When I began my blog three years ago, it was like diving into the middle of a revolution. Even though I'd never been much of a letter-writer, I thought that blogging would give me a voice. Since I've always been the typical "Minnesota-Nice" type, I rarely ever would speak up with my true feelings, I needed to vent!
Being "nice" meant that I'd stand by, seemingly mild and pleasant, while someone was spouting the most inflammatory, despicable garbage. Of course, I would always beat myself up afterwards for being such a spineless wimp. And worse, I'd carry around a load of rage at the offender--but Lord knows, my demeanor was always mild and pleasant.
I'm now in my 70's and find that all the years of Minnesota Nice have added up to being a big nothing. As my car-buying experiences of the past year have shown, I am a spineless wimp. It's obviously stamped on my forehead--car dealers take one look at me and know they can walk all over me without fear of objection.
It seems that the only thing that blogging has taught me is that Minnesota Nice only leads to depression and self-loathing. I'm tired of sitting down to blog and not having anything positive to say, but when I vent my feelings, I feel guilty about it. I read other blogs full of insights, energy and peaceful pursuits and wonder what's wrong with me.
Maybe I'll have to ask one of those car dealers.
Pick the Lock
15 hours ago
8 comments:
I bark at squirrels, run as fast I can, shred my stuffies and gnaw on bones when I need to relieve stress. But really it really helps to have people who rub my belly and share their treats. I hope that you have these things too, dear Miss Sparrow. Wag wag wag!
It's wonderful to have an outlet. We all need one. Venting via your blog is bound to gather opinions, and help you find others who have felt the same way about your subject of the day. It's our safe place to land. Open up and let it out Ms. Sparrow. I cruise country roads with my corgis and baaaahhhh at sheep and neigh at horses. I drive and say naughty words if needed. I'm selfish about spending 74 cents a day on my senior coffee and taking our "ride". It's hard to be nice in a cruel, careless world. I'm the same dang way. My mother ALWAYS smiled....and dang it, I do too. I may be seething on the inside though! It's a woman's nature to do this I think...we're "conditioned" to be this way. If I'm mad at Jim, the dogs and I have conversations about him, while he sits in the other room. He does the same. The dogs are our buffer. You stay nice.
Just vent more!
When I comment on other bloggers' posts, I try to be supportive of whatever they've chosen to write about, whether I agree or not.
In my own blog, I could probably complain in just about every post, but I try not to repeat myself from week to week. I tend toward hypochondria, for example, but how many times can I post my real or imagined ailments before people give up on me and stop following?
For what it's worth, I think venting is a great idea! Keep it up.
Hey, Ms. Sparrow, I always love to find a post from you. I wasn't blogging yet when you started out, so I just now read some of your first posts. I really enjoyed them. The ones I read weren't rants, they were snippets of your life, such as the fact that you can't smell and the Norwegian carol that you sing each year. I'd love for you to update some of those. As for ranting... I learned to speak up to male authority figures by yelling at the umpires at minor-league ballgames. Didn't take long to start feeling liberated. I say write something sassy and press "publish." What's the worst that can happen?
It's your blog and if you want to vent that's ok with me! Have a great week!
Vent away, the car dealers in this area keep posting as owners on craigs list and if you know what they did to cars to sell them, you'd vent even more, I will only buy a used car from a private party for that very reason and here in Florida you have to ask how long they had it, if they say they are selling for a relative or moving or need something smaller or bigger sometimes it isn't true they are also dealers on a small time basis and just trying to make a buck.
Some of the biggest venting blogs get the most comments, so vent away, chances are we have been there too and can commiserate with you.
I love this! LOVE THIS! I've said the same thing to my husband...only mine is Ohio nice.
I always say in my next life I am going to be a take-no-prisoners diva princess that all will obey.
ha!
Sometimes I just say 'no' to be arbitrary. And I even do it out loud once in a great while - ha!
What a great post. Garrison Keillor had a solution for the problem Minnesotans (and Midwesterners) have with always being nice and polite... rent a New Yorker. They'll say whatever you're not willing or not able to.
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