Follow up:

Most web authoring programs assume you'll use their platform not only blog, but to build an entire site. Unless you're willing to allow your blog to be hosted on their site, as a subdomain, installing them, using them, and maintaining them is not nearly so easy as it would appear. Given I have no knowledge of SQL databases (and I really don't feel like learning just now) a new platform didn't seem a viable option. I like the simplicity and integration of this blog. I don't want or need a lot of fancy bells and whistles.

I also looked for scripts to allow comments to be added directly to the blog page (since this blog itself does not support HTML or scripting of any kind.) But there were drawbacks to that option as well. I found one rather complicated looking tutorial requiring the set up of a SQL database, one script allowing comments to be added via a pop up window (but they were only viewable in the pop up) and there was also the option of a shoutbox. However, since the scripts can't be embedded in the actual blog posts, keeping the comments attached to an actual entry would be impossible.