I think a little jealosy is alright here and there as long as it doesn't become an obsession. Also, don't let your admiration for other bloggers take away from who you are as a writer. A unique voice is always better than another copy.
I LOVE Mary Roach! Her little articles in Reader's Digest crack me right up!
Not that you were looking for reassurance, but you are one of the best writers I read (in blogland). I think your problem is exposure. How to market your blog so others will read it. I have seen bloggers that link to another bloggers site and suddenly they have 70 more readers! I don't know how you get them to start reading your blog and find it so good they tell others, but that is the main way I have seen people pick up more comments. Of course you could also have more comments with spammer--that is what happened to me so I had to password protect and now I only have a hand ful of readers. But the readers you do have are loyal!
I agree with Krista about your talent vs. your exposure. And in order to be a widely read blogger and make money from it, you have to be transparent and relentlessly self-promoting, and I don't know if that's worth it for you. I know it's not for me. Well, it's not like I could make more than about 2 cents, but in theory.
I really think this is an example of how everyone always looks cooler and more together from the outside than from the inside. I'm not sure who you had in mind in writing, but looking at your links, I'm pretty sure that Jay started writing the Zero Boss in order to try to sell his book. And you're already a published author!
On a related note, have you looked at the Amazon shorts program? They're selling individual stories or essays for 49 cents or so. Not sure how much the author gets, but it might work for you. (You have to have a published book listed on Amazon to get in, but *you* qualify.)
I think the worst part about reading blogs is how much I feel like I know those people, when I don't really know them at all! At least when I read you I have over 8 years of history behind us. It's seems hard to believe that mimi smartypants and flea don't know me at all (well, I did email them once), and that we are destined to be BFF.
I like your writing. Your best seller is out there. Have you thought of writing a novel? I think you have the talent for it.
Oh, and to follow up to myself, I think this is the first time I've been mentioned in someone else's blog. *squee!*
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