ibeachalot's Diaryland Diary
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Message to my readers:
Big surprise - I'm updating sooner than I said I would. I have some things on my mind and needed to spill them.
It never ceases to amaze me how people, usually complete strangers, feel the need to make observations and comments about my life. Since starting an online diary nearly two years ago, I've been harassed, ridiculed and criticized. I've received hate mail, nasty chat box comments and have been linked with rude remarks in other people's diaries.
Why? Because of what I believe? How I conduct myself? How I raise my children? My overuse of profanity? Or because of the things I like? I've heard every comment you can imagine concerning all the above subjects.
I've closed diaries, locked diaries and had to shut down comment boxes.
It's really ridiculous when you think about it. I started a diary so I could have a place to vent my frustrations about the things in my life that upset or concern me. I started with a locked diary, to which only three had the password. I then opened an unlocked diary in the hopes that maybe I could more easily stay in touch with friends and family around the country.
I then joined a few diaryrings with the intent of meeting some people with my same interests. A year or so and several diaries later, I have over 100 hits a day and have made several close online friends.
But something else happened, as well. I started to attract a bad element. I guess this is to be expected in the nameless, faceless world of the internet. My diary is a public domain that anyone can access. What I don't understand is why anyone would want to try to anger me or hurt my feelings, when they have know idea about me or my life, other than what they read here everyday.
I don't like the trend diaries have taken. People feel compelled to make comments, even when they're unsolicitied. I suppose that because so many diarists request reviews, people feel the need to comment on everything someone writes in their diary or the kind of person they feel the writer might be. If a diarist can't turn to her/his very own diary, where should they turn? No one should have to lock a diary in order to gain respect. Privacy, perhaps, but not respect.
As I stated in last night's entry - if you're reading this and need to comment on the fact that:
~ I medicate my oldest son for a behavioral disorder
~ I use "fuck" as the word of choice often
~ I'm 36 years old and have a school girl crush on Clay Aiken
~ I'm a conservative republican
~ I am vehemently against circumcision and abortion
... or any other of my beliefs, opinions, feelings or interests - please take it up with me via email. There's a link to my email address to the right of this entry, for your convenience. I know you won't, because that would spoil your anonimity - the face behind which you hide when you make your stupid, uneducated observations.
I know I shouldn't let the opinions of others, especially "spelling and grammarly challenged" strangers, but it still hurts. Especially when the comments are directed at my children. Note something, please: I may make comments on how insane my children drive me and how I'd like to place them up for auction some days, but do not make comments about my children, as I am very defensive of them. I love my children more than life itself and won't tolerate ridicule of them under any circumstances.
That said, if you enjoy my diary, continue to read it and accept my thanks for doing so. If not, either utilize that nifty ol' back button on your browser or accept this t-shirt on my behalf:
7:49 a.m. - 2003-07-20
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