I'm also Canadian).