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Quarterly Notice About Owing You Something

It seems that every couple of months I have to step in and do this. It really vexes me to see that so many people believe that they should be able to dictate what a blogger does or does not write about. It's also kind of funny, in the sense that on one hand you have people reminding us every day that we (bloggers) are not real journalism, yet some of those same people will take us to task for not covering certain stories, as if we had a responsibility to bring all the news that's fit to type. I both hate and resent getting email from people chastising me for "ignoring" issues or big stories. I also hate getting emails from people talking down to me, telling me that I should know better than to carry on with one story or another. While you (and don't think I'm just talking about you, because you're not the only one with brass balls, apparently) may think you're being almost paternal in your chiding lecture about what's really important in the world, what you're really being is condescending. And that pisses me off. Seriously. If I want to talk about Dan Rather until I'm drunk on forged memos and the hangover causes me to vomit up Kinko's copy paper, then that's pretty much my choice. Whether or not you think it cheapens me or is beneath me does not concern me in the least. Yes, we all know how things are in Iraq at the moment. We're aware of deadly hurricanes in the south and Iran getting antsy and health care and education woes. Just because we don't write about those issues does not mean we don't consider them important. If I had to write about every issue that was important to me, I'd have to quit my day job, hire a nanny for the kids and find a concubine to keep my husband happy, because I'd have little time for anything else. That you choose to believe the absence of those stories on this site means I don't care about them is foolish. For you to think that I owe it to you to write about the things you think are important is egotistical. I know I'm not the only one getting emails and comments saying these things. And, again, this post is not directed at only one person. There's about fifteen people - just from 24 hours worth of emails - that this is directed towards. This is a personal website. Please keep that in mind before you fire off your concerned letters to the editor - said editor being myself. If you are so dying to hear my opinion on the latest issues not Dan Rather related then feel free to send me an email inquiring such. Just leave out the lecture and the righteous indignation or you'll find your email address on my spam list, along with King Russell the Nigerian and the guy who makes flashlights that double as sexual aids. Seriously, is that the company you want to keep? See, also: Bill.

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Comments

WTF!?! I was just glad to see you back, but appearently some people just can't be pleased...Here's an idea and it's kinda CRAZY, by why don't you just put these doofers who write those e-mails immediately in the zero-can, and write about what you want! I like your stuff just the way it is.

mmmmmmm fleshlight.

Personally? I love the emails I get from people trying to "save" me from voting for Bush. No, really, I LOVE them.

Assholes.

Like the top button of a polo shirt, some things are always there but have no real value. I'd consider those emails to be no more important than the ads that ask me to subscribe to this, get a prescription for that, or increase my girth and potency for that other thing. I wonder if you're bothered by the fact that they come from people rather than some obviously fake address such as 8zyyzop22@yahoo.com (or whatever the spambot throws out--apologies to anyone with that email, as I don't wish to be haunted by the spectre of any Joey Jo-Jo Junior Shabadoos out there).

Ignore them, write (or don't write) what you want, and stay interesting. Your blog is about you, and you aren't dull. Sometimes predictable, but never dull.

And I think you're purposefully ignoring the Twins. Santana in a short series will kill those Yankees. I'm on to your Vast Yankee Ass-Kissing Conspiracy! And don't think I'll ever shut up! You can't stop me from getting out the truth! I've found you out! I know what you fear, know your weaknesses, and know the value that a stupid promotional piece of crap brain fart like a Homer Hanky can have! Yankees are going down!

Michele,

Way to go. I think you should post their email addresses and allow them to get a taste of their own
medicine poison.

You should mock them like Strong Bad does.

How do you feel about readers who say your childhood photographs are cute?

Politely I mean.

Cause I don't want to wind up on that nigerian flashlight list..

I very much appreciate your coming back. You're so much better than what I get from the MSM that I don't know what I'd do without you.

Thanks, keep it up.

As for the Yankees handing our ass to us, I suppose we needed that.

Phil

Perhaps you need a form letter you can send these... people. Something on the order of "It's my blog. If you don't like what I choose to write about, either get your own blog or die. It doesn't particularly matter to me which you choose."

And yes, I've sent that exact message to someone.

Hope you don't take this as skarkiness,but I,for one,can't wait to hear you dish,if you feel so compelled,on Mr Lucas this week per his DVD release of the original "Star Wars" trilogy.The asshat actually said that if you want to see the "original" versions,they're out there on VHS.I know it's a bad scab for you,but I'm just looking for some commiseration with a fellow "GL sux" compatriot.

You could always try allowing them to tell you what to write, but only after they've contributed 1,000 dollars to your account. At that point, you'll consider their opinions. That should shut them up.

You never write stories about Cricket
Everything about Cricket

NY Times Headline:"CBS News Concludes It Was Misled."

GO TO DRUDGE NOW!

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/20/politics/campaign/20guard.html?pagewanted=print&position=

I want more stories on anal fissures.

Well, I can't believe you're afraid to take on the most pressing issue of our day: How much Gwyneth Paltrow fucking sucks in Sky Captain.

Gwyneth Paltrow sucks in everything

Actually, I'd like to see "Michele's Times" covering everything. The coverage would be thorough, well-reasoned, fact-checked, witty, accurate, and very well written, at least based upon her past writings. The MSM has created a vacuum in the area of quality, accuracy, trustworthiness, and has substituted arrogance, deceit, and the inability to see their own bias. Michele is very upfront with her beliefs (potential bias), which is much better than those MSM folks pretending to have no bias.

Yeah, Michele, I know it's totally impractical, as you pointed out, but I can wish.

Keep doing your thing. Ignore the crap-throwers.

All news outlets choose what stories to run from a subjective basis. I mean, the reason I come to ASV for updates on 'Memogate' is because the mainstream media outside of the US is steadfastly ignoring it. I appreciate and admire your open views because they are an antidote to the smug faux objectivity of news sites like BBC Online.

Gwyneth Paltrow sucks in everything

She did a good job in "Emma", and I've heard she wasn't unwatchable in "Shakespeare in Love". However, yeah, she did her best to hoover away what little there was of good writing in "Sky Captain".

Aw, Treacher, way to give it away about five frickin' months before SCATWOT hits Costa Rica.

Me, I wanna hear more about illuminated sex toys.

Thank you for a great site. I enjoyed it tremendously.
How about the Senator ( forgot his name) that come out inmediately after CBS ( when they showed the memos for the fist time)
he acused Bush and was son indignantly mad....how about him?

Oragami.

Ok, there, I said it. I've always wanted you to write about it, and, well, since these sorts of things are coming to the fore, there you have it.

And decorator cartoon character light switches.

Ok, enough.

Four to six weeks on the multi-use flashlight? Can't wait...

From Jim Treacher: Well, I can't believe you're afraid to take on the most pressing issue of our day: How much Gwyneth Paltrow fucking sucks in Sky Captain.

That's true, yet all Gwyneth's acting missteps could have been solved had she simply worn the right shade of lipstick

Maroon?

Instead of something red?

What a maroon

I demand that you write about any damn thing you please...

But you're not making fun of John Kerry often ehough!! You suck!! WAAHHHHHAAAHHHH!!!

You're super. And you seem to have gotten the attention of the same lefty steering campaign that has targeted Instapundit and others. Don't let them get you down.

I'm happy you're back, and I visit your page to see what you have to say on the topics you choose to write about.

v/r,
John

I insist on a post about pie every 48 hours.

very funny. it amazes me that people don't realize that they are being invited into your closet, where you keep your journal on the top shelf behind the shoe boxes, and you are letting them read pages out of your journal. anyone with a brain would know to tread lightly, as the poet said. so, y'know, they probably showed up because no one else would ever offer that kind of intimacy. well, not again, anyway.

but I think you shouldn't dodge the Paltrow question -- people need to face the truth that she sucks in most things. except for The Royal Tenenbaums and Sylvia, in which she lives out a life her detractors can only come close to dreaming up for her. okay, everyone in Sky Captain sucked. with a British accent. but maybe no more Paltrow films. please?

I heard about those Ipod flashlights -- the batteries fail after about 50 uses and it costs a small fortune to replace them.

I like the idea of sending those who wish you to write about something a price list.
Start with, say, $50 for a post about something you'd probably write about anyway (such as Mike Patton's latest shenanigans), and run it up to a grand for something really reprehensible (like a review of the Courtney Love-written manga Princess Ai).

Yeah, we keep hearing people fulminating whether this story really matters to the presidential election. To which I quote Jane Galt's timeless observation: "They're completely missing the point, which is that it's hilarious."