Blog Trolls, Moles and Sad Souls
I’ve done the blogging gig for over 5 years. If we equate that amount of time in true blog years, that basically makes me an elderly blog grannie with saggy socks and crazy hair who can be found taking frequent blog naps. I am also the old blog who is set in her ways with a wicked amount of blog observation under her browser. I’ve seen the good, the bad, the ugly and the beautiful. At this point nothing can surprise me, however, that doesn’t mean I don’t get cranky sometimes……..
I can honestly say that over the years I’ve avoided all things blog ‘drama’ and or negative 98.1% of the way. Basically, the secret to my sauce is avoidance, neutral involvement and maintaining a semi-detached version of myself up for public offerings. I also find people I enjoy and visit occasionally and if I don’t like someone I move along, never to visit again. (side note: and sometimes I really do like a person, but still lose touch with them)Pretty simple concept.
The few negative comments or emails I’ve received over the years pretty much made me 1) laugh 2) ignore with mild annoyance 3) think WTF (hello insane Internet neighbor) 4) get reasonably pissed or 5) deal with the interruptions like fallen lint off the ass end of a pesky blog fly that gets vacuumed up.
I wish I could understand the motivations of the trolls and moles. I do think they are appropriately named….Those that go hiding behind fake emails, names, proxies and any other slinking underground maneuvers they can sniff up. Such effort! Such time commitment! Such twisted behavior! Such dirty work! And the rewards for all that dirt moving? A reaction! A rebuttal! A response! A blog entry all about them! This is my gift to you. Enjoy.
I would think that if a persons highlight of the day is to 1) try to provoke negativity 2) ruin a persons day 3) smear another persons name 4) stir the proverbial pot or 5) flick lint off their ass on another persons carpet—-they need to seriously take a deep breath. They need to think really long and really hard about what they are trying to accomplish and what in the hell is personally wrong within because good people generally don’t get off on hurting others.
If you are a mole troll, might I suggest considering–Would your Mother be proud of your mole holes? What would your children think of Mom slithering around the Internet inserting negativity onto other peoples world. Or how about this, what would your wife or husband think if the authorities showed up at your house for harassment? Think about explaining that one to your family…..
A little hint here for those living in lala land~ the Internet isn’t so anonymous anymore, your hole can be discovered with a few hound dogs and a couple of shovels. Thats the smell of your trail. Despite your fake everything, please comprehend this—You still leave a trail of shit droppings.
Now, with those thoughts out of the way I’d like to address a few specific individuals of the lint nature.
Ruby Tuesday ~ If I wanted an opinion about someone I consider a friend, I would have publicly asked for one. I didn’t, so that makes your intrusion on my blog spewing ridiculous personal opinion a deplorable act of immature mole behavior. You gave your opinion, so here’s mine.
I suggest you take a hard look at why you would want to slander someone, then wrap your warped motivations around a mirror and take a good look at yourself. Usually the things you think you see in others, the things you may be inclined to outwardly attack, are the exact things you deplore about yourself, tis the human nature of an insecure soul. Lets face it, you’re the one actively slandering someone beyond their borders. That would make you the creepy snail trail. You wrote ~ ”Rebecca, why is it you support Heather so much..” There is an easy answer to that question. I’ve accepted her as a friend and in that choice, I accept everything about her. Your opinion is beyond irrelevant to me. Now kindly fuck off.
To the person who has their panties in a wad over my comment activities let me just say this. First email (beyond the cheap shots) I could have slightly respected. “You are not commenting !! on Rebeccas blog!! anymore!!” Cool, I’m down with that! I’m fairly certain my blog will go on without your interaction or expectations….just saying…
Second email, ok, you made your point, relax, take a laxative and a yoga class.
Third email, I’m starting to think you need to seriously consider a new life goal beyond counting comments, but whatever, if it twirls your skirt.
Fourth email…I suggest you slowwwwly walk awayyyyy from the computer. Your slim thread of any remaining logic is hanging precariously close to the edge of comment count hell. I hear in that hell NO ONE ever EVER comments. Life as you know it will be one entry after another and no comments for you! It will be all my fault of course, but I’ll manage to live with it.I read your shallow thought process (rants and sniveling), however, I must say, this blog grannie isn’t changing anything about the way I do things because you have a wedgie. I for one don’t play the tit-for-tat, obligation ridden mentality of comment back scratching… No thank you. I do pity the people who may be commenting in your blog. You should put a disclaimer on your homepage “warning, if you comment once here and I comment in your blog twice I will go mole whacky because our comment balance is off”~~ move along little mole. Pour a new bowl of Cheerios. Life is short. Tomorrow may never come. Grab a rainbow. Dance naked in the moonlight. Then find a comment support group, asap…..kisses and love oh so strange one.
Well Hello Granny…Love your use of words.
And I must say as an observation? Being one of the grannies in the blogging word myself, and having been a follower of your “world”, niche here in the la la la land…My word girl, Reading all of this, I am able to hear the sigh at the end. Bravo you wordsmith.
and I must say, “oh my” to get Rebecca to the point of calling you out?
wow.
Jodi ~I know, I’m usually of the ignore and flick ‘em off restraint, and I could have gone on ignoring the comment counter, but Ruby Tuesday sorta pissed me off in a –time for an entry way.
By the way, from one Blogging Granny to another, you look so young! Whats your secret?
I’m lucky, I think. My trolls tend to just email me and sign me up for strange email lists that they somehow think makes their argument for them.
Anyway, the best way of dealing with them is to simply ignore them. They really aren’t worthy of an entry or response.
On the other hand, you can do what Dooce did recently and post all her hate mail and trollish comments to a special page on her website, and then fill that page with a ridiculous amount of ads to Monetize the Hate. It’s hilarious, but also a little heartbreaking to see how worthless and evil your fellow human beings can truly be.
Dan ~ I know better! I really did resist for awhile, promise, but sometimes ya gotta just cut loose and write the thoughts. I checked out that site and holy shit, I can’t even imagine…….
I agree with Jodi, your wordsmithing is worth the price of admission, even if you were talking about lint alone, which, you kinda are
So grannie, I’m a new er blogger, but ahemm, quite a bit older than you—what does that make me??
Peace and hugs, cuz I never pass up an opportunity to hug you girl
jana´s last blog ..I wish you enough
It’s fun to get comments. It’s great to have feedback on some subjects. It’s nice to know you have informed, entertained or made someone’s day. But all people aren’t really going to have anything in particular to say about all entries they read. It’s just plain unrealistic to think everyone will/should leave a comment every time they read a post or visit your blog.
If people are just commenting to keep up their end of some imaginary tally, then it sort of detracts from the sincerity and the impact of the comment.
I just can’t wrap my mind around being purposefully mean to people over such small and petty things. You are right. They are wasting their precious time. And every day truly is a precious gift.
Barbara´s last blog ..Rainy Day Musings
I have to apologize– I’m sorry that this random “Ruby” troll has found you via me, and has smeared your blog with her lint and troll bullshit, but I am also grateful that I have such a wonderful friend in you, and that you have known me & stood by me through the years, always, no matter what. I could not be any luckier to have found such a wonderful gem on this large blogosphere.
I feel very blessed.
That being said, I think it’s totally acceptable for you to comment when you’d like, where you’d like, and on what you like. You are OLD, you get tired easily.
*smirks*
xoxo
Heather´s last blog ..Friday Fragments
Just let us know when we have to put you out to pasture when you’ve gone past your prime. Are we talking saggy socks or something else?
Mike´s last blog ..Damn that Gopher
I’m sorry you had to deal with such negativity. I’ve been fortunate in not having to worry about any trolls for a while (knock on wood), and it really is best to ignore them, but there are times when the hammer has to fall. You once complimented me on troll smackdown…may I say that you play a pretty mean game of whack-a-mole yourself? Nicely done, Rebecca.
Beth´s last blog ..Salsa Fresca or Pico de Gallo?
Oh, yeah, your “comment count” lady sounds like a regular Kabbalah scholar. Personally, I prefer your more in depth snail mail to your comments. And I understand your protective tenderness when it comes to Heather~she is a doll.
I find Heather a worthy friend as well. Thankfully I haven’t gotten much in the way of troll/moles lately. One or two tried to do the stalker number for awhile soon after AOL. They do tend to get bored easy and move on.
Counting comments. Kind of makes whatever they say meaningless. It wasn’t given without expecting reciprocation. I consider words given freely a gift. As far as I know you only exchange gifts on Christmas and Birthdays (strangely enough I give gifts to other people on my birthday – more fun that way. Kind of life reverse psychology. Unfortunately it doesn’t take a year away from my age).
(Hugs)Indigo
Indigo´s last blog ..Today…
And then there’s this …:)
I took about 40 blogs off my reader this past 2 weeks or so. I don’t dislike the people, but I am doing a lot of research, reading paperwork, etc for my job & I needed to trim blogs. So maybe I’ll pop in on those people once in a while~here & there~~ it should not cause them to have a Chernobyl meltdown & if it does I’m glad to be done with them.
Every now and then it feels great to strike back, so no apologies
) Nice smackdown 
)
) 
Ken/bucko´s last blog ..Disney or Universal – me is leaning Universal
wow – you found some fruits in that bowl huh?
~K
Holy moly batman…even your written reaction was graceful! I’ve never really seen a blogger write about trolls with tact and class. Impressive!
Huckdoll´s last blog ..assault of the senses
I try just to ignore that type. Nothing I can say or write will change their point of view and it will only let them know that they got my goat. There’s no cure for stupidity, right?
Chris´s last blog ..Trevor the Kid
I’m like you, I basically ignore the ugliness, stay neutral, and go on with my life outside of cyberspace. BUT, and that’s a big but, I understand finally having enough and saying something (which I must admit you did with style and grace!). I think someone taking the time to confront you about supporting someone as sweet as Heather would be the straw that broke anyone’s back! I mean… what the heck! Sigh… somepeople really need to get a life, cyber or otherwise.
And, the granny bit? I AM a granny and I do not have:
so ;p
Astaryth´s last blog ..International Vulture Awareness Day
You tell ‘em! I love you and your blog, so there. If anyone wants to mess with you, tell them they’ll have me to answer to. If that doesn’t stop their nonsense, nothing will.;-)
Debbie Schubert´s last blog ..Writers Have Big….. HEARTS!
i’ve never had a troll or a mole or even an evangelical. if i read something that offends me i either quit reading it or agree to disagree and move on. but then again some people feel so big, bad and brave once in front of a monitor that they think the anonymity of the interwbz is like a free pass justifying their troll-ass behaviors.
i dont get what the point is in putting that much negative energy into anything.
*sigh*
xxalainaxx
miss alaineus´s last blog ..something’s wrong
Hey there! You ARE still out here in blogland! Yay!
I LOVED this entry. I think you handled it soooooo awesomely!
be well…
no one cares enough about me yet to troll me. lol
people need to get lives!
Jen´s last blog ..I cannot sleep unless I am surrounded by books
Let it out, girl. Fuck that. I’ve never in my life left a shitty comment somewhere. I seriously don’t see the point. Like you, I’d just move on. Now, if someone was attacking someone I knew personally, it MIGHT be different, but if I just thought they were an idiot I’d just move on and skip it.
Jessica – This is Worthwhile´s last blog ..Offically 2!