Expanding the Reader

Have you ever gone to comment on a new blog that you stumbled across or linked to from another page, and gotten self-conscious or nervous, wondering how exactly to introduce yourself without sounding like a complete idiot or scary, bizarre person? Have you ever agonized over submitting an initial comment, picturing the blogger wondering who the heck this strange person is and what are they doing on my blog?

I have.

And I got to thinking about how silly that really is. It's like the blogger version of the fish bowl. Or something like that. (my metaphors are a little off I think...) I had to spin it to look at myself. I don't think it's bizarre or weird when someone new comes and comments. In fact, I love it. I'm secretly a comment junkie (though lack of doesn't send me into depression or anything...but I do love and appreciate feedback, just to know I'm not talking to myself) So why should other's reactions be that much different than mine to them?

Kind of silly, right? I'm interested, how do you go about commenting on a new blog for the first time? Do you introduce yourself or do you just comment as if you've been doing it forever? How do you respond to comments from new readers?