I like blogging and I like making connections with people. I enjoy the banter, the giggles and being engaged in discussions and seeing the other side of issues. I’ve been grateful for all the advice you’ve sent my way and the support. Thank you!
But as another blogger wrote recently, there’s a potpourri (not his word though) of bloggers out there and sometimes it’s difficult to navigate the comments section which made me stop and think about my own blogging. For example, how far do you take a joke? Is what I just wrote something that could possibly offend you and me not realize it? Could what I wrote overstep the imaginary blogging boundaries? Will you think I’m too forward if I put a ♥ at the end of my comment when I’m only showing caring? Does what I write when I’m venting make you think I’m mean? Will you think me unrealistic with what you may deem my saccharine sweetness mixed with my Pollyanna, upbeat optimism? Will you think less of me if I complain? Will you think I’m an a** kisser when I agree with you? Or think I’m a brat if I don’t? Do you write your comments with all that in mind before you hit post/send? Do you second guess yourself when you write a comment? Do you look for every response or do you see if someone has deleted your comment because it wasn’t what they envisioned as an answer to whatever they were blogging about? Are we desensitized by the manner in which we connect because it’s virtual and unless we know each other in real life, we’re just friendly notes to each other? So many thoughts are spinning in my mind!
Geez, it’s something I hadn’t ever even thought about, so I guess you could call me naive. I simply enjoy the community feel that I have experienced since I’ve been blogging and frankly, I like the blinders since I haven’t had any bad experiences. But it is a facet of blogging reality that I hadn’t even picked up on.
So I guess my question to you is this:
Have you had any bad experiences in blogging? Would you share them below? Or maybe take this opportunity to write about them on your blog? If you do choose to post on that subject, would you please let me know as I’d love to see what you have to say and read your experiences.
So far, my experiences have all been positive and if someone has deleted my comment or been offended by me, then I’m sorry. Just let me know!
♥
Authentically 50 ~ Embracing Life's Changes 
I’ve had moments when I panicked thinking that my dry sense of humour may offend someone! English humour can be seen to be sarcastic. I practice the road of if you can’t say anything good don’t say anything at all.
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Good thinking Elaine. I think that’s a road we can all get on! However, not to worry, I love your English humor and I appreciate you!
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Yay 🤠
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Lots of thought provoking material there Janie! I guess we all worry about offending somebody but we can’t learn without making mistakes and my experience so far has been nothing but positive so I’m pretty sure if I mess up the response would be focused on the issue without being emotionally loaded.
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I agree with you! So far, so good for me too in the comments…at least I haven’t heard anything bad! LOL I can’t take the credit for the material, the thought was jump started from a friend’s blog post.
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Great topic and post! I had one negative experience when I commented on someone else’s blog, but really, for the most part I’ve been lucky. I have heard horror stories (someone was told she was too happy….can you imagine?). But yes….I can be a little dry, and I hope people understand where I’m coming from. At the end of the day I need to be myself. I little flirty, a little sarcastic, a little chatty….😉
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That’s what I like about you! Don’t you ever change! 🙂 I can’t imagine telling someone they are too happy. What is wrong with people???
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I know!! What goes through peoples heads!
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One of the hardest things when it comes to having any kind of discussion on the internet, not just blogs, is that it is sometimes incredibly difficult to pick up tone which makes it very easy to misunderstand a person’s intent. Maybe it is also some of the places that I’ve spent time in the past, but it has felt as though people are sometimes just looking to pick an argument. It is one of the many reasons I stepped away from nearly all of my online activity a few years ago, it was just to much drama.
Since I started up my current blog, I’ve not really run into any issues. I’m also pretty picky on who I actually interact with, both on my own blog and on theirs. I think the biggest difference between my current experience and past experience is MY purpose for doing what I’m doing. I’m doing it for me, not so much for anyone else. If someone gets something out of what I’m doing, awesome. If I manage to make a connection to someone, also very awesome. If I don’t, it doesn’t change what I’m doing or why. If someone doesn’t like what I’m doing or what I’ve said, that’s okay too. I know I’m not ever trying to be offensive, but I can’t control how someone else is going to take it. I’ve spent way too much of my life worried about how others perceive me and, for me, I can’t and won’t allow that to change how and what I’m doing because then this whole experience is no longer about why I’m doing it all in the first place.
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Good for you TJ! It’s a journey this internet thing for some of us because even though we’re savvy, you are so right. There’s a subtle nuance to speaking as opposed to writing. I find that I can take something the wrong way in texting too. But so far, it’s been a great time blogging so I’m happy. And at this age, I don’t want anyone to rain on my parade, so I am careful as well as to who I continue to connect with. Glad I have met you!
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I’ve had a couple annoying, offensive commenters. And I’ve had one stalker-ish reader send me emails.
I once accidentally offended a reader with some careless language. He brought it to my attention and I apologized profusely, then edited and updated my blog post so that I didn’t offend anyone else.
After 3-1/2 years of blogging, it’s been an overwhelmingly positive experience, though. 🙂
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I love to hear positive news like your comment! 🙂 Brings me a big smile! Sorry you had a stalker (blech) and glad you changed the language if it was a little careless and offended. That was nice of you. Freedom of speech and all though…but still. I don’t think we are ever losing when we treat others with kindness. Changing your post was really nice of you!
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Oh, it wasn’t a major re-write or anything like that! It was just a minor tweak, i.e. modifying 1 sentence so that it wasn’t offensive. Super easy and totally clarified what I wanted to say in the first place. I was so thankful to that reader for pointing it out to me. I honestly was mortified.
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I’m glad you had a positive experience with it then! Sometimes it helps to have another person read a post because they can add so much depth or insight when needed! 🙂
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I really appreciated it when he pointed it out. It was a big oops. LOL
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After only a few weeks of running my blog I don’t feel entitled to comment! SO far, so good. I love the interactions and getting instant feedback on my work is so much more satisfying than writing a book and not knowing how readers react. No downsides for me. Yes I write for myself and in the hope that ‘the personal is universal’ and people will relate. Thanks for opening up this conversation.
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I think that’s what all of us intend. To hope that what we write is ‘the personal is universal’. I love that line! Glad you’ve got no downsides. May you never have any! 🙂
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I’ve had tons of negative experiences but a lot of them weren’t even *about* to go in my post. So, some you’ve heard, some you haven’t! 😂 But…I’m not going to stop trying. It’s all worth it to have (in the end) a solid community of friends. 🤗 AND you putting things this way helps me look at my own questions a little differently. I’m reading this and thinking…anyone who can’t or doesn’t want to read you for exactly what and who you are doesn’t get you anyway and why would you want that!? Guess I need to take my own advice, so maybe now I can!! Yaaaay
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I hope you can because you have a tribe who enjoys bantering and laughing with you and it would be a huge disservice to those of us who enjoy the haha’s with you and care and like the connections we make. Keep the faith. Yes, now take your own advice Mister! But thanks for letting me springboard off your post – even though I didn’t ask permission. Are you frustrated with me? Did I overstep? I didn’t say whose post inspired me. Should I have mentioned whose it was? 🙂
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No!!! I was really happy to see it and glad I could chime in! That’s what it’s all about! (Not the Hokey Pokey like they’d have you believe)
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Put your first post in, take your next comment out, put your next thought in and you shake it all about! Ok, bad made up lyrics, but I couldn’t help myself! You made me sing that song in my head! LOL Have a great night! Thanks!
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Actually, that song pretty accurately describes the emotional and creative ups and downs of WordPress! I guess all roads lead back to the Hokey Pokey after all!!
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LOL! I’m giggling Sam! 🙂 Thanks for the chuckle this morning!
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❤
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This is a great topic, Janie. I feel like any type of conversation via text, email, or blogging can easily be misconstrued. You can’t see the persons expressions or hear their voice and it can mess everything up! So far, I haven’t really had any issues blogging at all and have had the most positive experiences. I will say that I second guess my comments ALL the time and I reread them a lot! 💜💕
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Mischenko, I have had only positive experiences as well and I’m glad you have too! I sometimes reread my comments so that I make sure I’m not repeating myself and I do second guess to make sure that what I’m saying can’t be misconstrued. Thanks for stopping by. 🙂
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Only positive experiences, though I did once get a glimpse of a negative comment on a friends blog before she got chance to delete it and it made me sad for her as the post was a celebration of a special occasion.
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Thanks for sharing…I can’t imagine saying something ugly to someone else in a comment. I am glad your friend was able to delete it. Cheers to positive experiences! 🙂
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