Friday Wrap Up

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Remember these? 

The little bits of the week that don't quite make up a blog post?

The weekly reflection of posts, comments and life in general?

Funny how rooted in tradition a blog can become. What? It's me who is rooted in tradition? You're kidding, right? I can be spontaneous ... or at least I can use spontaneous in a sentence!

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In addition to leaving tumblr (with the door open) I've started spending a little more time on facebook (it's the only way I can play Bejeweled Blitz). As more and more of my family drinks the facebook Kool-Aid, it's also an efficient way to keep up with them ... and let them keep up with me.

The down side? Sometimes my dad talks about visiting porn sites on my facebook wall *rolls eyes*

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Back to blogging just one week and I managed to pick up where I left off - irritating people who don't want to be publicly accountable, but do want to spew their vile rhetoric in a public forum.

My name is Dana and I am a troll.

I'm not the ugly kind of troll who hides under a bridge and leaves nasty comments anonymously, or the kind that writes comments and then deletes them so that the public can't see them but the writer can, or even the kind of troll who writes passive-aggressive posts in response to someone else's post never mentioning the person so that they can always claim they didn't say it.

Nope! I'm the kind of troll who will post a controversial opinion just to get people stirred up. The kind of troll who will call you on your shit in front of everyone without asking for your permission. Think of me as a Shrek troll. Shuddup! I know Shrek is an ogre, not a troll, but if he were a troll he would be just like me!

And you know what?

I'm good with that!

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I need to do a Cam update (who is now officially old enough to drive and eligible to get his driver's license in June), a Voldemort update (my new nickname for "husband" because I know how much people love it when bloggers use aliases), and a "My-Favorite-Stalker" update (no, not you Kimmeh ... nor your buddy Denis).

Next week!

I promise!

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Don't Feed the Trolls

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I have gone back and forth on this post, wondering which way was best to handle it. Do I heed the "Don't feed the trolls" advice? Do I give you directions to the troll (and I could give you much, much more than just an email address)? Do I reprint the troll's emails which include such gems as:

"Maybe among your many other unresolved problems you are also suffering from multiple personalities and maybe it was the bad naughty Dana that mailed nude pictures of herself to at least 2 men that I know of, but I suspect many more."

... or ...

"btw,all those thin mints might just be part of the cause of the re-gained weight..just a thought I've never seen such an obsession with naked and thin mints."

... or how about ...

"Oh my, you want me to substantiate now...okay girlie- let me go print out those pics, where should I post them? What is your school board pres's email?? Should I start there, or no, maybe the pastor or better yet just go to the entire school board..here is your local Miss Harper Valley PTO at your service..add a sleeve of thin mints now would ya!"

Such a quandary ...

Anyone who has ever had a troll knows they are special people. As Andrew Heenen puts it,

"... and I believe that most trolls are sad people, living their lonely lives vicariously through those they see as strong and successful.
Disrupting a stable newsgroup (or blog) gives the illusion of power, just as for a few, stalking a strong person allows them to think they are strong, too.

For trolls, any response is 'recognition'; they are unable to distinguish between irritation and admiration; their ego grows directly in proportion to the response, regardless of the form or content of that response.

Trolls, rather surprisingly, dispute this, claiming that it's a game or joke; this merely confirms the diagnosis; how sad do you have to be to find such mind-numbingly trivial timewasting to be funny?

Remember that trolls are cowards; they'll usually post just enough to get an argument going, then sit back and count the responses (Yes, that's what they do!)."

Yep! That's pretty much it in a nutshell!

There are several recommendations for deterring trolls, and I pretty much did everything I shouldn't have done. The biggest violation? I deleted the troll's comments. Since we know that trolls are all about stirring the pot, a logical person would deduce that taking away the troll's stirring stick is one of the worst things to do. Clearly, I reacted emotionally rather than logically, but GREAT news! I have decided to make amends.

There was an exchange that I deleted in the comments section of my Wednesday Weirdness post. Fortunately, I've been saving my trolls comments via email and was able to recreate - word for word - the exchange.

Dana said ... snugs, back away from the keyboard ... you're getting a bit obsessive ... again ...
March 25, 2009 9:33 PM

snugs said ... when did responding to your dig become obsessive? It is no different that what you do on dozens of blogs each and every day.
March 25, 2009 9:47 PM

Dana said ... snugs, not only are you obsessing, but you're flat out lying.
March 25, 2009 10:01 PM

snugs said ...oh really? just like I am lying about you sending nude pics of yourself to random men you don't even know? Wonder what the PTO would think of that, or the hubby, or even the preacher? Dozens might be an exaggeration, I will give you that, but you have one set of rules for your blog and you in no way adhere to those on others blogs. In fact I think you are the only one I frequent that has any of these rules, its just another form of your control. Your new positive approach is only applied here. Sticking to the days post and what it pertains to is also only applied here. I know sorry snugs I have to delete your comment because it broken my rules-go for it Dana, you have control, you like to call names, I have one for you- hypocrite Oh wait, isn't it almost time for another nude pic to post? Or did you already mail them all out to random strangers again today?
March 25, 2009 10:12 PM

Most of you already know that I have a list of random strangers that I send nude photos to. Not to worry, I've numbered you all as Clients Number 9 through 817. Confidentiality is a priority in these matters.

My troll insists - in true troll fashion - that "policing the blogs is not my deal. I leave that to you and doggy. The adult warning was not my point. Its funny how you mis interpret practically every thing I say."

Well, that's great news! The Adult Warning has been removed, but dear reader's, don't be surprised if it comes back! I think my loving troll will likely retaliate. Although I've done my darnedest to appease the troll, I'm thinking that giving the troll proper acknowledgment and attention in this post will not be enough.

As far as "mis interpreting" what the troll says ... I'll let my readers decide.

I have come to the conclusion that there is one EXTREMELY valid point that I missed in all of this - I cannot claim to be a proponent of free speech, then delete comments on my blog. That is - indeed - hypocritical!

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