A Note to the Anonymous Critics
Get a mitt and get in the game.
I am not perfect, are you? If this is the place where you feel good criticizing someone else, you may need to examine what it is that compels you to insist that the world around you is perfect.
If, indeed, you are perfect, then you must be a deity. How happy for you. Let me know when your next temple goes up and I'll stop by for the ribbon cutting ceremony.
If you are not perfect, then you should understand that folks who are perfectionist make everyone around them walk on eggshells, afraid that they'll do something wrong that will - of course - be immediately picked up and broadcast.
I hope for your sake that you do NOT live among perfectionists. But perhaps you did (or have) and that's why you expect perfection from others?
- Yes, Mt. Rushmore is in South Dakota. I know that. My work of art is NOT Mt. Rushmore so I thought I'd spread the love around.
- Anonymous #2 from last night: Perhaps someone will "BY" me a dictionary. Won't that be a nyce thing? See, I can do it, too. We all can. Finding fault is not a hard thing, it just makes us feel good for - oh - about 5 seconds. I think life is too short for that.
- Anonymous #1 from a few days ago (hmm, why are you guys usually anonymous?): Yes, I spelled the French wrong. Quel Dommage. Evidently I have an aversion to dictionaries. You can commiserate with anonymous #2 above. But I don't have an aversion to being kind, which is why I try not to attack folks anonymously (I always attack with my face exposed...)
Actually, later in the post I talk about how "tyred" I am, both headings were meant to imply how exhausted and out of it I felt at the time.
Irony is wasted on perfectionists - must be a sad life.
So now to do some laundry before lunch, and to continue to get over my stomach upset from last night.
A Note for EVERYONE
(including the Anonymous critics)
Cut yourselves some slack, and you'll be able to cut some slack for those around you.
Suddenly the world will seem a better place. A small mistake will not end the world, but a perfectionist attitude will make the world very hard to live in.*
Screw some small thing up today - on purpose - and enjoy it.
*I'm sure a few of you will think I'm representing the fall of civilization, I'm not.
I'm a thorough, responsible human being who lives a pretty good life and doesn't screw up on a regular basis. Well, I try not to.
But when I do - when anyone does - the least helpful thing is to leap on that mistake.
Find a way to enjoy some imperfections, you'll be happier.
I am not perfect, are you? If this is the place where you feel good criticizing someone else, you may need to examine what it is that compels you to insist that the world around you is perfect.
If, indeed, you are perfect, then you must be a deity. How happy for you. Let me know when your next temple goes up and I'll stop by for the ribbon cutting ceremony.
If you are not perfect, then you should understand that folks who are perfectionist make everyone around them walk on eggshells, afraid that they'll do something wrong that will - of course - be immediately picked up and broadcast.
I hope for your sake that you do NOT live among perfectionists. But perhaps you did (or have) and that's why you expect perfection from others?
- Yes, Mt. Rushmore is in South Dakota. I know that. My work of art is NOT Mt. Rushmore so I thought I'd spread the love around.
- Anonymous #2 from last night: Perhaps someone will "BY" me a dictionary. Won't that be a nyce thing? See, I can do it, too. We all can. Finding fault is not a hard thing, it just makes us feel good for - oh - about 5 seconds. I think life is too short for that.
- Anonymous #1 from a few days ago (hmm, why are you guys usually anonymous?): Yes, I spelled the French wrong. Quel Dommage. Evidently I have an aversion to dictionaries. You can commiserate with anonymous #2 above. But I don't have an aversion to being kind, which is why I try not to attack folks anonymously (I always attack with my face exposed...)
Actually, later in the post I talk about how "tyred" I am, both headings were meant to imply how exhausted and out of it I felt at the time.
Irony is wasted on perfectionists - must be a sad life.
So now to do some laundry before lunch, and to continue to get over my stomach upset from last night.
A Note for EVERYONE
(including the Anonymous critics)
Cut yourselves some slack, and you'll be able to cut some slack for those around you.
Suddenly the world will seem a better place. A small mistake will not end the world, but a perfectionist attitude will make the world very hard to live in.*
Screw some small thing up today - on purpose - and enjoy it.
*I'm sure a few of you will think I'm representing the fall of civilization, I'm not.
I'm a thorough, responsible human being who lives a pretty good life and doesn't screw up on a regular basis. Well, I try not to.
But when I do - when anyone does - the least helpful thing is to leap on that mistake.
Find a way to enjoy some imperfections, you'll be happier.
Feed me, baby!
58 Comments:
People are amazing, aren't they? Rule to live by: Don't be willing to say (or write) anything you're not willing to put your name to. Makes for a rare thing seen these days called "integrity."
Delurking to leave a message for the Anonymous critics (who I suspect are the same person)...Our imperfections make us who we are; if you don't like Annie's, go read someone else's blog!! How awful it must be to have to criticize someone else just to make yourself feel better. Bet you don't have many friend, huh?
I have been learning about extending mercy and grace to people. How wonderful it is to receive it when a mistake is made or to extend it and grow in maturity. Sadly, there are those who insist that their own brand of perfection be applied to everyone and should someone 'not measure up' then it is license for condemnation. Sorry you aren't feeling well, and that on top of that you had to hear from snarky anonymous.
-punkin (unfortunately I have to share the label 'anonymous' because of a glitch in blogger/google)
I am sure we can come up with some "french" words for anonymous.
Good For You! Perfectionism is overrated anyway. I find I'm much happier when I can accept not only my own mistakes, but the mistakes of others.
See? Here's proof - I meant to say the mistakes of others as well. Jeez.
Hey Annie? We Love you. And if you were perfect I wouldnt be reading this blog. Perfect blogs are boooring!! I think you and your family are amazing.
My dog just barked downstairs at something outside. Usually I shout "Leave it!" But now, for some reason, I shouted "Love it!"
A motto for us all.
you're a sucky speller, a pretentious asshole and PLEASE give up the French you suck at.
And buy a dictionary.
Throwing the criticism back at the criticizer is the loser's way out.
We're none of us mean or bitter or "perfectionists" who have no life just because you're a sucky speller who doesn't speak French.
I've never read anything as self-absorbed and self-aggrandizing as thid blog.
and yes I know I don't have to read it.
I won't anymore.
I'm horrified by the anonymous hate being spewed here. I love reading "thid blog." Your honesty and willingness to share your life make any little spelling errors irrelevant. Your lurkers (including me) definitely don't share the opinion of your anonymous posters; please don't let them ruin your day or change your style!
>>Screw some small thing up today - on purpose - and enjoy it.<<
This made me laugh. (Or laff for anonymous above's benefit.) I'm a recovering perfectionist and this is the PERFECT way to cure perfection. Thank you, Annie!
Sounds like the same spelling critic that the Yarn Harlot vented about a while ago.
Reminds me of an interview I did a few years ago. I sit with a Professor and interview wanna be's for a tough medical program. This kid who'd just gone from high school through college was interviewing. The basics of our question is what do you do when you have made a mistake. He had the nerve to say he had not made any mistakes. I burst out laughing an told him "oh come on, I'd made few mistakes just this morning and it was even before I had gotten dressed". Needless to say his little comment sealed his fate with both of us and he got the big black ball of NO.
Ooh, that's getting funny. And my dad is bigger than your dad.
To the anonymous - each person can choose, what his or her blog is about, obviously. If you don't like it - don't read it.
Unfortunately some folks get a great kick out of slugging off others and build their life around it.
Chre Annie,
I'm French. Actually, I even teach it to adults. When I saw your headline, I LOVED you for it. You did it, you expressed yourself in French. When one reads it, it's phonetically ok. It made me happy that you had reached out, and used what you had learned (or is that learnt...heck..no, learned....whatever...)
Hugs!
Well, I like 'thid blog' and I'm going to keep reading it.
Hrm. I had a whole comment typed out in response to your anonymous critics, but instead I think I shall gift you with a principle we might all could use :)
"Fill your life with as many moments and experiences of joy and passion as you humanly can."
-- Marcia Wieder
OH MY!!!! I can't believe the anger out of Anonymous. He or she needs to see a professional of some sorts... Anger management?
Spelling is way over rated. Overrated? Overated?
I always say we can't have world peace because when we have on person like anonymous in our owm blogyard (backyard?) everything gets all screwed up. Something terrible must be happening in his or her life and he or she just can't handle it and that is too bad.
You are really funny and write really super great blog entries. I enjoy them.
Dear Chick,
Don't change, you're perfect to me.
Hugs to you and your family, Gemma
Never such a gutless thing as annon.
ps come teach in Australia and bring the family :)
Makes me wonder why they bother to read your blog if the only comments they can come up with are stoopid criticisms (now they can nitpick my spelling). Didn't their mothers ever tell them. "If you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything at all."? I didn't even notice the North Dakota rather than South Dakota until you pointed out the comment - I was reading the substance of the text.
"I've never read anything as self-absorbed and self-aggrandizing as thid blog."
Then move on!! The blogs I enjoy the best are when I can get to know the personality behind it, which means they will be writing about themselves. It's not self-absorbed. It's reaching out and and taking risks ... making it personal. It's not always easy to put yourself out there. You would know since you're anonymous. Give Annie some credit for being honest and real with us. You are in the minority .... and the rest of us will enjoy reading her blog.
In real life, we have family, comprising those people we want to fill our lives with and those God has given us. and we learn to ignore (as much as possible) those that act outside what we consider acceptable family behavior.
In blog-land - it really is not too dissimilar. We create community/family and happily include those we want sitting in our virtual living room. Strangers wander in, and we can only hope that those that exhibit unacceptable behavior wander back out.
Ignore those that you can.
Annie, you are an amazing inspiration to those that know you and read your blog - spelling be damned. your share your heart, your family, your wonderful knitting talent, your imperfections, and your humanity. I cant begin to imagine being in your shoes, but I sense you are happy to be there and your love for your family and friends and knittng carries you along.
mucho mondo hugs to you and yours.
misspell away (and often), I know how to overlook it and I see the heart behind it all.
Oy. That's all I can think of to say here. Oy. I vote (as if I had one, snort!) that you delete anonymous' comments, both from the blog and from your mind. They are SO not worth even reading. I'm gonna go bleach my eyes and forget I saw the nastiness. Oy.
Okay, I'm leaving an anonymous comment because I don't have a blog (I don't have any thing to blog that anyone would read, any way; correct that Ms. Perfectionist!), but I'm completely shocked that someone would be so full of him/herself to criticize thid blog! I read this blog every day and I love it. If the grammar, spelling, etc. bothers you so much, just stick some pointy knitting needles in your eyes, er, I mean, don't read it!
Cathy
Deer Annie,
My only criticism - you have better things to do with your life than waste one single second thinking about those morons, much less spending even a moment responding to them.
Cate
::you're a CENSORED speller, a pretentious CENSORED and PLEASE give up the French you CENSORED at.::
Please! It is obvious that they have NO clue what they are talking about. 1 the definition of pretentious does not describe this blog ("pretentious-making claim to or creating an appearance of (often undeserved) importance or distinction") Hell it's so far off I want to laugh! And 2 I'm a French teacher and LOVE you using the language.
For someone not mean or bitter they do a very good imitation of one and again too chicken to sign their name AND not intelligent enough to use anything but cuss words. It's very amusante to see that the idiote can't use any actual brain cells. Pauvre Petite! If they could actually speak proper English...
Annie don't waste any more time or energie on cette idiote!
Annie, I'm sorry you had to take that kind of abuse. What an idiot that person is. I am pretty certain that I would rather read "thid" blog than that person's.
But I'm glad you took him/her on--I needed a good laugh at all the responses, especially the French-speakers and those with a vicious humor. I loved the "knitting needles in the eye" and the "rinse my eyes with bleach". Your readers are not only talented and creative, but funny, too!!!
Hey, it just occurred to me that anon. can sign by name without a website. What a chicken.
Annie, after reading your today's blog, I had to write some words about that topic on my own blog about "Imperfect perfections". Unfortunately I was born perfectionist and as you correctly assessed, it does NOT make for a happy life. Since having my kids, I had to reassess my thinking and change. Though I have to add that other people's imperfection does not bother me (more it is my own), it actually encouraged me that I do not have to be always perfect myself. For example, on TV you always see how let's say people's houses are always clean. My house is NEVER clean (even though I clean almost every day a little here and little there) and it is nice to see that other people have the same "unclean" houses as well. It makes you feel that it is not just you and that you are normal and human. Another example of how imperfection can make for perfect things see my blog (www.stylishknits.blogspot.com) where I show my daughter's very first swatch where she learned how to purl (thus being able to work Stockinett Stitch) and decreasing. We made it in a Barbie's show-stopping dress! It's not perfect - and not being bias - it's beautiful! Also even a rotten apple can make an pleasingly looking "art".
I agree with whoever it was who said you should just delete the ugly comments. You don't need to read them more than once and, really, they just make me sad, too. If a commenter doesn't sign their name (if nothing else, they can put it at the end of their comment), they don't deserve to be read!
Keep being yourself. You are admired for all the wonderful things you do for knitters, knitting and your family. I love typo's and miss spellings.they make me feel human. And that is what we all are.
I love that the person spelled "buy" wrong. Oh, the irony. I wish she left her name, just so all of us could go over to her blog and give her a talking to. You know we all want so badly to defend you! I just hope she's reading all these comments.
Okay, I just saw that she left another nasty comment. Missed that one the first time I read over this. She's quite defensive, eh? Well, I suppose she's not going to learn and I just have to let it go and hope the universe takes care of her in its own way.
By the way, I work as an editor. Who cares how you spell things on your blog? It's not exactly a thesis or a government report.
Delurking long enough to say that I like your blog just the way it is. Sounds like a lot of others do to. Don't spend another minute thinking on it. Keep being you.
Life's too short to be absolutely perfect. I worked under a boss who was "100% correct, no errors ever!" about EVERYTHING. Good lord, the man couldn't even DO MY JOB, yet he expected that I would do it perfectly without fail. Frankly, I thought the tyred thing was a play, like on the Mason Dixon blog, where it was spelled TARRED a few weeks back :)
Ugh, spelling is spelling- some friends and I on an e-mail list actually misspell many words, including names, after the first mispelling, we continue to spell a word that way. I often tell my students that I am not a Language Arts teacher, just the daughter of one, I just teach music, so I'm going to sometimes misspell stuff.
I'd try my best to ignore the trolls.
Jocelyn
My Mommy told me when I was little and it was in the movie Bambi: "If you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all"
People need to grow up and not be so critical of others. Nobody is perfect. Just love each other, it's that easy.
F*** em' if they can't take a joke. And if they don't get your blog, they shouldn't read it. For those of us who enjoy you, please don't do anything to change that. Ignore the haters. They don't deserve any of our time.
There's nothing like a nasty slam in an email or blog to really cut to the core. I hope anonymous finds something to be happy about some day. Me, I'll take imperfection over perfectly spelled hostility any day!
I always look forward to your blog - especially after I have had a particularly crappy day of finding out I've made some mistake and having my clients point it out to me in oh so unpleasant ways. Thankfully, We have bloggers like you to take us away from our own foibles and remind us that we are all human.
Go Annie!
love your blog. you are talented, gifted and a wonderful person. thank you and keep it up!
jessica
To quote that famous and well respected philosopher Bugs Bunny: "What a bunch of maroons."
Annie, I love to read your blog. You are sweet, funny and REAL! When you screw up, you admit it, front and center.
Keep on being real and ignore the morons.
Dear Annie...wine and tea and creative lovely people...thank god you got a little kindness from the universe. The "people" (I don't actually know what species they are) who want to nag at you about typos and spelling mistakes just puzzle the hell out of me. Why do they read your blog in the first place? Not to connect with other humans, apparently, but to talk to themselves about how superior they are. Poor sad you-know-whats. I think they don't really believe you are real (my ex-husband is like that--all the rest of us are fictional to him). They are probably very surprised that it hurts you to be criticized about totally irrelevant details. But it does hurt, and I'm sorry that you have to deal with that pain, when you are giving so much insight and pleasure and joy to the real humans who treasure your very human blog. Don't regret that you feel the pain--it's who you are. But you're also strong enough to take it, and maybe help some of the mindless ones learn a little bit. Much love, Kate
Oy Annie--
so sorry you had to suffer that "anonymous" nasty nonsense but it's so like you to rise above it and remind us all of what is important in life...especially with all that is going on in your life at this time. If you can keep laughing and teaching and having adventures, and keep your grace about you (as you do), then there's hope for the rest of us!
You're my inspiration in this (as my dad is dying of cancer now)...
thanks,
Susan
"THID BLOG" HAHAHAHAHA!!! I thought that was the most hysterical part of poor misguided Anonymous's comment. People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones!!
Annie -- your blog is one of the highlights of my days. I don't even focus on the spelling of a word, just the content of the post. I feel like I know you and if you ever come within 100 miles of my town of Wallingford Connecticut to teach a class, I will be there in the front row.
I might be wrong here but don't the Amish people deliberately make a small mistake in everything they make as they believe that only God is perfect? Or was is the Shakers. Anyway, what do I know I'm English and in the UK and you speak better French than I do!
Keep on trucking
xxx
Hear, here! :)
xoxo,
Jen S.
OK. I've noticed that all the people who whine about whatever, tend to have very small lives. And yet they can't seem to take on the responsibility of making their comment by putting on a name of any sort, other than anonymous. They can't even sign their anonymous comment with something like an initial, or a made-up name. How sad. It's not that difficult. They could be Sgt. X from the Grammar Police, or Captain Spelling, or Mlle. Z or any of the innumerable options out there, and yet they stick with Anonymous. I'm going off now to spin some llama, and not worry about them.
One can never fail at one's own blog...unless one is not true to themselves. Annie, worry not about the complainers.
I'm sorry you have to deal with this sort of thing; you have enough on your plate as it is. I also vote for deleting the remarks too, might take away some of the person's satisfaction. Love your designs and blog.
Oy. Some people. I spell at a fourth grade level, and have some bizarre Brit/Canadian spelling to boot. OY.
I'll blame it on how text (even with bolds and colours) looses much that could have been portrayed in handwriting (or verbally). I totally understood what you meant, and the typos weren't noticed.
{hugs} and go annie go! You ROCK.
You move through life with grace and spunk. Thanks for sharing your life- and a whole lot of rockin' knitting knowledge- with us.
rebecca, shouting 'love it' at your dog is so awesome! you rock!
annie, I always think the anonymous perfectionists are like me, survivors of childhood violence who had to be perfect or suffer a beating. They anticipate other people's needs and imagine everyone should be walking on eggshells, because they are. They are nervous that you are making mistakes because they expect the result to be violence. I'm a reformed perfectionist, and probably most perfectionists are not a$$ho7es but your anonymous commenters... well it might not be true of them but i like to think that they are damaged children, terrified of a spelling mistake on some blog.
annie, i think you are pretty darn cool.
So someone corrects you and you waste an entire blog sniping back? It is the *second* angry word that starts the argument.
I read your blog only rarely as I'm not a big fan of your arrogant, whiny tone or of your begging for money for an allegedly sick relative. The rest of us who aren't "famous designers" have to struggle to work and pay our bills all on our own as we don't have a nation wide audience of gullible people to prey upon.
So one of the little people had the gall to correct you? Suck it up, princess - all you had to do was correct the post and get on with life...if you really DO have a sick family member, one would think you have more important things to deal with, no? But that's the way it usually is with you members of the "knitterati". You have to prove you're so much better than us "common knitters" and visciously defend your shaky positions because otherwise, we might all realize you don't do anything any better than all of us can do on our own, you're just better bulls*it artists.
Do us all a favor: Just publish your mediocre, rehashed patterns and stop trying to be a wit. You're not. Spelling is the least of your problems.
Annie,
I hope that being home is helping you to find your center. So much travel, deadline pressure, and family pressure all at once will push and pull you in crazy directions.
You put so much of your life and thought out there for us all to read, sometimes it inspires me and sometimes it scares me. I often wonder how you can let so many people you dont know into your life, but obviously you get energy from your audience, and obviously we get inspired by seeing what you are capable of. Not a bad exchange and we get the easy side of the bargain... no posts, no photos, just witnessing and dropping an encouraging comment every now and then.
Im sure that being home, in your own space and with your own family (and your own bed!!!) will replenish your amazing resilience. I would hate to see the anonymous comments get any more face time on such an open and creative blog.
I honestly don't understand the most recent Anonymous. Where does all the resentment come from? Who yearns to be part of the "knitterati"? It's to laugh!
I read blogs that inspire me to knit. Yours is one of them. Anyone who thinks you try to prove yourself better than "the common knitter" (oh, please!)--and especially anyone who thinks your patterns are rehashed (au contraire!--right, Anonymous #1?)--hasn't been reading you or looking at your patterns.
All of the above actually made me giggle; but Anonymous's insinuations about your family situation are beneath both mention and contempt.
Holy canoli Annie. You always say it so very well. You just keep being you. And if only the world would practice a little loving kindness....
Kniterati? Common knitters? Huh? Maybe it's that you had the balls to stand up and claim your place!
Go girl - enjoy your bed, enjoy being home, just enjoy period - you've earned it!
TO ANONYMOUS:
STOP READING THE BLOG.
To Anon: You sound very much like the whiny woman who complained about having given money and then thought you were duped because you didn't read the blog to actually find out what expenses Annie was intending to use the money for. Am I wrong here? Anyone else thinking I've pinned the tail ("tale" perhaps?) on the DONKEY?
Annie, there might be a way to block this person from viewing your site altogether. I've got the hampster on the wheel in my brain going on how to do it. I'm always in favor of cutting off the "dead ends" if you catch my drift.
What the hell is wrong with these people?
To BOTH Anonymous:
You are here by your own choice and free will. If you don't like what is written here... common sense would tell you... stop reading; leave. Do you always do things that you don't like to do? Do you like being cruel to others? If you're not a fan you're a cynic; a naysayer. When I read someones blog I feel as if I am invited into their home for a short moment and at the same time respect their views and opinions. If I don't I leave.
I think I can speak for every FAN here... WE kindly ask you to leave the premises.
Wow - 50+ comments addressing anonymous posters? These anonymous posters aren't worth paying any mind. They do this stuff for attention. I think it's worth saving energy for more important and positive things. I don't think anyone expects you or any of your readers to address them. It just eggs them on, anyway!
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