No More Friday Q+A
I've had enough of the idiots who insult other people over on Ms Fits' Friday Q+A posts, at least one of whom was previously a friend of mine (in the blogosphere) before deciding to have a go at me in public and start a trend of leaving insults for me in the Q+A comments.
Friggin' hell, what's the big problem, anyway? I'm only being entertaining by mucking around and being silly -- and I don't care if they're interested in reading my comments or not. I'm not writing to anyone who's not interested; I'm writing to Ms Fits/the general public who read the comments and know my tongue is always firmly planted in my cheek. Instead, those tools are reading me 'seriously', when 'stupid jokester behaviour' (if anything) is all they should be reading into my comments.
Just relax, people.
So long as Ms Fits doesn't mind (and she said she doesn't, having pleaded with me to return when I disappeared from Friday Q+A for a week), I'll say/ask what I like.
If people don't want to read anything I have to say, here's a tip: Don't!
Anyone who complains about it is missing the point, especially the moron who thinks I was making references to going to school with Ms Fits for my own personal glorification. THAT WAS SARCASM, GENIUS. Read it in context of what the person before me had asked.
I feel like the Working Dog gang when they made Frontline. I won't clarify why/how. You know me; I'm too modest for that.
MORE SARCASM!
Most of my comments over there have been self-depreciating anyway. Get a clue.
At least I have the good grace to ignore other comments that don't interest me; isn't it funny how other people don't extend the same courtesy without feeling the need to be insulting? Oh well. "Rubber; glue", etc.
I love the Internet. How easily old bloggy friends can turn on you. Amazing.
I won't be returning to the Q+A posts. (Cue a resounding cheer from all over at Reasons You Will Hate Me.) Clearly it's going to be a trend to BEVIS-bash over there now, and I'm not even going to go read the comments anymore if they're aimed at firing me up or putting me down (two confusingly conflicting terms).
I knew the BEVIS limericks were going to cause a backlash, and they have. My questions alone didn't do it; they were just a bit of fun. It was how frequently my name kept popping up throughout the Q+A posts that did it, even when I hadn't left a comment myself. Readers got sick of seeing my name everywhere and it started to bug them (which is fair enough), but they failed to take into account that about half of those references were being made by other people. So the carefully-capped number of times I chimed in for laughs was outweighed by the number of times other people were talking about me or writing limericks about me, and suddenly those who didn't care were getting angry every time they saw my name.
I understand how that works; they're not conscious of how often I left a comment or asked a question; they just know that my name cropped up far too frequently for their liking. So they start telling me to shut up. I can understand it, but they're not being fair or thinking it through very rationally.
So the best way to deal with it is to avoid it entirely. Hopefully in time people will stop associating my Blogger name with the term "serial pest", because in a few short weeks that's how I've been labelled.
It's disappointing, because if you read my actual comments in their proper context (such as who I'm replying to), I'm actually just being an amusing little smartarse. I'm not insulting anyone or being mean, I'm not being politically or in any other way controversial, I'm really not rocking the boat at all.
But whatever. I don't want other people's misconceptions of me (caused by elements outside my control) to adversely affect my blogging time.
Best to leave well enough alone, I say. Let the fools continue to insult me behind my back if they want to. I hope they don't, but they probably will. For a while at least.
I'll continue to read Ms Fits' posts, but not her Friday Q+A ones anymore. It's just not worth the hassle and grief.
.
16 Comments:
Yes, I said 'friggin'. And 'hell'. And 'smartarse'.
*hug* Don't let the internerd's more uptight inhabitants get you down, Bevis. We still love you!
Thanks, RichardWatts, but I just think it's better if I stay away from the Q+A crowd for a while. Not trying to be melodramatic or sooky; I just reckon I'd be wiser to exercise caution in this instance.
Good to hear from you again, though! :)
I've often been too scared to leave comments over there, not because of Ms Fits,who seems lovely, but because of The Others.
*shudders*
I've always enjoyed your comments/interjections/hilariousness over at RYWHM, Bevis. But some of the pompous jackasses that leave comments ridiculing others to make themselves seem hip/superiour/sophisticated (but only to themselves, surely) get me down, too.
I hope you don't give Q&A away. I've always welcomed a little light relief!
don't worry bevis. while i wasn't named directly i think i was being included with you, as an annoying poster.
but it won't stop me. ha ha.
don't take it too seriously, but i know you are a sensitive little frog. just be yourself, that's what we love.
ps who was the meany? i couldn't keep up with all the crap flying around. do spill? hint?
take care.
The RYWHM Friday Q & A has become the blogosphere equivalent of Joyce's Ulysses. Nobody ever actually makes it to the end.
I agree with 'pomgirl'there does seem to be a group of 'others'that has formed who aren't capable of enjoying Friday Q&A for what it is- a bit of a lazy chat/ catch up/ vent about a problem/ be terribly funny etc. Instead they whine about the length, the type of questions, the vocabulary and writing style of posters, suggest Ms. Fits cease Friday Q&A's all together and so on. As you said Bevis, why do they just not read i then? I really dont like that mean spirited element at all, i'd much rather the funny little frog be present!
Wow ... thanks, everyone. I honestly didn't expect this kind of reaction/support. I'm very appreciative.
Pomgirl, believe me when I assure you (at the risk of sounding like I’m big-noting myself and fulfilling some of the accusations that were made about me over there) that Ms Fits IS INDEED lovely. She seems to cop an amazing amount of unwarranted and totally undeserving flack – simply for having opinions and being game enough to have a career that’s somewhat in the public eye. Not that she needs my flattery or fandom. She is probably the strongest and self-certain woman I know (after Wifey, of course). “The Others”, as you call them, have definitely taken a nasty bent of late – and I guess it’s up to Ms Fits to either ‘out’ them, ignore them, turf them, cease-and-desist Friday Q+A (which I hope she doesn’t do), or allow the bullying to continue. It’s not a fair position she’s in, and most of the insults are coming from cowardly ‘Anonymous’ people (I actually think it’s just one or two people, tops, leaving all those comments – have you seen the way the writing style is always the same with each comment?), but if this continues I don’t think I’ll be the only person to be burnt by the attacks and stop visiting. And that’s anything but fair on Ms Fits, who started the Friday Q+A as a bit of fun and who puts SO MANY HOURS into composing each one.
Meva, aww, thank you! That’s lovely of you to say. My interjections were only ever meant to make people smile (in a roll-your-eyes, that’s-so-corny type of way, I grant you), so it’s nice to know at least ONE person saw it for what it was – and didn’t hate me for it! Yep, the other kind of comments being left there recently have taken a definite swing towards hurtful and mean. And that’s not fun for anyone. I say again; this is not Ms Fits’ fault (and it seems unfair that it’s even her problem to deal with – if she chooses to ‘deal with it’, because she might prefer to leave it alone entirely, and who could blame her), but it’s on her blog so unfortunately for everyone it taints her with the same brush. As for me giving Friday Q+A away, I will for a while at least. I don’t need that kind of crap right at the moment, and whoever it is trying to be nasty just for the sake of being nasty clearly has an axe to grind. I have Comment Moderation, so I’m wondering if the person who likes to insult me here but never has the satisfaction of seeing the comments approved has gone “off-shore” to post them somewhere where no one moderates the comments and they can get away with anonymous insults. Just a theory.
MelbourneGirl, I had hoped you were wrong about being lumped into the situation with me, MG, until I looked again at the comments this morning and saw one devoted to you as well. My apologies if you’ve received that simply for your association with me (again, without wanting to sound like I think the world revolves around me). I don’t think you were being an annoying poster at all (although I didn’t really think I was, either, because it was all in good fun), so where that comment directed at you came from, I have no idea. As for who ‘the meany’ was, I don’t want to say. Maybe – as you suggest – I’m just being sensitive. But if so, that’s only because I mean and intend no spite to anyone else, so when someone comes in and says something so conversely hurtful, it stings all-the-more. Why is that deserving, if I’m simply the fun guy who jokes around to amuse people? So no hints on who I was specifically referring to, just in case I imagined or embellished it in my mind. I don’t want to make things worse or create something out of nothing by naming anyone. All underwear dried really easily yesterday. I hope you understand.
SBR, haha – trust you to say something like that! I actually enjoy(ed) reading the full posts – when time permits – and only skip the parts that really don’t interest me, such as the political stuff or (some of) the dating questions. But that’s just my personal bent and I’m sure others ignore my bits because they aren’t amused by them. But there’s a difference between ignoring them and starting to insult the person for kicks. I’d never do it to them – even if they used a real Blogger name, the cowards.
Blenny, exactly. Why must people tear others down to make themselves feel better? I suppose I should be flattered that they consider me a tall-enough ‘poppy’ to need cutting down, but still. It says a lot about their mental problems. How unhappy they must be as a person. Hopefully it says something that I haven’t returned fire and brought myself down to their level. Thanks for saying you’d much rather me be there – I hope to be there again some day, if/when the nasty people have moved on. Also, have you commented before? Your Blogger name seems familiar (so I’m sorry if I’m forgetting a prior conversation we’ve had) but I don’t want to miss greeting you properly if you’re new ... so: ‘Welcome!’
I agree with blenny. I don't think they understand what Friday Q&A is about. It's not all that serious, it's just a blog after all.
People should be able to say whatever they like, as long as they aren't offending anyone greatly or generally acting like an arsehole. Those who ask questions are contributing more to entertain us than those who don't, or those who just make negative, nasty comments, after all.
so don't worry about it B; hugs to you, and MG too.
yes i saw my name there as well. oh well. and like sub says, i don't think people understand how and why it was set up, not as some serious online forum, though some of the questions are really serious, and fits always gives serious, respectful answers to those ones, but i guess i saw it as a shooting the breeze, chatty thing as well.
too much other stuff is going on in my life at the moment, largest being princess and broken ankle, to worry about it muchly. it's just a shame, is all.
Geee... sounds like I should the the Q&A more often. Didnt realise there was a mob forming there. Love mobs. Kind of a strange word, mob, if you really think about it.
Anyway, there will always be idiots.
I cant quite remember if i have commented here before, i pop by most days to check in and see how you're doing though. I've commented/ asked questions a couple of times at RWYWHM and was planning to today but see ing the latest attacks on Melbourne Girl, i dont know if i can be bothered. I'm not scared off, but they are really sucking the fun out of Fridays. If Ms. Fits wished to say something about the type of questions/ comments/ writing style i'm sure she would, I can't understand why all these terribly bad mannered 'annonymii' feel that it's any of their business. I love your self-description of 'roll your eyes, corny', that's just what i was thinking, your sense of humour and they way you think of things reminds me very much of a friend of mine. He drives me nuts and makes me laugh and i wouldn't have it any other way!
Sublime-ation, nicely put, and thanks. I like your point about how much more entertaining those asking questions are, compared to those simply being mean. Hopefully this is a passing phase for them ... which has already passed. Wishful thinking, though.
MelbourneGirl, sorry to hear about Princess’ broken ankle! I hope she’s doing okay. And for the record, there was absolutely NO reason for those ‘Anonymous’ tools to turn on you like they did; they’re just vying for a reaction, don’t worry. At least when they turned on me it was (as I explained the main body of this post) at least partly due to the limericks and other references to my name throughout recent Q+A posts. For you, they can have no such complaint.
Chai, that comment made me smile. :) You’re right – there will always be idiots. Normally I’m happy to act like one, myself – but only the non-offensive kind who doesn’t mind acting the fool for the amusement/bemusement of others. Not the kind who simply insults people.
Blenny, aww, you pop by most days? How lovely! Yep, I like what you said about the trolls sucking the fun out of Fridays. For some of us, anyway – certainly not for everyone. I presume there are still MANY MANY people happy to read Ms Fits’ Friday posts, and I’m NOT trying to start a revolution or anything. I keep saying how much I respect what she does and the graceful air with which she does it, and I don’t want anyone to think I’m boycotting HER WORK or anything. Please, everyone – continue to be charmed by Ms Fits on a regular basis. She is brilliant and alluring, with a dash of dotty thrown in for good measure. My absence from the Friday Q+A is not a reflection on her at all. I know I’ve said this already, but I want to be sure the point comes across to all who read it. On another note, your friend sounds like my kinda guy! :)
Before you read this, take a breath and accept that this is a comment from someone who is merely throwing a thought in the air based on their own experience and life lessons, and if it fits you, good, if it doesn't feel free to discard it, but please don't take it with malice, as it isn't intended that way. There are always two parts to a communication, the way it is intended, and the way it is interpreted. I found out, at the expense of a friendship, that things written are easier to misinterpret because they lack the obvious signs of humour (a smile, body language, a laugh) that would normally accompany them. Maybe there's a little bit of that in what's happened to you. You know what you intend when you write it, so it seems obvious to you that everyone else is reading it wrong.
Good on you for not escalating the situation though (I take back what I previously commented about you not being different from 10 yrs ago-at least you haven't followed The Others via IP addresses and threatened to shoot them) - from the comments here it looks like you can sit back and enjoy the company of your real friends
FairyDust, thanks for that - much appreciated. :) You give some good advice, there. Wise words. Sorry to hear that you lost of friendship over mixed communication. Sometimes we humans can be quite fickle/stubborn/proud/silly, can't we. Your point about the smiles and body language not being seen in written text is precisely why emoticons were invented (and why I use them wherever appropriate – unless I'm talking to MelbourneGirl, who loathes them under any circumstance). I felt that escalating the situation wouldn’t do anyone any favours (certainly not our fair host, Ms Fits – and we were clearly dealing with an unreasonable character there anyway), so I knew I’d be wiser to leave well enough alone.
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