I apologize that I have not written. I could blame the holidays or my hectic social calendar during the month of December. The truth is, I got scared.
About a month ago, I had the unfortunate experience of being the 'subject' of someone's blog. A 'friend' shared intimate details of a particularly bad day, and proceeded to use my bad day as a platform to depict her own thoughts and feelings. It was hurtful and inconsiderate, thus I grew nervous continuing my own writing. I never want any of you to feel as exposed as I did. Although I plan to expose myself through my writing, that is my choice, on my time clock and I decide which dirty little details to include.
Ironically, at the time this so called 'friend' published her blog, I had been drafting a disclaimer (see below: written in early December, pre-mean blog incident):
In a recent brainstorming session, I had an epiphany which drastically changes my first novel. I won't give away too much, as I want you to read with vigor when you are finally bestowed an advanced copy; but I did want to devote my blog today to a discussion of "Sensitive Subject Matter" that may appear.
Although this topic came up regarding my novel, I think it is extremely applicable to my blog, perhaps even more so. Many writers naturally draw from life experience; however, my first novel will be written in memoir form, so you can imagine how real this is going to get. I can't promise you will always like what I have to say, how I say it, or the fact that you (any of you) came up at all. I came up with this disclaimer: You might come on one day to read my thoughts and find me 'thinking' (writing publicly on my blog) about you. I ask for forgiveness if I crack jokes at your expense. I ask for forgiveness if I paint you through my creative lens and it is not the same way you view yourself. If I do any of the aforementioned while blogging, feel free to post a comment. Who knows, maybe we'll find that we enjoy the banter as much as Rosie and Elisabeth did on the View. Just don't kick me off the show if you don't like what I have to say.
About a month ago, I had the unfortunate experience of being the 'subject' of someone's blog. A 'friend' shared intimate details of a particularly bad day, and proceeded to use my bad day as a platform to depict her own thoughts and feelings. It was hurtful and inconsiderate, thus I grew nervous continuing my own writing. I never want any of you to feel as exposed as I did. Although I plan to expose myself through my writing, that is my choice, on my time clock and I decide which dirty little details to include.
Ironically, at the time this so called 'friend' published her blog, I had been drafting a disclaimer (see below: written in early December, pre-mean blog incident):
In a recent brainstorming session, I had an epiphany which drastically changes my first novel. I won't give away too much, as I want you to read with vigor when you are finally bestowed an advanced copy; but I did want to devote my blog today to a discussion of "Sensitive Subject Matter" that may appear.
Although this topic came up regarding my novel, I think it is extremely applicable to my blog, perhaps even more so. Many writers naturally draw from life experience; however, my first novel will be written in memoir form, so you can imagine how real this is going to get. I can't promise you will always like what I have to say, how I say it, or the fact that you (any of you) came up at all. I came up with this disclaimer: You might come on one day to read my thoughts and find me 'thinking' (writing publicly on my blog) about you. I ask for forgiveness if I crack jokes at your expense. I ask for forgiveness if I paint you through my creative lens and it is not the same way you view yourself. If I do any of the aforementioned while blogging, feel free to post a comment. Who knows, maybe we'll find that we enjoy the banter as much as Rosie and Elisabeth did on the View. Just don't kick me off the show if you don't like what I have to say.
Bizarre, right? I can't even take the irony of the whole thing. I was so hurt when I visited her blog, hours after this girl left my house, and had to re-live the whole bad day. In the event that any of you read the distasteful 'Examination of the M Word,' I ask that you remember: Marriage is not a word - it is a sentence.
Don't worry, my friends (the real ones, you know who you are.) I have learned a great deal from this experience. I am not the type to crack jokes anyway! Nor will I use your personal experience for my shameless entertainment. I write from the heart and will continue to do so. But never at your expense.I leave you with the following (I guess this is my own 'Examination of the M(arriage) Word'), courtesy of Mark Twain:
"After all these years, I see that I was mistaken about Eve in the beginning; it is better to live outside the Garden with her than inside it without her. ~Adam, in Adam's Diary
