Honie Briggs

Okay really, the risk assessment team (me) thinks it’s safe to say, people who know me have told me that I am the first person they want on their side and the last person they want to piss off. Of course, this is their way of letting me know they think I’m fierce a smart ass, but that they love me anyway because I’m loyal, (like a Labrador) brave, (like a carrier pigeon) and determined, (like a carpenter ant).

Writing, I’ve recently been told, is tricky. Not being a paid professional trained to be objective, credible, informative and entertaining makes me just another blogger. (Blogger is the new “B Word”)

Reading blogs can make us googley-eyed. Consuming data, instructions, jokes, and standard operating procedures for everything from how to blog to how to live our lives is mind numbing to the point of, well, not realizing your head has fallen off your shoulders.

Poetry, philosophy, legal opinion, recipes, sports stats – okay just NY Yankees stats – lyrics to classic country songs (that I would prefer to forget) numeration of everything from love languages, habits, and deadly sins, to the names of dwarfs, reindeer and the anatomy of creatures great and small, but wait there’s more – rules of civility, rules of engagement, commandments, chapter and verse written by, for, or about people and places I’ve never seen, examples of leadership from highly effective to piss poor, and other assorted fodder can cause the cervical spine to bulge from the weight of all the stuff we stuff into our heads. (I’m seeing a doctor for it.)

Recently two blogs caught my attention because the topic of the counted, coveted, and most recently, contrived “like” was weighing on my mind. Both were well written, straight forward and funny.

The first post, as it turns out, I liked but didn’t stick it with a click. However, I did comment, because I am a constant commenter. Yeah, I’m one of those, but only if I believe I have something worthwhile to add to the conversation or if I’m trying to be funny or supportive. I save the venting and ranting for my own blog. The second post, I also genuinely liked, and its author too. I felt compelled to comment (one of a BAZILLION, btw) by sharing a comment I had left on the “about” page of a compulsive “liker.”

Here’s my comment:

Well said. I’d like to share with you a comment I made on the “about” page of a compulsive “liker” who not only plastered their gravitar on my blog, but as I read many others on the same morning I noticed it was on them all. How odd I thought. I check out every single person who claims to like my posts. I want very much for what I have to say to actually be meaningful. So, if people say they like something I write, I want to make the connection and believe I haven’t been just lying to myself about my writing.
Their blog, a re-sale blog like an ebay knock-off, meaningful communication wasn’t the reason they chose to “like” my post which I assure you had nothing at all to do with auctioning off your shit to strangers.

Here was the comment I left: (Which did not receive a reply and was not posted on their blob blog.)

“While I can appreciate your using this platform to promote your new venture, I really can, I don’t appreciate compulsive “likers” and as I made my way around the blogosphere this morning I noticed not only did you curiously “like” a post of mine, but many others. This is not a condemnation of your blog; on the contrary, I found an amazingly talented photographer, whose comment is above, and chose to follow his blog. So I thank you for that. I also kindly thank you not to use my blog to place your gravitar in the hopes of attracting customers for your business. Any thoughtful comments you wish to make regarding topics of posts on my blog are welcome. It is my hope that my writing is worthy to be liked, as in appreciated, not merely “liked.” Please don’t use me. I’ve been used enough for several lifetimes. Thanks.”

The prompt for today’s post came to me when I…Oh wait, if your blog is for the sole purpose of selling used crap or marketing a business that I do not do business with you don’t get free advertising here.

STOP TRYING TO NERD JACK OUR BLOGS. (Google it.)