Oh $#@^!: Guest Posting, Family Musings, & Who Are You

Hey gang! Sorry to be so quiet this week, but I've been working my tail off trying to get a story out the door to the editor (just did this AM, in fact). Finally have a chance to come up for air ... you guys smell great!  

Today, I'm guest-posting at the lovely Patricia Stoltey's blog. The title of the post is: Oh $#@% My Mother is Going To Read This

Basically, I muse about having your mother read your more "colorful" stories for the first time, as well as talk about the importance of finding your voice as a writer. It was a ton of fun to write, and hope you'll jump over to check it out. (Also give Pat's blog a follow if you don't already... she always has a BUNCH of great stuff going on, and unlike some people--ME--actually does a good job keeping to a blog schedule.)

Reading more great 'Bury the Hatchet' posts this week. Things people want to chop and/or maim - traffic and poorly executed social programs. You learn so much about people with these things!

There's still plenty of time to join in the fun, and register for the giveaways. (Nook, gift cards, custom painted thumb drives.) It all ends a week from this Friday. The details are above this post. 

Here's a few more pics of the progress I'm making on the USB drives for the giveaway:

I've got some more detail work to do (the hatchet is the only one completely finished) on them, and they'll all have the feather carrying strap. But they're coming along nicely and should be ready to ship as soon as the winners are announced.

WHO ARE YOU?

Okay, so here's a little something I need to get off my chest...

I'm not a person who needs to be liked by everyone. Not personally, not as an author, not as a blogger. I WANT to be liked by everyone, sure. But my world keeps spinning when I accidentally cut someone off on the freeway, just like it does if I accidentally offend someone online. Ultimately, I feel bad, I wish I hadn't, and I move on.

Why do I move on so quickly? Because these people don't know who I am. 

They can't know that I didn't mean to piss them off--or whatever it is I've done. They can't know that when I say nice things about them online, I sincerely mean them. They don't know that I share my feelings about nearly everything, with nearly everyone--on the street or on the computer makes no difference to me. Doesn't make me right--Lord KNOWS it doesn't make me right--but it does make me easier to understand, I feel. 

And understanding is a BIG key to healthy relationships. You don't have to agree, but you need to see/feel the other person's perspectives. Just be aware of it. Otherwise, you'll trample everyone.

I'm a counselor by training and education. I'm a highly empathetic person by nature. I'm also very cynical, which makes for interesting dinner conversation at times, but ultimately I just give a poop about people. Doesn't mean my day is ruined if someone gives me the cold shoulder (or the bird in the case of the drivers), but it also doesn't mean I don't care at all.

Now, in the case of blogging or Twitter, I've formed relationships. Very real ones, in some cases. We laugh at each other's inside jokes, we share our miseries, and our triumphs. There are lots of you I think very, very fondly of. You've helped me grow as a writer and a person in so many ways. So it isn't like they're just faces on a passing bus, you know?

So in those few instances, when I know I've crossed some of my web pals (by the way their interaction behavior changes--or stops altogether in some cases), but have no clue what I've done, it's very irksome to me. It gnaws at me a little more than the average, "Sorry, buddy, didn't see you there!"

I'd love to know what I've done, but I truly do think that's asking too much of people who don't know me personally. Busy people, who likely barely have time to talk to their own families about their grievances, probably aren't going to shoot me an eMail to say, "You're a bastard. Here's why..."

I get that.

But I guess I just think we should all be a little more cognizant about how well we really know people out in the web-world, and be willing to forgive--or discuss--grievances a touch more.

I could be out in left field with all of this, so what about you? If you've been doing the blog/social media thing very long, it's likely you've crossed someone (Or am I the only jerk out there?). Or had people you've got to know quit following, responding to tweets, or just be blatantly rude. How do you handle it? How does it make you feel?

~EJW~