I wrote a much longer post on this, but LJ — perhaps wisely — ate it. So, now I will just say generally:
a) If you comment on my blog and call me a loser, I will delete your comment
b) If you comment on my blog and make ad hominem attacks “you clearly have too much time on your hands”, “you need to open your mind” I will delete your comment
c) If you comment on my blog and IN ADDITION to the above completely misunderstand the point of my post and show the reading comprehension of a learning disabled sixth grader — if that — your comment will be deleted.
d) If, in the same night and within the space of an hour, you send me TWO ANSWERS to a post I put up … months ago and accuse me of overreacting in that post, you do not know the meaning of the word “irony.”
e) If you feel it necessary to tell me my blog is boring and I complain about stupid little things DON’T READ IT. No one is making you. If you want to read it and, instead of taking offense at things presented from a pov you’re not used to seeing, choose to consider there might be a larger point behind the postings, you’re welcome to.
f) If you’re not sure whether something is germane to the discussion OR an ad hominem attack, ask yourself “What do I hope to achieve from this comment? More discussion?” If it is more discussion, then it’s probably germane. “Or to upset the blog writer and prove how much more smarter/open minded/whatever I am?” If it’s this second your comment is probably an ad hominem and again — what will happen to it boys and girls? — that’s right! It will be deleted. Note that even a Germane question such as “are you sure your son understood the assignment” can beocme a wrong question when you call the person a loser or close minded in the next sentence. CONSIDER the effect of your words. If you cannot make this determination by yourself, find someone who can and ASK them for help.
Right. Now that’s done. (Rinses hands.) Now, for my friends, readers and other people who understand the meaning of “I don’t need to go to someone else’s blog and work on my private neurosis” and who have asked me questions over the last few weeks, both on LJ and via email:
I suspect this post is more irrational than not, mostly because I’ve been writing all day — I have TWO novels overdue, each hanging by less than twenty pages of revision and each interfering with the other. I HATE it when that happens. The fact that they take place 200 years apart and in different continents is NOT helping.
Yes, I will continue the series on writing soon. I’ve also had several — interesting — thoughts on the nature of learning languages and how this idea that people can’t change their culture is tied in to the quality of our — American — language teaching, particularly the fact that what I call “faux total immersion” has become standard. These will undoubtedly become a post sometime. And weirdly not a complaint, but… a modest proposal, shall we say?
I’ve read some good books and at least one I want to blog about. Until I have time, go out and buy The Year of The Hyenas. Buy it. Read it. It’s a mystery, with some paranormal elements — not enough to detract from the mystery. I got it as a gift and read it during a weekend away. It’s worth your time. Read it.
Other than that, since last I posted, I managed to get pneumonia one more time, and bronchitis once, and have had minor surgery on my — natch — RIGHT hand (Yeah, because that didn’t affect my typing AT ALL.)
I’ve delivered the second book in the shifter series. I’ve come up with half a dozen novels that want to be written yesterday. AND a couple fanfic novels too. Because my life is full of fun. I’m going to start wearing a tinfoil hat, to keep ideas at bay. I’ve started drawing. (Do you really want to know? Probably not.) If I find a scanner maybe I’ll post some of it. I find it very restful to use a different area of my brain. I’d reached a point that taking weekends off or whatever was not working. My head kept ticking on novels. The art turns it off, though, and alows me to come back to the page fresh. I tired of noodling with it on my own and so I’m taking two classes. Just getting out among non-writers is good sometimes.
The cats are still alive. The not my cats are still alive, too. D’Artagnan has acquired a new nickname. In addition to butterpat, sausage, notorious ILB (Innappropriate Licking Boi) and Lord of Tentistan, he’s now bah-lamb. This because he has a distinctive meow that sounds something like mah-ah.
The boys are still alive. Eric is miraculously becoming handy in Latin. NOT proficient, mind, but “handy” enough to figure out word roots. Good first year stuff. He’s learning French too. In History he’s been exploring the age of discoveries. In math, he’s doing geometry. And in art, he’s outstripping mommy. :) (Not that this is difficult.)
Robert is trying to start a social life again, which is good as I’ve been much worried about him. His French, which I thought past praying for, is moving towards fluency (yay) after he started reading mysteries in French. And he’s editing his novel.
Both of the boys’ hair is going curly, which seems like adding insult to injury. I wanted curly hair. I did.
The local con came and went and I couldn’t enjoy it, since I was dealing with pneumonia. Did panels, but didn’t socialize because I don’t like getting other people sick and I know I’m not the only one on crazy deadlines.
Haven’t heard from the Simean — or the rest of you — in much too long.
I hope — hope — to be out of the woods on Monday, at which point I look forward to a normal schedule and a semblance of normal interaction.
Till then, keep good thoughts coming my direction. I’ll dig myself out from under. Gots shovel.
According To Hoyt 
I hope you are over all that nasty illness stuff now. Glad to hear the fam is still alive, too.
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First of all, HUGS.
I’m reading this over my first mug of coffee of the morning and thinking about how rude and dense some folks can be. I’m sorry this happened to you and want you to know that you’ve shown more class in this situation than I would. So, all I can say is hugs and thanks for some very fun, often insightful and always thought-provoking blog posts.
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Insanity, thy name is “Sarah’s Life”.
Keep your head up, dear, and fear not the “delete” key for LJ. Idiots deserve the bit-bin.
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Re: hear from me
Ooh! Just re-read Witches of Karres this week and will be snagging Wizard off my shelf when I go home to the Fort again this weekend. (Forgot to grab it last time.) Definitely looking forward to the next.
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Well, THERE you are! I was wondering who got lost, you or me. Probably both of us. Surgery on the hand? Ouch. Hugs for the damned illnesses, but glad the rest of the family is doing well. (Shall I send you a box with cookies and a curling iron?)
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::HUGS::
I’ve missed you but I didn’t want to bother you. I’m glad to see you again :)
As for idiots, the world is too full of them.
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Hiya, sweetie. This userpic is for the nut who sought out your LJ to work out their private neuroses. I’ll see if I can find some sort of virtual bomb wherewith you can hie to their LJ and nuke the joint.
It’s great to hear from you, and though it sounds like there’s never a dull moment, I’m glad, at least, that you’re all alive and moving forward, even if you’re in sixth gear. No leisurely country drive for you! I hope your pneumonia and surgered hand are perfectly well now.
*hug*
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You know, you can change your settings so people can’t leave you anonymous comments. On the home page it’s under the “Journal” menu, if you go to “manage comments” and then at the top of that page is “manage comment settings”. You can also log IPs (of course) and report this person to the LJ abuse squad and get them banned forevah.
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Alyson, send me details on email on how to do the IP thing. Mind you, I suspect this is a group of teens — I have trouble believing any single person can be THIS stupid, I guess — but I think this has passed the bounds into harrassment. Mind you the “F” yous started last night. Same sweet style. You have to love the use of the language.
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And here I thought my emails would be distracting…
Thanks for forwarding that to Dan for me, by the way.
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Good, you are not other peoples psychologist so the delete button is your friend. Gah, glad your better being sick is no fun.
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After walking away and thinking about what you went through, I have to come to the conclusion that the person who went nutso in your blog is either the irate husband of the clueless wanna-be poet pseudo-teacher or one of her students with a teacher-fetish worship malfunction.
The woman’s actions during that escapade made it very clear what she was trying to do. She was preaching from the pulpit of multi-culti and her narrow, bigoted frame of mind meant that she could not and will never be able to separate fact from hairy hippy Tranzi indoctrination. I’m so glad you called the louse on her attitudes. It’s only sad that other folks buckled under and let her take her little ego road show into their homes and their children’s brains.
I hope Robert can learn to ignore her idiocy and get his writing voice back. The woman’s a menace, both from an Tranzi-indoctrination and language usage point of view.
Lord save us from the self-annointed literatsi.
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Sorry. Swing and a miss on the irate husband. How quickly you all are to judge those you do not know nor are willing to speak with in person.
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Sorry, stupid presumption on insufficient data — like pretty much all of your comments — Darwin is in fact a professional friend. Someone who, incidentally, wasn’t published when we met. He is now, and you will see him on bestseller lists soon.
How quickly (sic) you all are to judge those you do not know nor are willing to speak with in person.
(Shooting fish in a barrel, so help me!)
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“How quickly you all are to judge those you do not know nor are willing to speak with in person.”
Sounds just like what you’re doing, doesn’t it? It must feel so very good to sling accusations around while hiding behind the anonymous post. Why don’t you come out into the light, identify yourself and try to hold a conversation instead of just tossing out statements and then getting your feelings hurt when others stand up and point out what a fool you are.
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Oh yes I see such courage of your convictions…. So why is it your posting anonymously again? If you had any belief in what your posting you would do it under your name.
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::crunches down on annoying nony mouse and then spits it out in disgust::
gah! they don’t even *taste* good!
-bs, in wolf-form and battle-armor
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sprry. swing and miss
well my dear twit. we might NOT be hitting and missing if you had the courage to post your real name now would we?
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Sarah *HUGZZZZZZZZZZZ* I haven’t bugged you because I KNOW you’ve been busy. *HUGZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ* As far as the subgenus of the species Homo Sapiens known as asshat…yep the delete button is your friend. I hate people who post anonymously. It shows they lack the courage of their convictions, have the IQ’s of 4yr olds and are the type of people I would casually feed slowly thru a woodchipper feet first.
New shifter..yes but….but….where’s Athenaaaa. *grin*. Oh and I thought I said to stop getting sick. Its exceedingly inemical to the health. Not to mention bloody incovienent. :P
Wolfie
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Last thing you need is all this aggravation, Sarah. Can’t you just freinds lock your LJ to keep rude spammers out? Try and stay well. Hugs to the unstable boys, curly locks and all. And even bigger hugs to you.
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