87 Nettiquette 101

WELL, HOW DO YOU LIKE IT WHEN I TALK TO YOU LIKE THIS? DOES IT MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE? DOES IT MAKE YOU WONDER IF I'M BEING HELD HOSTAGE OR MY TESTICLES ARE CAUGHT IN A VISE? Yes, I know, TMI. I know a lot of people arent sure about how to write on the net and no, everyone doesnt have to be the same. You have to admit though, when someone posts in all caps, it is a little irritating. Frustration, sorrow, anger, joy, all these can be expressed by writing a few words or a sentence in all caps, but for the love of God, dont tell us your entire day's history in 12 sentences, all in caps. We appreciate that you TOOK YOUR GARBAGE OUT, DID DISHES, PUT LITTLE BILLY ON THE BUS, WENT GROCERY SHOPPING, GAVE THE GOLDFISH A FLEA-DIP AND PAINTED YOUR BATHROOM, TOILET AND ALL, BUT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, QUIT YELLING IT.

When you put something in all caps, it is generally accepted that it is being stressed, nay, shouted in frustration, anger or joy. When you use the caps all the time, it loses something and becomes quite irritating. We all appreciate your emotion, whatever it may be, but trust me, most of us on the 'book dont want you to shout continually for 420 characters. Let me stress this again(and illustrate it): DONT USE CAPS ALL THE TIME!!! BE SPARING, USE THEM ONLY FOR EXTREME EMOTION OR TO STRESS ONE OR TWO PARTICULAR WORDS. Thank you, your compliance would be greatly appreciated. I said: YOUR COMPLIANCE WOULD BE GREATLY APPRECIATED!!!!

Now, I have also been noticing that many of you will post, rather should I say, repost stuff without checking the source. I have been guilty of this myself. Recently, Facebook put a rumor out just to see how many people would repost it without stopping to question why. Facebook friend Sharon recommended using Snopes.com to check your facts and you could probably google something if it sounds a little fishy or far-fetched. Seriously, it's the same as those news rags that see Brad Pitt walking into a club or something in the vicinity of a good looking woman and they start screaming that his marriage is over. It's not like the net is a treasure-trove of facts. We all should realize that anything you see on here should be taken with a grain of salt.

Look at my rants: mostly my opinion, salted with info I pick up through various media sources, friends and family. I know enough not to repost a blurb about little Sally being kidnapped and we should repost this as much as possible. Little Sally may HAVE been kidnapped, but if I dont see it on a "reliable" news source, I dont think I'm going to repost it.

I cant really think of all the specific ones, but lately we've been seeing a lot of weather-related posts. Although close, none usually are the same, but wait: weather men are usually wrong anyway, right? There's also the "oh-shit" factor. I dont really WANT to hear about the weather right now. I've had enough weather for the rest of the year. I've had enough of my kids being tired of being home and frankly, I've had enough of them being here period. Yes, I love them, no, I dont want them around me 24-7. So stop re-posting those damned school closings. P-county people: the school calls us all, dont remind us that we will have another and another and another day at home trying to entertain the young-uns.

So, some of us are tired of weather, some of us are tired of having kids up our rear-ends, some of us are tired of shovelling, some of us are just tired. So when you post and repost stuff, especially things that may or may not be true, it makes some of us WANT TO USE CAPS ALL THE TIME. WE'RE TIRED OF BEING TIRED. WE WANT A BREAK IN THE WEATHER. WE WANT A BREAK PERIOD.

I know, I know: this has been a rambling rant, raving about remedial writing and reposting, but it does add to the misery. People are jumping at each other anyway, we dont need MORE reasons.

I have to get off here a little early today, I still have quite a bit of snow to shovel so we can MAYBE get mail today. Oh and feel free to remind me if I repost too much. Or use caps too much. I have big shoulders, I can take it. CAN YOU?