Hello, readers –
Check out the interesting comment I just received:
“I’ve been a lurker on your blog for awhile, and though your posts are entertaining (thanks for that), these most recent posts have prompted a comment based in friendly concern.
It’s not clear from what you’ve shown here, but it seems like the folks about whom you have complaints – the vet, your roommate – are unlikely to know or have been informed of your writings on the net.
Have you talked with them about your complaints face-to-face? Do they know that these issues are being broadcast on the web? My concern is this. With your community being as small as you describe, these negative comments could easily be found via web searches, etc., eventually not showing your community, and, as a result, yourself as a community member, in a flattering way.
I realize that honesty is to be admired, though diplomatic honesty is by far the higher road to travel upon, don’t you think?”
Sigh. I have to agree with some of the Lurker’s points, especially those about me posting negative things about my roommate. I have talked with her face-to-face about some of my concerns, but not in as honest of a fashion as I have on my blog. So, I have deleted those posts, because I agree with the Lurker that they are not productive. Thanks for the reality check on that one, Lurkster.
But I do plan to keep my review of my recent experience with an Ashland veterinarian up, because I do believe that there is a place for honestly evaluating pet-related businesses on my site. Also, I did tell the folks there that I was taking pictures for a future blog post.
One thing that really bothered me about my visit with that vet was how the doctor spoke disparagingly about my place of employment. In retrospect, I wish I had been more up front with the doctor about how those comments made me feel. But oftentimes, when I’m caught in the heat of an uncomfortable moment like that, my gut response is to clam up and complain about it later to my friends.
So, on a personal level, I’ll work on that.
Thanks for the thoughtful feedback, Lurker.
One question for the Lurker: Who the heck are you, and how did you come upon my site?
3 Comments
April 14, 2009 at 7:47 am
Good day to you again, Poochy Keen. I did consider divulging my identity here on the interweb, but, alas, such a luxury is not possible for me. Ironically, though U.S. citizens are granted freedom of expression, they are not necessarily guaranteed insulation from the consequences of that expression. Even so, your consideration of anonymous thought and commentary is much appreciated. You could certainly have ignored what I had to say! So, thank you for considering it even in light of hypocritical anonymity.
As far as how your blog was found – it was likely a search on google for dog-related blogs. It was a while back, so hard to say for sure. Keep up the good work!
April 15, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Karen is a very thoughtful and considerate person so it was only natural for her to take your comments seriously, Bridges. And I totally respect her decision to remove those posts.
However, I would like to point out the following:
a) the roommate in question was not named,
b) people write reviews of businesses all over the “interweb” and discuss their experiences with the staff, the quality of the service, etc.,
c) one’s blog is a place to write about anything one chooses,
and d) it can be extremely therapeutic to vent!
April 15, 2009 at 3:23 pm
I find the Lurker’s anonymous comments slightly off-putting despite the constructive tone. Is it necessary to meddle with how a stranger chooses to impart her personal life via the public sphere of the WWW? Because the posts are now deleted, the impetuous roommate may never realize how her actions continue to negatively affect so many beings, pets and otherwise. Sharing unspoken truths on the Web does not equate with dishonesty in real life; it is merely a means to the end. In this case, said “end” has arrived early with the sparing of the PK roomie’s feelings. But enough ragging on the congenial lurker whose original comments were directed at the author, not PK faithfuls. When are you moving to Cincinnati?