I love it....

Now, I created this blog for anyone to read. It's a fun way to just put my thoughts, post things I find to be funny, and just an all-around way for me to vent at times. I very much enjoy getting comments and think most of them are hilarious (sometimes because the person meant to be funny and sometimes because humor was the last possible intention of the post). Frankly, I don't care who reads the post or what they think of it. My goal, of course, is to make it entertaining and fun for all to read. But what's awesome about this whole internet deal is that if you don't like it, you can just move right along (or post a comment as to why you don't like it or why you don't like me - lol).

However, one thing I hate about this site is that it allows you to post anonymous comments. For example, in the course of a post (from 07 April) designed with rhetoric meant to be taken in a satirical manner, I posted how happy I was to have another Duke hater in the house (and a smart one at that). Of coure someone immediately took issue (in anonymous form of course) and posted something which I took to be in just the same satirical form. I responded with a quip about Duke and Coach K, and logged on this afternoon to find this:

"keep on getting disappointed in life so you can continue to be an a**h*** to everyone you know "

Now I've long since learned to develop a thick layer of skin, so the words themselves incite no disdain within and in fact evoke nothing more than a passing grin. So it is not the message sent within the words that bothers me, it is the message sent by he who wrote them. You see, I am a big fan of First Amendment rights and would love for anyone to say whatever he feels prompted to, and trying to censor said rights in an open forum such as this one would be both hypocritcal and juvenile. So I make no effort to impede or abase those that wish to write any disdainful or unkind thing about me or what I have to say, whether they be of merit or incredulous makes no difference to me.

So what is the problem? Well, if you will notice, I attach my name to everything which is written on this site. I consider myself a man of principle and feel I would be going against my ways if I did not. And it was one of the first matters of business that was explained and taken care of by Mr. Mark Newton in both his journalism class and on the school newspaper. In fact, it is standard principle and goes without saying in the world of journalism. What credit can be given to one who will not step up and have the confidence to put his name and reputation on the line in regards to what he is saying.

I love criticism; for one, it makes me a better person because I can work to change what it is that is not favorable about myself. Also, it makes the compliments given by the same person mean so much more and gives them more merit.

Even when it is not criticism but an all-out attack on me that is designed not to be constructive or funny but instead serves a sole purpose of attempted to encourage me to become agitated, such is okay. I don't respect it but will not pass judgement on the person for doing so. Instead, I will be grateful for their showing of character, for it will allow me to see who I do and do not wish to associate myself with and spend time with. Life is very short and I know I live an already blessed life, and I love my friends and feel so honored to have them as spiritual and motivational rocks in my life. And I would greatly appreciate someone being so honest and to show his dislike for me so I could know to love them, as we are all children of God, but to know to avoid such poison in my life and ensure I am around only those that will help me to grow.

As a result, I will not publicly dignify such comments unless there is a name attached and there is a rhyme or reason for me to respond. I use this post only as a reflection for what this entire blog was designed for, as a way for me to express and convey my thoughts on the many issues of my life. I guess the one thing I am grateful for and pleased about is that this person hiding cowardly behind this cloak of anonymoty has caused me to reflect and ponder much about this subject on what is an absolutely gorgeous and relaxing Friday in the Desert. It's great because this has also caused me to reflect on those that really DO mean a lot to me and has even prompted me to ensure that they know just how much they mean to me and how much I love having them in my life and what great examples they are to me. So I hate to disappoint and mean this in the most sincere manner, but I'm afraid your comment had an adverse effect contrary to that with which it was originally intended. It has left me stronger, happier, and even more steadfast in my system of beliefs than before. Your rudimentary form of (attempted) aggravation instead made my Friday even better!

To all of my friends and family: Thank You. Thank you for being the people you are, for being the support you are, the breaths of fresh air, and the great examples for which I can only hope to aspire.

To the contrary (not all others, just the contrary): Thank You as well. Thank you for being the people YOU are, for being the support YOU are, and for setting forth an example as to which I never want to aspire. I have no personal bad feelings toward you and instead pray hard that one day your hearts may be softened and that I can love you even more in spite of how my temporal mind might want to feel. It is you that makes me want to work harder and get better and get rid of all that is negative about me. And mostly, without evil how might man know good? It is because of you that I can appreciate and love my friends and family that much more and can more easily distinguish that which is positive from that which is not in my life. ¡Muchos gracias a Ud.!

That is all for this beast of a post. I commend all of you who made it through and encourage any and all to comment on this as you see fit. You do NOT have to register to put your name, and if you can't figure out how to do it the other way, still click anonymous but just affix your name within the text of the comment box itself. Thanks and I cannot wait to see what (if anything) this will generate.

¡Es el fin de semana!