Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Women and Children first

Well, don't I feel (a bit) silly? This week, three of my favorite sites (Chookooloonks - run by the great and talented photographer/mom/lady Karen, The Naked Ovary - A very funny mom, Karen and Kristin from Debaucherous & Dishevelled) shut up shop and are now moving on to other projects. Oddly, I feel both sad and some twinges of slight embarassment about feeling sad over not being able to click on their links and 'check in' with them anymore. Naturally, I don't know these three ladies and their families (the adorable Alex, much-loved Maya Papaya and nifty Nolan were/are some of the cuter kids I've seen...ever) personally, but by sharing such a large part of their lives with the General Public, you (I?) felt a friendliness towards them. In the short time I've been reading and shorter time since I've been writing, a number of fun sites have closed, gone 'password protected' or just stopped posting.

It has come to my attention that most of these sites were, to use the vernacular, mommyblogs. Many of those that I've seen close up shop or go password protect did so after intimating that weirdo/stalker types tried to contact them/did strange things with their kids' pictures, or were just Mean and Hurtful. Note to any of those people: Get a frickin' LIFE, already. I've also noticed that for every cool, funny, fun site run by a parent, there are about....ten that make me feel like a box of Lucky Charms has thrown up in my mouth, what with their pastely tickers and preshous chilllldreennn. Throw in posts that are entirely comprised of sappy anecdotal evidence that little Susie/Johnny is the next Einstein because of their latest pooey nappy and the bright orange streaks in it. Obviously I don't a) return to their blog b) comment, either positively or negatively and I keep my opinions about their sites to myself - again - who cares what I think?

The question I have is: What is UP with people a) stealing content and trying to pass it off as their own b) harassing, stalking or tampering with a stranger(s child)? Don't they have better things to do? If these people had an ounce of creativity, they could at least attempt some sort of funny, snarky commentary on things that need to be picked on. You know, like Dubyas' public speaking skills, or the insane consumerism of America, or how desperately most of the actresses now need to eat a sandwich and lay off the crackpipes when choosing their outfits (and partners). Or my incredible run-on sentences and painfull grasp on grammar. Why must they spend time hounding someone who in all likelihood, started their site to keep in touch with friends and family or as a personal writing/journaling project? Oh look! I've found yet another reason not to have kids: Insane people posting mean notes about our family on their MySpace page.

What say you, readers? What say you?

10 comments:

Unknown said...

I KNOW!! I'm so bummed about both Chookooloonks and The Naked Ovary - they were 2 of my favorite sites! And 2 out of 5 that I regularly read!! Waaaaahh!!!!!

I can't believe nasty mean people. They have absolutely NO life and NO respect for others and haven't got a CLUE about what it means to "think before you talk/type" and have obviously never followed Bambi's mother's advice that "if you can't say something nice, dont' say anything at all". GRRRRR, it makes me so flaming mad!!! I'd shut up shop, too, if it happened to me, ESPECIALLY if there was weird stalker stuff going on involving my kids.

So, yeah. I guess I'll have to find another couple good ones to read. :( Still... bums me out. I know that both of those women who ran those blogs had a lot of traffic to their site and ALOT of people loved them and wrote hundreds, literally hundreds of very nice comments. It's such a disgrace that a few meanies have to ruin it for everybody else.

Maya said...

You should read Fussy. She's bloody hilarious. Bonus: lives in Carp (shhh don't tell)

Peter said...

you go to websites that talk about poo? you're weird.

plqghtby

Maya said...

No....its just that sometimes there are links from sites I read that SOUND like they'd be funny/amusing...and there's poo. Gross.

Anonymous said...

Naked Ovary got mentioned at a site where she got what I think was actually rather constructive criticism (especially considering what that site is normally known for) and instead of ignoring it, or taking some of it into consideration, she freaked out and packed up shop. I read her regularly and I've lost respect for her now. I feel like lately my favorite blogs aren't being run out of town or unfairly attacked; I feel like they are falling apart on their own accord and maybe just need to take a damn break for the good of themselves already.

Maya said...

Des - Yeah, I read that (at least I THINK SO) sites' comments, but I don't honestly think that was the reason she shut up shop. Of course, the poop updates...not my favorite. Agreed on some of regular areas falling apart (cough, we know of whom we speak, yes?) But the MEAN ... the mean, mean meanies that are just plagarizing and being mean for no reason? That is what I don't get.

Anonymous said...

Plagarizing should be punishable by the death penatly. Or at least public flogging.

The mean meanies (VA I assume?) are doing it for attention. They are stealing stuff and mocking it so that they can ride on the coat tails. I think I get that they are just miserable people who want attention so bad that they do stupid stuff to try to get it.

I think naked ovary went password protected, maybe.

Anonymous said...

DESIREE not desire. Sorry. My typing sucks.

Kay Cooke said...

I have been reading and catching up on your blogs - hilarious and pointed as usual. You make me laugh. I love you so! :) Bestest of luck in the war you wage against the 'why aren't you a mum yet' idiots. Especially if you do so in black stilettos and sexy grey skits. Great artillery. (Do you think they may be just a touch jealous?)
LOVED the Mom jeans video - oh yeah I've seen a few of those!

Maya said...

Hi CB! Glad you're back and congrats on writing so much for the month. Glad I can make someone laugh, that is probably the best sort of compliment I could get here. Now, on the jealous front: The thing about Clueless Well-Meaning Person: IT WAS A MAN. In his late 50's/early 60's. Who has two grown and married sons that he's close with. WTH?