Random Comments

These are random comments I left in response to a post on a blog I found yesterday:

K – So I have a tribute to Randy “Macho Man” Savage on my blog. I like professional wrestling. Lots of people do.

I – I liked your comment “So just love what you wear, and own it.”

B – I wasn’t necessarily “chewing out” nor was I trying to be sarcastic. It saddens me when younger women poke fun at “old ladies.” One of those “old ladies” could be your mother or grandmother. Most older, mature women dress for comfort.

M – No, I am not an idiot. Why would you say that?

A – Thank you for checking my blog. Exactly what “kind of person” am I?

And to M – Next time you see an “old lady” wearing polyester pants and a t-shirt with embroidery, be thankful she is not wearing a pair of jeggings and a short top. Yikes!

I do tend to get myself in trouble, don't I?

Anyone out there?

I'm curious if anyone is reading my blog. If you are, please leave a comment.

In the meantime, I'm going to add some pretty pictures.







Peace.

"Bloggernacle Illuminati" Revisited

I made a post in August, 2009 about the "Bloggernacle Illuminati." Since that time, I have noticed that not much has changed.

Here is part of what I wrote:

What follows is something I have been wanting to write for some time now.

First, let’s answer this question: What is the “Bloggernacle?” The Bloggernacle is “a name that has been adopted by some in the LDS blogging community to describe the Mormon portion of the blogosphere.”

Second, let’s look at the definition of “Illuminati”:

1. People claiming to be unusually enlightened with regard to a subject.
2. Any of various groups claiming special religious enlightenment.

I have visited blogs and noticed there is a tendency for the individuals or “permabloggers” to display an air of being exceptionally “enlightened” on all things Mormon. I have noticed that several of the individual bloggers also write “guest” posts on certain group blogs. You’ll often see the same names over and over. Hence I have come up with the term “Bloggernacle Illuminati.”

There is a definite cliquishness. I have also observed how some individuals are ignored or criticized when their opinions differ from the mindset of the “Bloggernacle Illuminati.” I have seen the permabloggers band together to defend each other and rip into the person who dares have a dissenting opinion.

It appears as if one has to receive a special invitation to join the "Bloggernacle Illuminati."

There is one particular blog I perceive as something of an on-line sorority. I'm still trying to accept "the things I cannot change," but it's rough at times.

I am developing a deeper appreciation for real life friends. I don't feel ignored or dismissed when I communicate with them on-line or face-to-face.

My thoughts for a Sunday evening.

You Can't Make Them Be Your Friends

For years now I've tried to develop friendships in cyberspace. I've participated at message boards. I created a blog. I joined facebook. At first it appeared I was making friends. Then I noticed cliques developing and I was not invited to join. There are message board cliques, blogger cliques and facebook … well … it's pointless and, quite frankly, childish.

I made the mistake of thinking I could fit in with the LDS communities (active, inactive and former members). I found that because I was not brought up in the LDS Church, I was on the outside looking in. I was the only member of the Church in my immediate family. I joined the Church when I was 19 years old because I wanted to have something in common with my future husband.

I was a member of record from March 1972 until November 1980. My husband and I were fairly active in the Church while living in Queens, New York. We held multiple callings (concurrently). We were, I'd like to believe, respected in our ward. We were not married in the temple, but felt we were heading toward having our marriage sealed.

Then we made the fatal mistake of moving to Salt Lake City, Utah in 1978. My husband had second thoughts about moving there. I felt since we had started making arrangements to move, we should just do it. Also, I thought it would be so uplifting to live among the Saints in Utah. Such was not the case. It was there that we saw the hypocrisy of the members. It was there we felt unwelcome. We were "strangers" in the wards we attended. Yes, we had some "assigned friends," but we knew their friendship was not genuine.

We chose to be excommunicated from the Church in November 1980. At that time, you could not send in a letter of resignation. From that time forward, I kept my distance from the LDS Church. Then along came the Internet, and I found myself being pulled back into mingling with the Saints in cyberspace.

My first experience was with the on-line group Recovery from Mormonism ("RfM"). It was there that my husband and I found kindred spirits. My husband wrote his story and submitted it to RfM. His story can now be found among the hundreds of exit stories.

For several years I harbored deep resentment toward the Church and its members. My feelings started to change when I found the message board LDS Women. I thought I was accepted by these women, that was until I wrote something that irritated two women on the board. They could not understand why I would want to associate with them if I was not a faithful, active Latter-day Saint woman. Their written attacks on me were vicious. In the end, the administrator of the message board discontinued sponsoring it. LDS Women bit the dust.

As for blogging … I have two blogs, one public and one private. At first I enjoyed blogging, especially when someone posted a comment. But then I started looking at other blogs and realized I am not "popular." Sure, I have numerous lurkers, but few, if any, care to leave a comment. I thought I might shut down my public blog. I told my husband it's like I've been banging my head against the wall and a voice told me "You do know you can stop doing that." Today I decided to add this post.

Recently, a light went on when I read these words: "You can't make them be your friends." That is so true. I was trying to "make" people in cyberspace be my friend. I have learned that it's impossible to do that, at least for me.

"Snob-Bloggers"

Today I entertained myself by searching the terms "snobs" and "blogging." Lo and behold, I found the following article which, I hope, you will find humorous:

Snob-Bloggers: You Just Might Be a Snob if You Publish a Blog

BY JIM F. KUKRAL

According to Jupiter Research, about 2 percent of the online community has created a blog. That works out to millions and millions of blogs, and in turn, millions and millions of snobs who publish them. That’s an awful lot of Snob-Bloggers!

You see, in order to care enough to publish a blog, you really need to be somewhat of a snob. Before we get into the reasons why, let’s look at the definition of snob.

Snob – 1. One who tends to patronize, rebuff, or ignore people regarded as social inferiors and imitate, admire, or seek association with people regarded as social superiors. 2. One who affects an offensive air of self-satisfied superiority in matters of taste or intellect. (As defined on Dictionary.com)

Combine that definition with the definition of a blogger, and you get a Snob-Blogger, defined as ‘anyone who blogs, period’. Yes that’s right, bloggers by nature are snobs.

Not me you say! Yes, you too! ALL bloggers are Snob-Bloggers! Do you publish a blog? Don’t believe it? Take this handy dandy quiz to see if you fit the mold.

1. Have you ever commented about someone or something in a negative or superior manner on your blog? If so, you just might be a Snob-Blogger.

2. Do you and your blog readers commiserate about topics together on your blog comment system? If true, it’s possible you might be a Snob-Blogger.

3. Does your blog link to all of your other blog friends who link back to you? On that occasion, you are most likely a Snob-Blogger.

4. If you have ever ranted about something that is only interesting to you and your blogger friends, you, I’m afraid are a Snob-Blogger.

5. If you know what RSS means, I’m guessing you are a Snob-Blogger.

6. If you would stop publishing your blog because you knew nobody was reading it, you my friend are most likely a Snob-Blogger.

7. Do you recognize Wil Wheaton as someone other than the geeky kid from Star Trek: The Next Generation? If so, you are certainly a Snob-Blogger.

Other Snob-Blogger characteristics include:

• Writing rants and opinions about things you never bothered to learn about first

• Thinking that your blog is just as, or more powerful than, the mass mainstream media

Jim F. Kukral is the author of the book, BlogsToRiche$, a step-by-step guide to using your weblog to make money online.

~~~

So, I have this to say to my readers:

"Hello. My name is Kalola and I'm a snob-blogger."

Are you one too?