Dear http://mleete1.wordpress.com/ , I am very, very sorry.
I overreacted. I ran off half cocked. I jumped the gun. That last post is a horrible mistake. I turned myself into judge, jury and executioner… all because I couldn’t stand a little criticism. I used my blog and my words to take out my anger on another human being. And that isn’t the worst part.
The worst part is that I did the same thing I accused you of doing. I went off on a vigilantly style rant of epic proportions without bothering to check all the facts. If I had, I would have realized that you are fairly new to the blogging world, just trying to make your way in this confusing mess of crisscrossing words.
I still think you took my one post out of context… and I don’t agree with your opinion of it… but you have the right to not like what I say. I do not have the right to be a bully. And that is what I was.
*** As for the rest of you who were caught in the crossfire of my misplaced temper tantrum, I apologize to you also…please tell me if you think I should erase most of that post***
Pouring My Art Out 
I saw your apology on her site and her crying about being upset. Boo freakin hoo. And her I’m so upset and please don’t ask me about it crap. I also noticed she didn’t post my comments that had been waiting moderation for 3 days which is why I posted them on your blog too. When I saw your comments weren’t there or anyone else’s I figured she would just delete mine too. She only posted the apologies of others, none of her own. My goal was to post a reasoned comment on her site and give her an opportunity to consider a redo on a more reasoned and researched response. I gave her a shot at growing up and behaving like an adult. It was a really a pretty private object lesson that if handled well would have netted her some kudos from your followers for showing she had used it as a learning process. She would have come away feeling better about you, us and more importantly, herself. She doesn’t have to come over to “our side” so to speak. That wasn’t what I was looking for. I wanted her to evaluate the arguments I made and do the right thing by taking a second look, do her research and write with more journalistic professionalism. She is entitled to her opinion, but don’t go off half-cocked. If you do, then have the cojones to admit it and fix it like someone else did. She didn’t even return the favor on her site let alone this one. Her instructor should have been moderating his student’s blog assignments and had them do the right thing also. She got a pass she didn’t deserve from all concerned. What did she learn other than I can make a mess and walk away. I realize she is not much more than a teenager. I have had four and know that attitude of if the truth hurts, tough, I’m gonna tell it anyway. I also know the other side of it in that they don’t want to here the truth, only speak it.
To wrap it all up without sounding vindictive and intolerant of the immaturity, ignorance and excesses of youth: She was afforded a chance to right a wrong, to learn something about “reviewing” the work of others, to learn how to mediate a peaceful resolution to conflict, and to learn to evaluate her own work through the eyes of others before publishing. She did not show that she realized any of her mistakes, owned any of her mistakes, or learned from any of her mistakes. All she knows is that she was unfairly attacked by a bunch of Art’s zealots and owes no explanation (other than she doesn’t like blogging and doesn’t even want to do it) to any one. If it was indeed a class assignment her instructor was negligent in not seizing a teachable moment for the entire class and he let her miss an opportunity to mature emotionally and intellectually. In effect, she just ran home to mommy and daddy and hid in her room. At least she’s not a Mizzou in the journalism program there. And yes, I realize this may have just been a social media course of some sort and she is not a journalism major, but the errors in judgement and subsequent corrective action would be the same in any situation where a person observes, judges and then responds. Marriage, a job, a relationship. Any of those would still need to be handled in a more adult way than what her take away was on all of it. Yes, I’m done.
I think I might just do another post about this…
I should go back and get the addendum’s before she deletes the post. Hold on. I’ll be right back.
TOO LATE!!! It’s been less than 30 minutes. She chicken-shitted it. She took down her review about your blog and put up another that was favorable to a back to school blog. She took down your apology and your second comment and any comments having to do with your blog from anyone. I guess I was right the first time. I really tried hard to reason with her as to why things went so wrong. I added a bunch of stuff over the comment I c&p’d but told her i wanted her to see how I felt about the way she was let off the hook and in denial about her part.
Then, ever the believer in second chances, now third, I began a comment with “Hi, my name is Dan,” with the same gravatar and proceeded to talk to her and tell her about my daughter who had a tough time in high school and hid her lack of self-confidence so well from my wife and I, especially when we were always affirming her. I thought she might open up. I even headed it with: Please read this. The world can be a nice place and all the people in it aren’t bad.” She really doesn’t get it and I can only assume she is so full of admitted self-loathing and mistrust that she refuses to give herself a chance. So tragic. When I think of how all the people on your blog that would have done a turn-around for her if she had owned up and made an effort. I know you would have. Even Zoe would have cut her some slack and maybe tried to help her out. She has a very rough life ahead. You can see a string of failed marriages and relationships, perhaps even abusive ones. It makes me heartsick, being a father of two daughters and knowing some of what she needs. Don’t blame yourself. You held out an open hand to her. She made her own choice. I am saddened, but I feel no guilt either. I gave her a father’s assessment of the situation. She pulled the typical teenager stunt with it. She’s not ready to grow up yet. What else can we do?
The whole thing was just a mess. I was surprised how many people were ready to go after her with torches and pitchforks. Even my daughter who never agrees with me thought I shouldn’t have apologized. I was moved by the loyalty of the people I know here, but I need to pay attention to the power it gives me,.
I understand what you mean about the power thing. It’s not your ego talking there. You are just speaking to the realization that you could inadvertently create a storm. Not meaning to Bible thump, but “For everyone to whom much is given, of him shall much be required.” — Luke 12:48
You find yourself in much that type of situation with your blog, don’t you? It can be intimidating. Stay humble. Your daughter was right. Women know women.
I will use the power wisely… maybe…
Dan:Speaking of states, Alex, I’ll try States of Being for $100.
Ding.
Alex: And the Daily Double.
Buzzzzzzzzz.
Alex: Dan buzzing in and wagering it all for the win. Incorrigible?
Dan: What is Art?
Alex: That absolutely correct. Congratulations.
I am in a state of suspended animation… and denial…
I’m usually the first to call you on your crap, but I think you responded just fine. Whoever this person is, they instigated this conflict through internet bullying in what seems to me to be an attempt to generate traffic via your followers. Starting a blog based on trashing other blogs is not only a dull and derivative concept, but also a cheap, mean trick. After reading the post they wrote, I almost wrote a response in your defense but didn’t feel like validating their move by driving traffic to their blog. Most importantly, I don’t buy the argument that they should be given leniency because they are a new blogger unfamiliar with the blogging world. They may be new to blogging, but I doubt they are new to being a human who treats others with basic respect. Even preteens know you can’t bash someone publicly without repercussions.
Before anyone accuses me of being biased as your daughter, I would reiterate that I am (perhaps to a fault) willing to call you out for being immature or rude, but I feel like you were treated poorly and responded in a levelheaded way.
Okay, back to my night of Settlers of Catan, Piña Colada ice cream, and moscato out of a small plastic bottle.
ummm… pouringmyartoutjunior??? How did you do that? And did you see my comments on your website? And yeah… you call me out… and… uh… we might play settlers with Becky tonight… and I don’t think she was just doing a blog to critique people, I think she really just didn’t like my post, but she could have seen if there was stuff she did like first, but whatever man…
After you had posted this apology I found her site and post and left two comments about this and one extraneous one. The two are below:
userdand ⋅
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
September 7, 2013 at 1:06 am
Perhaps Art’s blog is not your cup of tea, but that does not mean others don’t find his zany style amusing and enjoyable. If the Bible is at one extreme and Mad magazine at the other, there is still a lot territory in between spanning a broad continuum. I can assure you Art’s followers know exactly what he is referencing in the same way the followers of a The Young and The Restless or General Hospital can recount characters and instances from years in the past. The all enjoy playing “Whackamole” with their comments in a very hit and run style. It can be so quick and nuanced that you often cannot go to an old post and figure out the context of the comments archived under the post. You had to be there in the moment as they came into your email almost like a chat room. It really can be a lot of fun if you have a quick, dry and somewhat irreverent wit. Some of the commenter exhibit a broad-based knowledge with their nuances and pull surprisingly insightful quips out of thin air. Give it a chance sometime. It may not work for you because you life doesn’t have a lot of room for extraneous frivolity. There are people who take life very seriously and are particular about how they spend their time. It would be unfair to Art and his surprisingly loyal followers to infer that their pleasure and his is a waste of their time or somehow inappropriate. I have seen Art’s serious, considerate and compassionate side in some of his posts. Even if you do not choose to follow or endorse his blog, I would ask, encourage, nay plead with you to do this one thing. Go to the posts about his mother’s birthday this year and any posts about his dear little friend Willie in San Francisco. I believe most of them are in August, perhaps some on late July. You will see another side of Art that will redeem much of what you now see as negative. He is really a sweet guy who cares about people and just wants to make them laugh and forget their worries while they visit. Please do look those posts up. Even if you don’t like his blog, you WILL find something to like about Art.
Disclosure: I am one off the legion of followers and consider him a friend though I have never met him FTF. FYI, he even feels in hindsight his response to you was may have been better presented. He still feels you were unfair with your “review” of him and what he feels is his purpose with his blog, but he may have shot to quick from the hip when you wounded him with what most of his followers feel was an ill-informed pot-shot.
Not taking a quick stab before I sign off, just stating the facts of the case, your Honor.
Comment two:
userdand ⋅
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
September 7, 2013 at 1:37 am
Were is Art’s reply to you?. Why didn’t you post it in the sense of fairness? Where are comments from some of his followers, if any? Did you choose to not publish? That would be a shame as it would speak to a lack of journalistic integrity and common human decency. I look forward to seeing my three comments published and your response to searching out the Art’s posts I suggested. Think about it. Don’t duck the issue if that is what you are doing. Show your integrity now to build trust in the future.
When I commented on her blog, that post showed Zero comments as of her time and date stamp on my first comment. We shall see. I see some lousy lighting jobs all the time on the tube, but I have learned to balance my evaluation with remembering when I have been backed into a time-and-resources corner and was forced to submit to mediocrity that pained my professional soul. I try to evaluate others efforts with that in mind. You hadda be there.
I am moved by the effort you took to rush to my defense. I now fear that I have unleashed hellfire upon some preteen doing he second post, and she is now blogging under another name, or has given up writing altogether…. I hope that isn’t true. But I am picturing her little face when she saw that she had her first comments, and she ends up getting dumped on by a bunch of people who are way too clever to piss off.
Hmmmm, I don’t see where you beat her up. Maybe on reflection you wish you had handled it differently, and you’ve owned up to that. You’ve offered an olive branch. No matter her newness or not, we are all subject to responses. She freely states she has strong opinions and she started right off the bat with them. This can be a lesson for her, you, and all of us. Sometimes we don’t read a post or know a writer well enough to understand their tone or inflection. That is something we all learn. I appreciate your reflection and your wanting to have handled it ‘better’ and your reaching back to her to have a “do over”. Kudos to you. Not everyone would have even bothered to look back.
I am like a thoughtful Godzilla…
Godzilla WAS the good guy….kindasorta…..
I crush Tokyo… but I feel bad about it… we had to destroy the city to free it.
I shall call you Godzilla then.
Like you would be the first.
You, good sir, crack me up.
That is all I live for…
I would say you have accomplished your life goal then. But…would seem pointless for you to go on. So, I will expect this daily then.
I am that good. You just have to stop by every day… lots of times… and read everything… ha!!!
It’s a deal, seems that will work just fine.
Well I know it will work out well for me…
Ok late to the party, so will wander back. But from what I gather and read so far, I’m with Eagle-Eyed Editor. Virtual beers for all (work’s over for the week – no excuses)
Yeah… I won that round… so why do I feel like I am being cheered for beating up a little girl?
I did run back and read – but got interrupted before commenting. All I can say is: what a snit. (So ya wan to review blogs? Oh, wait, this is really an attempt to get hits and get noticed….not going to build followers with poor stuff like posted so far.)
I understand your frustration – the writer obviously hasn’t taken time to understand your/other’s blog concepts – or what makes them work.
You were probably kinder that many of us would have been. Thought you handled it pretty well. (But I know what you mean about feeling if it was ‘unnecessary force”…but hey, writer needs to know not everyone will cry/worry/fret/even care what is written on that blog…as evident by this comment section.
One great thing – your encounter gave us a heads up to ignore if/when that one spears our blogs.
NIce crowd here – more cerveza para todos.
I think the title of the post was what got to me. Like ‘one of these things is not like the others’ and she didn’t even like my photos of sunsets.
Snit. Probably just chasing stats and patting herself on the back over how smart/witty/clever/she is.
Karma’s watching. And Karma loves sunsets
I don’t think she even knows what she is doing yet. I think she just cruised the reader topic walls and picked three things that caught her eye.
That’s what is looks like. Well, we have to be tolerant, I suppose….so I have resisted organizing a strike attack. (Just a joke, people…but…..)
If she wants to build a following, she might reconsider that black background with tiny white letters – it’s highly dramatic ( no surprise with choice, then) and flashy – but the words struggle to make an impact with the tiny font and harsh contrasting white which blurs. Choice signals a beginner ( or one more concerned with image/presentation than substance) I can say that – I did the same thing when starting…but realized the words were what was important to me and changed so they had more weight. Tolerance and compassion…trying for that, but seriously? Expecting mercy. HA! Guess again.
I try to keep up with your post – but it’s been a little busy with not much time to read – maybe this weekend…oh, football! (excuses, excuses)
I love that you are now more worked up about this than I am…
Whether M was a beginner or not, she or he does not have the right to attack your blog, ever. To my mind, that goes against what WordPress is all about. We’re a community and we’re going to stick up for one another. I’ve seen it happen on other blogs.
You’re awesome. *sends you a virtual beer in consolation*
We are a community… but not a vicious wolf pack…
True. Need another beer?
No… twelve is my limit before lunch…
You’ve said it so IMHO you can’t take it back. I probably wouldn’t have said it in the first place, but that’s just me. You’ve made your apology (which is a good thing). To tackle a blog with your popularity, I believe she was looking to increase her viewership & it probably worked.
She might not even have any yet. I may have crushed a tiny flower before it had a chance to bloom.
I think everyone has said it here. 🙂
They always do.
Are you okay?
Why wouldn’t I be? I mean I didn’t sleep very well last night… and it’s bleepin’ hot here…
ha! you need a nap and a pool…scratch that it might cause some trouble..
I wish we had a pool.
i could picture the trouble! ha!
Huh???
if you had a pool the trouble you could/would get into..
I am an excellent swimmer… big feet… remember… now stop thinking about me in my swimsuit…
Oh man! lol
ha
I may be ready to another guest post on your blog… but only if you want to see some simmering anger… after reading your last post… about the conversation you had with mommy dearest…
I would love for you to do another guest post, bring it! It pissed you off did it?
Yes…
Can’t wait to read what you’ve got!
I haven’t got anything yet… just the anger… I am going to wing it.
Sounds good, use the anger
Oh, you know I will.
yep! the emotion is what reaches people’s hearts. 🙂
Well I got that…
good!
I’ve never had anybody do that to my blog, but I completely understand your reaction because our blogs are our little Frankenstein children that we cobbled together without own two (or more) fingers. I would have probably gotten all emotional and written a scathing reply and then hopefully would have never pushed reply! But don’t feel bad PMAO, Anybody who doesn’t have an occasional a teensy laps in judgment is:
a) no fun at all
b) Jesus
c) possibly all of the above
I don’t want to be the no fun Jesus guy…
Meh. Whatever. I tend not to read blogs that have dark backgrounds with white text because they are hard on my eyes. Does that make them all bad? Nope. Would I write an uninformed review about said blogs? Probably not, but then again I’m not twelve 🙂 Let it go. S/he (see, I didn’t bother to find out) was looking for hits and using your awasomesauce blog to get them, nothing more. You rightly gave her/him a little tap with the Reality Stick that was well deserved. Leave the post up and move on.
I made my point and then took the high road… sort of… and awesomesauce is one of my favorite things to say. Sometimes I spice it up by saying awesomesausagesqueezings.
Read the email I sent to you re: this incident.
I just did… I sent one back.
Leave it on…
Surely there is a lesson to be learnt here somewhere…
Andro
I am still thinking about it.
Don’t be swayed by opinions, your initial response was right my friend. There is no room in life for rudeness, and the Baby Bunny was rude, it is as simple as that 🙂
Andro
But there is a proper way to discipline kids.
Who said bend over? 🙂 lmao
Perhaps a good spanking is
merited but don’t let her use
a spiked paddle…
Oh I see, YOU were thinking
of dishing out the discipline 🙂 lol
Have a great weekend
Andro
I am the iron paddle in the velvet glove…
Too Kinky 🙂 lmao
Andro
oh yeah
Well done, PMAO.
(Just so you know, a pingback will only happen if you link back to a specific post, not just the site address. If you want mleete1 to get the pingback for this, just add “about” after teh web address. When you update, it will generate the ping.)
I just left a comment. Hopefully that will be enough.