I am one of you.
I have been blogging for a few years now. I know what it’s like to want to go viral. I know what it’s like to push publish and wait for validation. I know what it’s like to mine your life for material – to even start writing the post in your head as the moment is happening. I know.
I also know there are two types of posts that are especially popular and seem to be everywhere.
The first one is the ever popular list post which seems to have been around for years. Whatever the topic is, a list post has been done on it. Seriously – WHATEVER THE TOPIC. I’m sure if I Googled, I could find hundreds of blog posts with titles like 10 Reasons Why You Should You Take Your Kid to the Zoo Even if He/She Ends Up in The Gorilla Cage.
Now, some people see lists posts as the end of good writing. It’s a dumbing down of the product geared to appeal to the ADHD focus less mind that will only read small bits of information at a time. Not me. I have no problem with the list post. In fact, I’ve written a few list posts here at MMK including one on Spongebob and the benefits of assisted living.
Yup, I’m happy to write a list post if it works with an idea I have. I also have read plenty of them that I enjoyed. And yes, I might have a touch of ADHD. Well, Mrs. MMK would say that. I think everyone does at this point. Hmm, that might make a good list post – 6 Signs That Everyone Has ADHD.
Okay, let me focus here.
Time to move on.
The second kind of post that is popular these days is the anonymous letter post. A person is responding to another person. There’s a million examples around – To the Parent Who Let His/Her Child be a Playground Bully. A Note to the Man Who Let Me Have the Parking Space. An Open Letter to Parents Who Insist Their Children Say Thank You. And so on. And so on.
Anyway, I’ve written posts like this as well including the one you are reading now (and sharing, please – remember I want to go viral too) and one to a fellow passenger on the train.
But I’m sick of the anonymous letter posts. Really sick of them! You know what I think when I see the titles – I rarely read them at this point – why didn’t you actually talk to the freaken person? To quote Peter Gabriel, “Ah please talk to me. Won’t you please talk to me.”
Crazy right – actual talking to the person. Shoot, that could make a great blog post too if that’s what you were worried about.
Why hide behind your blog and the internet? Have real human contact and stop avoiding confrontation, appreciation, sadness, upset or whatever emotion you experienced via this other person.
Yeah, I know sometimes the moment doesn’t allow. Sometimes you are so caught up in an emotion that you can’t explore the ‘relationship.’ Sometimes expressing directly is harder than writing about it. I understand all of that. However, I say make the effort whenever you can.
We need more talking to each other directly in this world. We need more direct interaction. We need to connect people and not just on Facebook, LinkedIn, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, or Pinterest.
I’m coming down – off the soapbox that is.
I hope you don’t think I’m an ass who should keep his mouth shut. If you do, that’s okay – you might be more likely to share this. And no, that’s not the reason I wrote this.
Don’t believe me? Give me a call.
We can talk.
Gotta go.
Take care,
A fellow Blogger, MMK.
The list of blog posts that drive me nuts is getting longer, lol, but I love a good list post – and hate the letter post! In fact, now that I think about it- I’ve never even written one, that must be how much they perturb me!
You’d be pleased to know that in the parking lot of Costco I risked my life considering it was a busy Saturday afternoon to tell a woman that I liked her dress and that she seemed like a very pleasant person–or something to that effect. She was truly touched and said I’d made her day, that she’d actually been having a rough day. I told her it didn’t show, which was the truth.
Not normal for me to do such a thing, but totally worth it.
(Also, fyi, my latest post is an interview of an author with a book series I’m sure you and your boys would enjoy. Highly recommend!)
I really am pleased. Good for you and for her! I gotta go check out that post.
If talking means eye contact, forget it. I like to show you the top of my head. 😉
Funny.