Fast-forward forty years to when I felt entitled to free expression. I was widely acclaimed for my sense of humor, often speaking tongue-in-cheek. While I do speak with spunk and bite, I never used my word smithery to wound, though I might have wanted to in instances when I’d felt hurt.
Dang! Where was that great Shakespearean retort when I needed one?
However, I soon learned that my playful nature didn’t always translate well and some blog readers took offense. Family rifts opened like crevasses in ice – yikes! Three times – ack! It was swords or pistols at dawn!
Because the offended peeps were in my husband’s family, he had to play mediator. Bless his heart, he didn’t throw me under the bus. He loved me best and most, after all, and knew my intentions were good. He understood that the slighted ones were over-wrought – and found a way to defend me and my sense of humor without putting them down.
Such finesse! He’s an ace at diplomacy.
He’s the best man alive – I think I’ll keep him!
P.S. Only pissing people off three times in 800 blog posts isn’t a bad record…
Only three times? I’d say that’s doing rather well.
Yes, yet, family ties amplify the feelings, don’t they?
So glad your husband was there to mediate when you made his family angry. And yes, you don’t have a bad record with 800 posts.
I seldom write political, Natalie, but in all things of life, I do have a point of view about ‘stuff’
I’m sorry you had to deal with a nosy, tattling sister. I kept a journal starting in 5th grade. It ended up in the wrong hands only twice, but thankfully no one shared the contents with my parents. I wish people could understand how damaging that kind of invasion of privacy is.
You only pissed people off 3 times in 800 posts? That’s an impressive record of tact. I don’t have much family, but if I did, I’m pretty sure I’d have pissed them off more often than that.
Your closing meme nails it. Fortunately I’ve been able to find online communities where people aren’t quite so unpleasant–like the IWSG.
Yes, Janet, writers in general are great peeps to hang with… because in my experience writers think differently. Writers are used to POV and honor/exalt it.
Since I didn’t keep a diary except briefly during my teen years, my younger siblings never found one, but I was fiercely protective of my things (oldest of five!), and that led to different issues.
You know, I’ve talked about my in-laws a few times, though never on my blog, I don’t think. Definitely in my podcast. I’m surprised no one has gotten upset yet.
Thanks for chiming in. Your supportive perspective helps