You know, some web version of that formal, intimidating character that was a staple of wealthy households of yore, who would take care of importunate visitors at the door with a stiff "the mistress is not in for callers." So I get an email a few days ago from Mr. Colin Roald. Now I got a lot of emails a few days ago, but I have also been sick, and I even pulled myself out of my sick shell to post this brief apology, which sat on my front page for the better part of at least two days. Anyway, he got tired of waiting for me to reply to his email about this ancient post of mine. (It's ancient in blog years, okay?) So I see a trackback link, to this post. (One day I will write a post so referential and link heavy that it will be totally meaningless if printed out. Could this be that day? Never mind.)
Okay, he wasn't impolite or anything, but I don't respond well to demands on my attention, even passive-aggressive ones like trackbacks.* So I put this in his comments:
Yeah dude, I got your email. I also have a life -- one that's just busy enough to keep me from being able to deal with everyone who wants a little Socratean tête-à-tête with me and my beliefs about life, the universe, and everything. Especially about old posts that have scrolled off my front page ages ago. (Yes, in my blog world, February 19th is ages ago.)
I may or may not respond, but I don't really see why I should. It certainly took you long enough to get back to me, so I don't see where you get off being Mr. Impatient. As you can see, I don't respond well to demands for my attention. Caveat lector.
Maybe I was unnecessarily bitchy. Perhaps I need to add a new line to the FAQ. Such as: I intend to avoid long, drawn-out arguments on subjects that quite simply can't be resolved after a certain point. It is my belief that the pro-war/anti-war argument is one of these. All I can do is state my belief on something, and/or point out why I think something else is wrong, but if I say that I have made up my mind on something it will do no good to try to argue me out of my position. And I am not particular interested in helping the wilfully obtuse "understand" me. Or maybe I should do a Rachel.
*New article idea for blog-phenom junkies: "Trackbacks: the New Passive-Aggressive Argument Technique."
Posted by Andrea Harris at March 10, 2003 02:14 AMOh, CMAFR. WonderBoy objects to the war, can offer no alternate course of action or even any concrete arguments, and then flounces off to sulk in a corner because you won't participate in a contest to see who can utter the most banal of generalities. Boo hoo.
And it was accompanied by a not-very-subtle reminder that you're not blogging the right way. Good grief, what a prig. Still, I think you should continue to let him comment, if only so we can see the pretty colors after we've had our way with him. Purely in a verbal sense, mind you.
Posted by: David Perron at March 10, 2003 at 08:57 AM