Lorelle, By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet
An Open Letter to Lorelle Vanfossen
Dear Lorelle:
Imagine my surprise and dismay when I read that you had forgotten to include another well known blogger who has been around much longer than most of whom you mentioned. (Now that I think of it, I don’t recall you mentioning him under any circumstances - ever. Oh well.)
Background:
As you know Blog Bloke is my internet persona and has been a fixture in the blogosphere for numerous years, blogging professionally about the subject of blogging and blog news before anyone had heard of the Blog Herald (or you for that matter).Blog Bloke was given to me as a nickname by a friend and somehow it stuck. It also seemed appropriate given the nature of my blogging.
Keywords?
I suppose you could say that the word blog is a “keyword”, much like the word camera (but somehow Camera Bloke doesn’t work for me).
Frankly I never thought of it in terms of a keyword before. It seemed a fitting descriptor at the time but the fact remains Blog Bloke is now my brand as well as me. We are both one and the same and I see no problem with that.
So what’s the problem?
You can accuse me of being an anonymous blogger if you like, but when you’ve been around as long as I have the issue really becomes moot don’t you think. (Rhetorical question).
So are you somehow suggesting that I am wrong for using my blog persona, or that I should not be taken seriously? If so, then my dear you are sadly mistaken. My body of work within the blogosphere speaks for itself.
What’s In A Name?
What’s in a name anyway? Can you not spend a hundred bucks and legally change your name if you want?
To quote another famous author (who might also have used a pen name) a rose by any other name would smell as sweet, would it not? (Another rhetorical question).
Could I not also just as easily spam someone using Lorelle as my name? Is Lorrelle in fact your real name? Obviously I have no way of knowing that for certain unless I met you personally and showed me your ID. (When hell freezes over.)
Are we not talking semantics here, because we have no way of really knowing who is doing the writing behind the computer screen… do we? (Another rhetorical… well, you know).
Please forgive me if I’m misreading you but I’m finding your premise to be a little arrogant as well as preposterous. I can only guess that your angst comes from receiving a disproportionate number of anonymous commenters that might not like you.
Alas, people have been using handles/nicknames on the internet as long as it has been in existence and no rant by you or anyone else can change that.
I have no problem with a commenter using whatever persona they wish to use (and I see no reason to make a flap over it, or a post either for that matter).
Cheers!
…BB
““““`
UPDATE: This is hilarious. Apparently Ms. VanFossen considers Blog Bloke a spammer as she removed my comment linking to her post. I’ll try it again so let’s see what happens.
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I read her post. It’s enough to give someone an identity crisis. It sounds to me that she only wants comments and commenters that boost her own ego and support her cause - I have a feeling she deletes comments that have opposing viewpoints too, as I didn’t see any in response to that post.
I don’t see anything wrong with signing your posts with your “blog name.” Everyone knows you as Bloke, and as far as my other friends, I’d never guess at who Macoosh, DSB, or any of my other regulars are by their comments.
I’ve seen a lot of bad advice on that blog so I wouldn’t worry about it. As with most of the posts, there’s no data to back up her premise. Lorelle has some great resources on her blog - but I really think she falls flat in the ‘proof’ territory. Her opinion is often written as fact with nothing to back it up.
PS: I’m writing this anonymous since I don’t want to distance myself from the ‘Wordpress’ mafia. I love Wordpress - but if this goes out with my name on it, I’ll be blacklisted.
UPDATE: This is hilarious. Apparently Ms. VanFossen considers Blog Bloke a spammer as she removed my comment linking to this post. I’ll try it again so let’s see what happens.
Kirsten, I really don’t know where she gets her cheek from.
About a year or so ago I left a nice comment on her blog and her reply was arrogant and snarky. She was a relatively new blogger at the time and I’ve never forgotten that, and is a reason why I will never visit her blog again.
I wonder how she managed to scam her way into writing for the Blog Herald. I also notice that she has written a so-called book. I suppose it was written to give her a perceived credibility on the blogosphere.
Hmm, I would love to get a hold of that book to see what other advice she is giving out. But there’s no way I would pay for it.
I think I will have to keep my eye on her a little more closely in the future, but she probably won’t appreciate that very much
Anonymous… it would appear that I have already been blacklisted
I understand what you are saying, but aren’t you also falling into her trap regarding anonymity? This is sad state of affairs if people afraid to speak their mind in fear of a backlash.
Is that what the blogosphere has become? Have we allowed a few pretenders to hijack freedom of speech in the blogosphere?
Regardless of what handle, pen name or nickname you want to call yourself, I encourage everyone stand up and be counted for you what you believe.
Don’t let them intimidate you.
It looks like Ms. VanSnooty is still giving you the cold shoulder Bloke. I don’t read her blog either. Her advice isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. Neither do I read the Blog Herald. After Duncan Riley left it’s gone downhill now that the likes of her write for it. Keep up the great work and don’t let them get you down.
Wow ! I have got to see where this goes. Apparently I think this is gold !
Ditto Jeffro! Sometimes I think the a-listers and wannabees like VanFossen love to hear themselves talk just to justify their existence.
Dan, Jaffer and Jill… I wouldn’t hold your breath. I don’t think her ego will allow her to respond let alone acknowledge my existence. Just ask the ostrich.
2nd Update
Ok, she’s deleted my second link that I left. Here was the exact wording I used:
“Lorelle, By Any Other Name Would Smell As Sweet…
Please don’t delete this link again. Thank you.”
Stop being so nice Bloke. Obviously she’s a gutless coward and a mean spirited type who plays in the shadows throwing darts from afar.
It’s time you take the gloves off and dish out a little of her snark back in her snooty face. After all, you really are so much better at it
Hi Jason. I’m not sure if that’s a compliment or a put down
Oh well, Ms. Vanfossen can stick her head in the sand and snub me all she wants but I’ve got my eye on her now.
I’ve sat long enough in the sidelines watching the pretenders’ shenanigans, but no more. There will be a reckoning coming, and that I can promise.
I’m spending part of today going through all of my feeds and killing those which don’t add value. I have a feel that she will be one of the ones to go.
From VanFossen to VanFossil in one easy step
easy-peasy… and it only took 20-19 steps
Dec 30th, 2007 at 10:32 pm
[…] to my issues with Lorelle VanFossen, here is a snapshot of my stats proving that she deleted my comments left on her […]