I think we all miss those days and definitely some good and bad memories. It is very true as I believe you are selling your self through your posts. If people hang around and support you they see something in you as a person. Not the autovoters but the ones who tend to comment and read your stuff.
I think that even the autovoters are okay in general, as at least the larger ones I get, they tend to comment from time to time too. I don't expect everyone to read every post, but at the same time, the support also allows others that are interested to read too.