Friday, December 30, 2011

Thinking Of Swimming In Village Creek's Blue Lagoon While Talking To My Mom & Being Amused By An Anonymous Troll

The Blue Lagoon Of Village Creek
I got gas on my way to walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

Because I got gas, my one longtime reader may remember that, when I get gas, I call my mom and tell her how much it cost.

A week ago today I got gas, called my mom, and talked whilst walking with the Village Creek Indian Ghosts.

It was on that phone call I learned a box of Christmas cookies was heading my way. So, in addition to telling my mom I got gas, I thanked mom for the cookies. Mom said my dad does most of the cookie cooking, with my mom closely directing. I figured as much due to observing their raspberry jam operation in Tacoma in August of 2008.

Changing the subject from cookies to the temperature. It is currently 68 degrees in the outer world at my location. Today it almost felt warm enough to take a dip in that inviting Blue Lagoon of Village Creek, that you see in the above photo.

I hope that photo is not too dark for you to appreciate anything about it.

Which changes the subject from the temperature and Blue Lagoons to an anonymous comment troll.

For several weeks now someone calling him or herself Anonymous has been making strange, somewhat aggressive comments, that then generate other comments. This anonymous person really is a gift that keeps on giving.

The latest comment from Anonymous was again about the extremely serious dark photo issue and my hypersensitivity to having any criticism directed at my dark photos....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "My Mom & Dad Christmas Cookies Finally Arrived Along With Dark Photo Complaints":

Durango, I must say I agree with Anonymous about your much too dark photo. Furthermore, it does not become you to be so dismissive and critical of the comments made by a reader. I have noticed that you often deal this way with any criticism, however small. I have also noticed that you yourself tend, in your blog, to be quite critical of many and various people…asking lots of questions, generally subjecting those people to scrutiny and innuendo, and being quite sarcastic at times. Yet you yourself are intolerant of having a reader question or criticize something about your blog. I find that odd. Now go eat another cookie. 

Well, the instruction to go eat another cookie was amusing. Which seems to indicate that there is some possibility that Anonymous is not totally devoid of a functioning sense of humor. The comments made regarding the Anonymous Troll comment are also amusing. I particularly liked Bubba Lover's comment....

Bubba Lover said...
Durango, I don't think it likely that among the folks who read your blog there would be two people making an anonymous comment saying that a picture was too dark. I think it is the same anonymous person making these type anonymous comments. On the post with that picture the comment asked what your reason was for posting it, as if you must have some reason for posting a picture. You said the picture was the late afternoon view from a balcony, looking north. Since you were looking north the sun would have been behind you, which is what caused the dark shadows. I agree with you that it is very odd that anyone would go to the bother of complaining about that picture, and brightening it in Photoshop and then saying they still didn't see any particular reason for posting it. Where is the rule book that says you need a reason for anything on your own personal blog? Like I said, very odd, and very unlikely that two different anonymous people would comment about this.

I also liked a person calling him or herself Durango Lover's comment commenting on Bubba Lover's comment....

Durango Lover said...
I agree with Bubba Lover. I think this is the same Anonymous person who has been making strange comments for weeks. Criticizing your TV viewing choices and other things in a very ham handed overbearing way. I've been reading your blog for years. This anonymous person is about the only person making comments that I remember you making fun of. On your blog when you make obversations about various issues it is never about something like the quality of a photo. It is usually about something like the Granger foibles, Chesapeake, floating with feces in the Trinity River. That type stuff. You seem to me to handle everything with a healthy sense of humor and a clever knack for sarcasm. This anonymous person seems to be missing a sense of humor. The line about you being intolerant of having a reader question or criticize something on your blog was particularly ironic. You come across as a very tolerant open minded person, while this anonymous person comes across as very intolerant and hypercritical about nonsense. I think this person is obsessed with you and is projecting their own attributes on to you.

You might want to consider not printing anymore of this anonymous person's comments. Doing so is feeding a troll. Except I do get that you find the comments funny due to the absurdity factor, so I doubt you will stop printing them.

8 comments:

  1. Even a troll is useful in generating traffic and comments.

    You have overlooked the possibility that the OCD Photoshopper may, in fact, be stalking Miss Puerto Rico and her new TV. The photo was too dark to ... get the lay of the land, so to speak, thus, voilĂ ! ... able to reverse identify just WHERE her balcony and said TV might be located.

    Inspector Jacques Clouseau: Anonymity is a virtue. Every fool knows that. Anonymity's next to cleanliness and I don't have to tell you what that's next to.

    ReplyDelete
  2. CatsPaw, you make a good point. Or two. I am grateful to the anonymous troll for providing blogging fodder. I have a hard time coming up with blogging fodder, mostly, I think, due to my closed-head injury.

    I'm glad Miss Puerto Rico does not look at my blog very often. She is already so paranoid about break-ins, due to many TVs have been stolen in the complex she lives in. Ever since that BIG new TV arrived she's back arming the security system. Which makes it a pain when I unlock the door and then have to remember the code to shut it up.

    Thank you for pointing out the wisdom of Inspector Clouseau.

    ReplyDelete
  3. From "anonymous, I am not a jerk."
    I have criticized your tv viewing habits and if the energy can be summoned; will elaborate at some future date. You watch nothing worthy of a Golden Globe and of the drivel, you say nothing about my favorite drivel, "The Biggest Loser." That by the way would tie in nicely with your obesity blog.
    I am not concerned about your cookies or the photo, though cookies also would tie in with your obesity blog, but that seems to have escaped your notice. Digression. There are more then two people poking fun of you. It would be a mistake to throttle such action. I'm glad you ignore advice to squelch playful exchange.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Durango, I have more than once thought that you must have a hard time coming up with interesting blog fodder, just as you have recently admitted. I don’t intend to accommodate you much longer with comments that provide you something to write about. I myself don’t find your responses appropriate or amusing. Your good ole boys Bubba Lover and Durango Lover still profess to finding you amusing, but that is what a network of good ole boys does. I stand by my previous assessment that you are too sensitive to criticism, especially for someone who hands it out so freely. You caught me by surprise with your negative reaction to a question I asked you weeks ago. You distorted what I said and confused me with another anonymous commenter and then neglected to sort out and correct that error when I brought it to your attention. Now you have compounded that and claim I am all of your anonymous commenters whom you find somewhat critical. I am not, but I can’t prove that to your readers. Some of them know I am not, for they know they themselves made those other anonymous comments. They know that you have asserted that all your supposed detractors are one big meany. Well, they know it if they are still following your blog. Furthermore, I myself think it quite possible that the comments of Durango Lover and Bubba Lover were composed by you, Durango.
    You are your own little tin god here in this blog indeed. You do have the power to publish or not publish my comments. It is now fine with me if you don’t publish this. What I have come to resent far more is how you try to dismiss me by putting your own spin on what I have said and confusing the issues. And you seem to delight in proving how helpless you can render someone who dares to even hint of any criticism. I did not come to your blog with any intention of being critical. I am disappointed in the turn of events. I think you invited the negativity for one reason or another. I think maybe you wanted to stir up some drama.
    You have managed now to alienate me as a reader. You have shown me that your fairness and accuracy are not dependable in regard to me. Therefore, I call into question how fair and accurate you are on issues of some import in our community and beyond. You are no longer a trusted watchdog looking out for scandals for me.
    Maybe all you really wanted was the AdSense money.
    By the way, I do have a sense of humor, but I feel no inclination at present to summon it forth.
    Now do what you will with my comment…

    ReplyDelete
  5. You know, Anonymous, one way to stay sorted out is to actually use a name. It doesn't have to be your real name. You can't really complain that Durango confuses and compiles your comments with other "Anonymouses." Well, you CAN complain, and did, but you could have a lot more control over the result by doing something very simple: make yourself stand out from the rest of the crowd by using some kind of identifier. Why should he have to do detective work to try to figure out who's who?

    You don't think my mother named me "CatsPaw" do you? I sign everything I write here with it because I own what I write. No question as to whether it's me or not.

    As for the rest, why continue to read if he irritates you so? He irritates the hell out of me on a regular basis, but I evidently get something out of the irritation or I wouldn't come back.

    As far as being a "trusted watchdog" - he's interested in those subjects and he writes his thoughts on them. "Fairness and accuracy"? This is a personal blog. He owes us nothing in any official capacity. Read or do not read, comment or do not comment.

    You drop some criticisms and he's just supposed to be okay with it? This isn't a retail establishment where the customer is always right. If you're going to comment (and this goes for all the other Anons out there), use some kind of name. Then, at the very least, you won't have that reason to have your panties in a wad because he doesn't recognize you.

    Maybe the two of you could even have - hmm, what's that called? Oh yeah. A conversation.

    ReplyDelete
  6. CatsPaw, I had no idea I regularly irritate you. I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

    And reading your latest comment caused me to wonder if you were a defense attorney in an earlier career?

    The Annoying Anonymous person is perplexing. This person seems to think I keep track of everything that anyone says in a comment on the blog. Apparently I did not respond to something in a manner that met this person's expectation.

    I suspect I did not quite get what the person was being boorish about and then responded in a flippant manner that upset the person.

    To me this Anonymous person comes across as an elderly person having a childish temper tantrum, with foot stomping.

    Probably an Only Child.

    And please, no to the having a conversation with this anonymous person. I know the type. I can stand their presence for a minute. Maybe two. And then my bitch slap impulse kicks in.

    Have I irritated you yet in this comment?

    ReplyDelete
  7. Very interesting. It does appear that your anonymous commenter-stalker has some personal ax to grind with you. "Furthermore", it seems that something you've written about and focused upon recently has re-inflamed this anonymous commenter's irritation with you.

    You've not focused too much on JD & Ma Granger and their TRV boondoggle or even Cheatsapeake. Wonder what the trigger was?

    BTW, CatsPaw's point about the simple effort to give oneself a "name" reminds me of the MHMR trolls, who were not even smart enough to see that their writing style, mostly horrific grammar, made their anonymous posts moot. In a similar way, this hostile commenter, whose grammar is excellent (even professional in ease and presentation) cannot really hide behind the tag of anonymous. In fact, this commenter could even be a local journalist because she or he had, maybe subconsciously, held you to the standards of professional journalists.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'd not visited your blog for a couple days. The Anonymous Bitchman thinks Bubba Lover is Durango? I don't know if this is an insult to me or a compliment. I will think about it and get back to you with my conclusion in a day or two if I remember to do so.

    ReplyDelete