First, let me thank you all for voicing your opinions on the blogosphere/blog universe/blog thingie-place. I appreciate those who de-lurked to share their two cents and those who had no problem telling me how they feel about it. Have I told you people how much I love you? I do. I love you, man! I plan on using your responses in a more detailed entry later. With all the bad vibes out there, it will be a refreshing change to hear other people’s voices who have faith in the blogs and (for the most part) see it as a mirror of life. (Please, do not get me wrong. Things that happen behind the shield of “free speech” piss me off as much online as they do in real life. Just as threatening women does. Neither is acceptable. And both are sick, wrong and punishable.
But, you, my friends, help to restore my faith and remind me of why I love to do this. Your emails and comments touched me. Thank you for being so open with me. YOU ROCK! No, you do. I would totally throw a party for you and sing your praises, but the logistics would make that one tough organizational nightmare.
Since I asked you, I will answer it myself. What do I think of the blogosphere in general? Good or bad? Yes. In life, I meet people that for no particular reason I cannot stand them and they just rub me wrong. What do I do? I stay away from them. Online, that is the equivalent of just not reading their blogs. I don’t outwardly call them out and hate on them. Why? Why would I? Of course, like in real life, sometimes these people will constantly cross your path. It is just the nature of life. Especially if you –in real life– have kids at the same school or are part of the same organizations or –if in the cyber world you have similar interests that keep your paths overlapping now and then. You will come across these people.
You have a few choices:
— Ignore them. Let me tell you something about real life with me. (Granted this is an extreme case, so bear that in mind.) If you cut me to the core, if you hurt me deeply, if I trusted you and you shattered that and stabbed me in the back, I won’t openly hate you. I won’t trash you. I won’t do anything. You no longer exist. Wiped clean. You can stand 2 feet from me and you are not there. *poof* Because I have learned the hard way that I am too sensitive to let someone who will openly cut me back in until I know that *I* have healed. Until then, you have no place in my life. And let me tell you how awkward THAT is for everyone around me. And yes, that makes me bitchy, but it is way more self-preservation that vindictive.
Case in point, I was hurt so badly by a friend online that even today, I have moments of saddness, anger and frustration. Moments when I want to make it better, but fear it. Moments when the name mentioned makes my skin crawl. However, if at anytime I see things not going so well for this person, I am the first–if not in email, then at least in my heart– to want things to turn around. I just don’t think you can truly care and love a friend and not want things to not SUCK forever with them. I just don’t know how people do that. Or take the instance of judgement. That is a big one. I have been judged from everything from being too outgoing to too shy, from too fake to too real, from pretending to be happy to being too happy, from being too honest to wondering why I don’t open up more (sidenote: IS that possible even??). I have had it all. Truth be told, each and every one of the people that I either had a direct fallout with or indirect still mean something to me and I would love to be on good terms with them. Just not so sure how that goes down.
Thank God for my business partner who bitch slaps me back to reality all too often when these things come down the pike. Her mantra: “Yeah, yeah, but how is your BOOK coming along?” Extremely well, I might add. (Did you read that oh awesome agent of mine? GOOD! It is almost on it’s way to YOU!)
But seriously, you all reminded me why I love blogging. Why I love the people I meet here. And why I think that the people who read me are the best of the net. Thanks. Seriously. I needed to hear your words and your thoughts and it gave me a great perspective on all of this. Mwah to you all.
And as a bonus, you get MORE THAN ONE post today. Look for the other one on why my husband pulled out my favorite line from a movie–from Tom Hanks who loves me best [ahem], adapted it and spouted out to me, “There is NO crying in HOCKEY!”
Also, because you rock…Friday Eye Candy (totally and blatantly stolen from Buzz because he gets me and Matt). So in honor of our former You Post My Man, I’ll Post Your Woman deal we struck years ago, I shall post some Friday Eye Candy to hold you over until I come back and explain, “There is NO crying in hockey!!”
Of course, we have to start with My Matt. (Special thanks to Sydney for never letting me miss an image of him whenever possible. THAT is true friendship dedication.)
And because I stole Buzz’s idea, I am honor bound by our agreement to post His Kate.
Back soon!
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