What lies beneath...
I think I am in a serious post kind of mood. Mostly because there is something on my mind, but also because there is some merit to my concerns.
Aside from the odd person here and there, most people who read this know me personally. Several others may even know my family. I would think, then, that people safely know my voice and know when I am serious or not. This, of course, will somewhat offset the inflection, facial expressions, and other subtleties which are lost.
J received a piece of mail (first class, incidentally) which advertised weight loss surgery. It was from the hospital down the street and had been forwarded from our old address. We had a bit of a chuckle with it, accompanied by a little irritation at their gall.
No big deal. Until he blogged about it. That has started a mini tempest. And so, in light of this, I offer a few suggestions for reading/writing blog posts and comments.
1) Err on the side of grace-
When reading posts and comments, if you are unsure about the tone or intent, ask. If you are not going to ask, just go with the most positive presumption.
2) Please please please, remember-
Once it is out there, you cannot take it back. Even if you delete your comments/posts, the wounds have already been inflicted. Do you really mean what you are saying, or are you reacting out of anger or hurt feelings? I cannot tell you how much pain this causes, but trust me, the scars linger.
3) Don't be afraid to voice your opinions,
But make sure you do not misrepresent your opinions as fact. My mom used to say that opinions are like hineys, everybody's got one.
4) Privacy...
If you have beef, maybe it is better to dash of a private message, or pick up the phone.
Ok, that's enough preaching for me.
Aside from the odd person here and there, most people who read this know me personally. Several others may even know my family. I would think, then, that people safely know my voice and know when I am serious or not. This, of course, will somewhat offset the inflection, facial expressions, and other subtleties which are lost.
J received a piece of mail (first class, incidentally) which advertised weight loss surgery. It was from the hospital down the street and had been forwarded from our old address. We had a bit of a chuckle with it, accompanied by a little irritation at their gall.
No big deal. Until he blogged about it. That has started a mini tempest. And so, in light of this, I offer a few suggestions for reading/writing blog posts and comments.
1) Err on the side of grace-
When reading posts and comments, if you are unsure about the tone or intent, ask. If you are not going to ask, just go with the most positive presumption.
2) Please please please, remember-
Once it is out there, you cannot take it back. Even if you delete your comments/posts, the wounds have already been inflicted. Do you really mean what you are saying, or are you reacting out of anger or hurt feelings? I cannot tell you how much pain this causes, but trust me, the scars linger.
3) Don't be afraid to voice your opinions,
But make sure you do not misrepresent your opinions as fact. My mom used to say that opinions are like hineys, everybody's got one.
4) Privacy...
If you have beef, maybe it is better to dash of a private message, or pick up the phone.
Ok, that's enough preaching for me.
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