Spammers Beware: Don't Waste Your Time

Someone is trying to post bogus (spam) comments on my blog, and I can be rather prickly.  Actually, a number of someones.  Most of them are just annoying, with links to presumably sell something or take you to a website you'd rather not be at.  Others, like the anti-Jew one someone attempted to post yesterday, can be downright nasty, mean, or frightening. I've seen diatribes against women (in particular, there's a pretty outrageous one floating around out here in the interwebs that rants specifically about American women - perhaps you've seen it), and rants about other topics.

But if you are one of the people submitting these comments to my blog, YOU ARE WASTING YOUR TIME.  Because you see, I have something called 'Comment Moderation'.  Every single comment that someone attempts to make on one of my blog posts, whether a post from yesterday, or one from 7 years ago, has to be approved by me.  I get an immediate email telling me about there is a comment being posted, and I then I am given a choice.  I can approve the comment, delete it, or mark it as spam.  If I mark it as spam, the comment does not get posted, but instead gets reported.  It only takes me a moment to do this, and I check my email regularly, so none of the spam comments ever are seen by anyone but me. I have a discerning eagle eye when it comes to spotting this garbage. 

So - If you post a comment with an internal link to anywhere, or are trying to sell something, you can bet I'm marking it as spam.  (I don't have advertisements or make money off of my blog, so I'll be damned if I let you try to make money by using my free blog platform.)  If you post a comment that is ugly or offensive, you can bet I'm marking it as spam. The ONLY comments I approve are those that are genuine comments or questions that relate directly to the content of my blog post.

But if it's a comment that says "Nice post!  Learn to write professional blog posts at ...(with inserted link to some bogus website)...", it is bullshit and is marked as spam.  Or if it says "Nice to see this!  Have a look! (with inserted link to some presumably bogus website)"  it is marked as spam.  Or if it says "Keep the balls rolling!! Nice posts you have given for us! (with inserted link for travel websites)", it is marked as spam.  It's all just a nuisance, like an insect.  (By the way, those are all samples of actual attempted comments I've received recently). 

I realize some of these (or maybe most of these) spam comments are done automatically, without anyone actually reading the content of the post where the comment is left, and are just harmless.  But they bug me nonetheless. For example, when I posted about painting on roofing felt, I received spam comments from roofing companies with links to buying a roofing product.  This is the result of some search engine finding the words "roofing felt" and automatically posting the comment.  But it's a time waster for both them and for me, because there's absolutely no productive reason for them to leave these posts, and I of course have to waste my time reading them and marking them as spam.

Thanks for listening!  Look for a post about Chihuly coming within the next day! 

Common Courtesy and thoughts on whining

It's the little things that make the biggest difference somehow, and I've been really noticing something lately. 

me, today, standing on a still-frozen Loon Lake

When I am scurrying from my car in the parking lot to the store (or wherever), and a car stops for me (whether there is a stop sign or not), I always wave a hand in thanks.  Or if I'm driving a car and someone lets me in to the line of traffic, I wave my hand or nod my head in thanks.  If I'm the one in the car, I'll always stop and wave on the walker (or it could be another car trying to get into the line of traffic) or let the car into the traffic stream.

But what I've really been noticing is the number of people lately who just walk in front of your car (that you have stopped specifically for them), and never so much as put up a hand in thanks, or even notice that a nice person driving a car has stopped where it wasn't a crosswalk or there wasn't a stop sign, just to let them cross.  Sometimes they are just too busy looking at their phones to have even noticed that you stopped for them (and their baby stroller, and kids in tow).  But really, it doesn't take but a moment to wave an acknowledgement of thanks, and you might really make someone's day! 

my car on a summer day

Yesterday, I was in line for something, not in a hurry at all, and the (handsome) man in front of me told me his transaction would take longer than mine and insisted I go first.  I swear, he was so sweet that it just made my day!  And then he told me he had parked next to me in the lot, and that seeing my car had made him smile and think of spring!!!  (Keep in mind that a couple of days ago it was snowing and frigid, with icy wind, in the 30's, and it felt like November.)  Yesterday was a little better, still windy, but more like March, but still not exactly what we want for April weather, so I really was glad that my car gave someone something to smile about.  And today it was still cool and windy, but the sun was bright and it was a lovely day.

A post on another blog that I read today made me think today about something I did a few years ago, that relates to the common courtesy theme of this post.  I had heard a story on public radio about a challenge to go 21 days without complaining.  (Check out the specifics here: http://www.acomplaintfreeworld.org/.)  For the challenge, you wear a little purple rubber bracelet, and every time you whine about something, or gossip, or complain, you move the bracelet to the opposite wrist.  Often it takes a few months before someone can last 21 days without uttering a complaint, without moving thee bracelet.  I don't remember how long it took me, but it was quite a while.  My students helped me!  In my classroom, where my rules were displayed, the students all knew the #1 rule was NO Whining!  (The rule was not the result of the challenge.  The rule had been there for much longer than that!)  We talked about the alternatives to whining when something wasn't going right.  The art room should a happy place and you can always find a solution when something doesn't go as planned.  After all, stating a problem is not always a complaint; it's the way it is said and the attitude that is really important.  Maya Angelou said:

“If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude. Don't complain.”

This quote hung on my classroom door for a long time; I think it is perfect.  But anyhow, about that complaining... The first change I made was in my mornings.  I am a night-owl, so I was always in a hurry getting to school in the morning.  And the parking lot situation was... um... a little challenging.  I would get out of my car and complain that students were parking in the good spots instead of the student lot, that a car had cut me off getting into the lot, that the roads were icy, that I was parked too far from the school since I was carrying a bunch of stuff, etc.  You get the idea.  I started my day in a fit of negativity.  So instead, knowing I didn't want to have to move my bracelet, I would give the custodian who directs the morning traffic a big smile,  say good morning, and then say thank you to him (for making sure cars stopped so I could get across the crosswalk).   Often when I did this, other teachers scurried by never even noticing he was there.  The custodian always smiled back and told me to have a great day.  By the time I got to my classroom I was still smiling, and my day was off to a terrific start.

In the few years since I completed the 21 day challenge, I know I have complained from time-to-time, but up until my retirement I never once started my school day without the good morning, the smile, and the thank you to the custodian.  (Consequently, as I'm sure you would expect, the custodian would bend over backwards to help me whenever I needed a hand with something!)  Yes, I slip from time to time; you've heard me complain occasionally on the blog, but in general, I have chosen to take a more proactive approach to problems and challenges.  And while I don't wear the purple bracelet any more, it still sits proudly on my bathroom jewelry shelf where I see it every morning.

So, I thank YOU dear blog readers, for just being you!  I'm so happy to have you stopping in from time to time!