Since the originators of blogs have come into suspicion (a la "The Daily Show" in this clip:
http://bit.ly/mctK3J ), I thought my readers might want to know that there really truly is a Cheeky Librarian behind this blog. The photo at left was taken at my computer workstation in the library. If that doesn't do it for you, the photo at right was taken at a
wedding I attended last Saturday night in Missouri. Pretty much this should prove that I am not a middle-aged guy trying to work on your emotions with stories about a rare cancer. Rather, I am a middle-aged librarian trying to get you some information on the rare cancer, Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, as well as coping tips from others with head/neck cancer. I have been contacted in the past by folks that I suspected weren't real, based on the messages that they sent. I know of at least one fellow blogger that was taken in by a highly-involved fake cancer author, and since that time most of us that run this type of blog are very suspicious when someone writes about a heart-rending story. Find out who you are dealing with, the same as anything else on the web (or in life, for that matter), before you start expending emotional energy taking on someone's story. There is a type of person out there that feeds on emotion of others - yeah, I know it sounds like a Star Trek episode, but they are there. Guard yourself and stick to the facts until you really REALLY know your contacts, whether or not your story includes a disease like cancer. This type of person likes any kind of angst - military mom, parent of a special needs child, lonely soldier on the front lines, teen questioning life - and will get on your good side to suck up your emotion-filled story. A true friend won't be criticizing your story or sending you emails saying, "tell me more about how bad you have it", or some similar line of crud (and I have received emails criticizing me for not giving more of my personal emotion in this blog, believe me). Be safe out there, and network with the folks you know share your path.
Since the originators of blogs have come into suspicion (a la "The Daily Show" in this clip: http://bit.ly/mctK3J ), I thought my readers might want to know that there really truly is a Cheeky Librarian behind this blog. The photo at left was taken at my computer workstation in the library. If that doesn't do it for you, the photo at right was taken at a wedding I attended last Saturday night in Missouri. Pretty much this should prove that I am not a middle-aged guy trying to work on your emotions with stories about a rare cancer. Rather, I am a middle-aged librarian trying to get you some information on the rare cancer, Adenoid Cystic Carcinoma, as well as coping tips from others with head/neck cancer. I have been contacted in the past by folks that I suspected weren't real, based on the messages that they sent. I know of at least one fellow blogger that was taken in by a highly-involved fake cancer author, and since that time most of us that run this type of blog are very suspicious when someone writes about a heart-rending story. Find out who you are dealing with, the same as anything else on the web (or in life, for that matter), before you start expending emotional energy taking on someone's story. There is a type of person out there that feeds on emotion of others - yeah, I know it sounds like a Star Trek episode, but they are there. Guard yourself and stick to the facts until you really REALLY know your contacts, whether or not your story includes a disease like cancer. This type of person likes any kind of angst - military mom, parent of a special needs child, lonely soldier on the front lines, teen questioning life - and will get on your good side to suck up your emotion-filled story. A true friend won't be criticizing your story or sending you emails saying, "tell me more about how bad you have it", or some similar line of crud (and I have received emails criticizing me for not giving more of my personal emotion in this blog, believe me). Be safe out there, and network with the folks you know share your path.
1 comment:
Teri--this one hit home for me, and you know why.
I continue to be more open than most cancer bloggers, and so far it has been worth it for me--with a few exceptions--but I have become somewhat more cautious.
I want to know how you did that photo at the left--is it a computer program? I'd really like to do one like that!
Jeanne
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