A number of posts ago, I mentioned the Elizabeth Stone quote in which she says that having children "is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." The same can be said for your words.
Once your words are out there, particularly written words, there's not much you can do to control them. If you are lucky, you can edit or delete them (I wouldn't want to do that to my children, by the way), but that is rare. More often, they are simply up for interpretation and occasionally editing by anyone who lays eyes on them. They are out of your control.
This is unfortunate for me because I am a control freak. I recognize this. That's probably the reason I use so many words to express even simple opinions or events. I try to control for all possible responses and interpretations, effectively heading off the reader at the pass. Doesn't make for great dialogue, I know.
Today I am celebrating a bittersweet accomplishment. I submitted an entry to TopBlogMag and it was chosen for the featured post of the week and my site for the featured blog of the week. I am flattered and excited about this. It's a great site, a fantastic idea, a generous editor, and I'm proud to be a part of it. However, everything didn't go precisely as I had planned.
Hopefully some of this may be corrected, but basically the editor accidentally misspelled my title, used an old screenshot of my site, and omitted my introduction. For obvious reasons, I'm embarrassed by the misspelling, I'm sort of disappointed that my sad old blog design is splashed out there for all to see, and I'm curious as to why my introduction was omitted. (***edited to note that, in fact, the misspelling and screenshot have been fixed.***) Here's where those control issues come in.
Since I can't control what gets put on the TopBlogMag site, I'll just have to control what gets put on here. I can already feel the power going to my head. Consider this the DVD version of this week's issue of TopBlogMag. The Director's Cut where I talk a lot of smack.
My post is titled Pour Your Misery Down On Me. The assigned theme was "I don't understand why..." I deliberately made sure I did not start my post with that line, because that's just redundant. Instead, I wrote a three line introduction that set up my direction, which would then be referenced again later. Since I am literally the master of my domain, here's the omitted intro:
Whole months in my journals are represented by a single line, "Everything has been fine." It is after that line that things get interesting. It is when everything is not fine that the writing flows again.
Later on, I reference that bit about my journals, however without that intro, it doesn't make as much sense. Now, I'm not an editor for a reason. I'm not the editor. I knew she might edit my piece, my only hope was that she wouldn't misspell anything or change my intent. However, I can't help but be curious as to why she omitted that introduction, particularly because it then left my post to start with "I don't understand why..." Argh.
I would find it very challenging being famous. All those rumors and mis-quotes.
This is entirely a control issue. It is my problem. It is a problem that reaches far beyond one little online magazine entry.
For this reason, I am going to participate in MoodSwingingMommy's MakeOver Monday
experiment. If ever I needed to try to change something, it's this control freak issue of mine.
Here's what to do:
- Choose a goal. (It can be a new one each week or something more long-term.)
- Write a Makeover Monday post to share your goal for the week ahead. State whether or not you accomplished your goal from the previous week. It's okay to brag! If you are working towards a long-term goal, report on your progress.
- Link your Makeover Monday post in my comments and/or in MoodSwingingMommy's Mister Linky.
- Spread the good karma by visiting other Makeover Monday participants to encourage and congratulate them on their own makeovers.
- Feel the love coming right back at you!
Don't let Monday be a downer!
Start your week off right by celebrating your accomplishments and those of fellow bloggers.
Other Makeover Mondays participants:
- MoodSwingingMommy
- Smiling Mom
- Crunchy Carpets
- Blooming Marvelous
- Lene @ Mommy Brain Victim
- Pass the Chocolate
* * * * * * *
My goal is to try to step back and release some of my control issues. Just let it be.
Seeing as my goal will apparently be one of those long-term ones, in the meantime, let me tell you that I am sincerely grateful for the featured pick over at TopBlogMag. Be sure to check them out and submit your name to be a writer. It's a good challenge, the editor is very laid back, and absolutely fun. Pay no attention to my control-freakiness. Well, I would like to look like I can spell, but other than that.... okay, stop the control freaking. Gotcha.
***See, both the "misery" mess and the screenshot have been fixed. All that jibber jabber over just 24 hours of minor embarrassment. All the more reason for me to meet my goal. Wish me luck.***
Let's celebrate instead with some mood music!
The real misery pouring invitation: Only Happy When It Rains by Garbage
Writer. Mother.
