I was recently referred to as an 'anecdotal' writer by a Commentor on another blog I contribute to on occasion. Actually, she didn't even refer to me as a 'writer,' (which is okay with me as I didn't make a nickle last year from that craft)...just 'anecdotal.' And she didn't mean it in a nice way either, I don't think.
I was informed that 'bloggers' in general are not 'journalists' at all but rather, individuals who base their subjective 'spewings and conjecture' on, are you ready?... "personal observation or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation...of the treatment of subject matter in representational art..." (I'll spare you the rest of the diatribe). "Especially real estate bloggers," she added. In closing she mentioned, in kind of a snooty tone to boot, something about, "Man On The Street Reporting" and that it was among the lowliest of literary genres...if even that. "Just look what it has done to local television news." Sounded to me like she got dumped by a real estate blogger sometime in her past, but that would be subjective conjecture on my part. And as she was quick to (or not to) point out, what do I know? I stepped back, put on my Chicago Realtor hat and thought for a few moments as I re-read her Comment.
"Huh?" was my best retort, I concluded. The response seemed appropriate on so many levels--the old implied "I know, I know...I'm dumb, you're smart/you're right and I'm wrong" reverse-psycho, half-hearted sarcastic, ying/ yang 'come back' I learned in the 8th grade (when I also first learned what an anecdote actually was). After a minute or so of further mental debate I went ahead and pushed the Send button--admittedly a weak 'fire back' across the bow--adding my own monosyllabic Response to the modestly accumulating Comment Section below my piece. Let it be known from here 'til Deletion...The author's ('blogger's')reponse was "Huh?"...
I had most certainly happened across the dictionary definition of 'anecdote' in a past life but never thought it was a bad thing, necessarily. I've just always preferred to write in this manner (if I even felt like writing at all, to be honest). It's not like I'm applying for a Pulitzer or even a copy desk job at the Daily Herald, Bugle or wherever. I am purposely not a journalist because I purposely need to make about what a good attorney makes a year. I'm just a middle-aged fellow who sells Real Estate for a living in Chicago and spins the occasional yarn to keep things light--anecdotal, I am told...
I mean come on, do you really care about "Ten Things To Do Before Listing Your Home," "Spring Cleaning Tips," "Market Trends In Hot Neighborhoods?" or other such sophomoric (if even) real estate 101 crapola every other blogger in this field writes about 24/7/30/52/365/infinity...? Don't you already know these things anyway or at the very least, are you not able to figure them out on your own? I pay a monthly fee to have such items addressed in my sidebar or linked to my Home Page so I can write about...well...anecdotal stuff. You know, funny stuff.
So to my beloved Commentor, allow me to add to my three lettered, time stamped "Huh?" the following: The way I see it, I get to be funnier than most attorneys, live in the same neighborhood (two in my condo association alone although at last count, no 'newsmen' that I know of) without ever having had to attend law school or ever pass a bar--of any kind. And as far as whether I do or do not fancy myself a journalist, all I can add is I do have some experience in the field--I was a paperboy once. Oh yeah...... and I sold a house today. So there. That's about 10 grand after taxes, if you're counting.
Sincerely yours,
Man On The Street
photo by answers
Geno Petro
I was informed that 'bloggers' in general are not 'journalists' at all but rather, individuals who base their subjective 'spewings and conjecture' on, are you ready?... "personal observation or random investigations rather than systematic scientific evaluation...of the treatment of subject matter in representational art..." (I'll spare you the rest of the diatribe). "Especially real estate bloggers," she added. In closing she mentioned, in kind of a snooty tone to boot, something about, "Man On The Street Reporting" and that it was among the lowliest of literary genres...if even that. "Just look what it has done to local television news." Sounded to me like she got dumped by a real estate blogger sometime in her past, but that would be subjective conjecture on my part. And as she was quick to (or not to) point out, what do I know? I stepped back, put on my Chicago Realtor hat and thought for a few moments as I re-read her Comment.
"Huh?" was my best retort, I concluded. The response seemed appropriate on so many levels--the old implied "I know, I know...I'm dumb, you're smart/you're right and I'm wrong" reverse-psycho, half-hearted sarcastic, ying/ yang 'come back' I learned in the 8th grade (when I also first learned what an anecdote actually was). After a minute or so of further mental debate I went ahead and pushed the Send button--admittedly a weak 'fire back' across the bow--adding my own monosyllabic Response to the modestly accumulating Comment Section below my piece. Let it be known from here 'til Deletion...The author's ('blogger's')reponse was "Huh?"...
I had most certainly happened across the dictionary definition of 'anecdote' in a past life but never thought it was a bad thing, necessarily. I've just always preferred to write in this manner (if I even felt like writing at all, to be honest). It's not like I'm applying for a Pulitzer or even a copy desk job at the Daily Herald, Bugle or wherever. I am purposely not a journalist because I purposely need to make about what a good attorney makes a year. I'm just a middle-aged fellow who sells Real Estate for a living in Chicago and spins the occasional yarn to keep things light--anecdotal, I am told...
I mean come on, do you really care about "Ten Things To Do Before Listing Your Home," "Spring Cleaning Tips," "Market Trends In Hot Neighborhoods?" or other such sophomoric (if even) real estate 101 crapola every other blogger in this field writes about 24/7/30/52/365/infinity...? Don't you already know these things anyway or at the very least, are you not able to figure them out on your own? I pay a monthly fee to have such items addressed in my sidebar or linked to my Home Page so I can write about...well...anecdotal stuff. You know, funny stuff.
So to my beloved Commentor, allow me to add to my three lettered, time stamped "Huh?" the following: The way I see it, I get to be funnier than most attorneys, live in the same neighborhood (two in my condo association alone although at last count, no 'newsmen' that I know of) without ever having had to attend law school or ever pass a bar--of any kind. And as far as whether I do or do not fancy myself a journalist, all I can add is I do have some experience in the field--I was a paperboy once. Oh yeah...... and I sold a house today. So there. That's about 10 grand after taxes, if you're counting.
Sincerely yours,
Man On The Street
photo by answers
Geno Petro
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