I wasn’t planning on posting an entry today: I spent part of the day walking the dog along Airport Road in nearby Swanzey, NH, and then I planned to read some student papers. The usual drab winter Saturday. But then my day was totally transformed by this manifestation of my True Self, revealed by a keen-eyed blog-judge named Jute:
- Everything about this woman’s appearance and choice of Blogging subjects says “teacher”. Not your creative, inspiring kind of teacher, not the teacher who pushes students to do better, to achieve. But the can’t-hack-it-in-the-real-world, those-who-can’t-teach kind of teacher. The kind who makes a point in trying break students who have more smarts and talent than she will ever have, even with a thousand seminars and certificates. Ok, maybe I’m reading too much into the tedious words of this drab little woman. But it’s fun, so I’ll continue! She looks like the kind of woman who is just totally dead in the sack, no affection, no life. Which may or may not be true, I don’t want to know, but the Blog IS mindless, pretentious, with the low-grade, unambitious pretension of the second-rate mind. Nothing even remotely adventurous here, no imagination, no feeling. Hoarded ordinaries refers, I think, to the ideas in her head. -D
Now, this is exactly what I’ve been waiting for these past, oh, 36 years: someone who can take one look at my blog and blog-picture and tell me everything about me: my teaching style, my life philosophy, my true persona and personality…heck, apparently I’ve been wearing my Bedroom Behavior on my sleeve all this time, and no one’s had the nerve to mention it before Jute came along. Yes, this made my day. Who needs to spend one’s life searching for the Big Answers to life’s questions–who needs to waste time uncovering one’s True Self–when someone like Jute can do it for you on the basis of looking at your picture and blog template?
Yep, “drab little woman” is my True Self, Revealed. How could I have missed it for so long?
Hoarded Ordinaries 
Jan 29, 2005 at 8:05 pm
Good lord, who is this person? And how did you have the misfortune to show up on his/her radar? Puta de madre, what a moron.
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Jan 29, 2005 at 8:23 pm
Okay, so don’t go click on the person’s “Me” post if you don’t want to get porn pop-ups on your computer.
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Jan 29, 2005 at 8:34 pm
I think your critic has some anger problems. That she bothered to criticize what she imagines about your love life is ridiculous.
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Jan 29, 2005 at 9:56 pm
Are you kidding me? Pardon my French, but F* him or her. I don’t know what else to say but that. What an asshole!
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Jan 29, 2005 at 10:52 pm
I’m wondering, who was it, who said, “What the self describes, describes the self.”?
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Jan 29, 2005 at 10:58 pm
Lorianne–you KNOW you are my favorite “drab little woman.”
Isn’t it a little like driving one through downtown at 25 mph and thinking you know everything you need to know about the town?
Obviously s/he didn’t stop long enough to know that the Zen Mama kicks butt.
“In this corner, Jute the Mouth. In that corner, the Zen Mama herself. Put ’em together now and come out fighting….”
Oh, I bet s/he probably doesn’t know you’re a truck driver’s daughter; and in my experience you don’t ever want to wrong a truck driver’s daughter cuz she knows to kick you in the balls (or some other tenderness).
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Jan 29, 2005 at 11:06 pm
Now, I’m just a random shmoe wandering by because of BlogExplosion, but Jute gave a B simply because a post mentioned a vibrator (and a breast pump, I believe.)
So I’d rather read your blog.
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Jan 29, 2005 at 11:10 pm
What is it that they say about still waters?
It makes sense why someone so worthless would spend all their time critiquing others for everything they do…it would make less time for them to have to look at all the nothing that they’ve created in their miserable life.
I’m sure you won’t even give this a second thought.
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Jan 29, 2005 at 11:36 pm
this almost stunned me silent, except that to fail to respond would allow for the possibility that someone out here is agreeing with this harsh and uninformed opinion
obviously doesn’t know you, or just someone who wants lots of attention and doesn’t care how they get it
yes, you are a teacher … you share what you see, and THAT is teaching
I’m sorry someone targeted someone I care about and admire, but I’m not sorry a bit that I’ve already allowed a few dark thoughts to be jostled off in the direction of this abrasive and judegemental creature. Better to focus my energies on what I came here for in the first place … to drop by to share some space, and to say again how much I appreciate your unique voice and surprising depth, and don’t let anyone forget that (nevermind the hidden Jessica Rabbit that cannot be denied).
Phoooo. go away. Shooooooooo now.
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Jan 30, 2005 at 12:52 am
From one drab older woman to a young woman, your critic is full of shit, frankly. Wait until this guy gets a real life and sees that the majority of us find joy in the small things of every day living. You can sure as hell tell he’s not a Buddhist–or anyone with compassion. And I sure wouldn’t want him for a teacher because he is a lousy intuitive about who people really are. Damn, girl, you’re the tops! And I bet whoever he is can’t take photos like yours either–or appreciate a good photo when he sees it. But–I give him credit–he sure got my hackles up. I love you, Lorianne, way off in New Hampshire.
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Jan 30, 2005 at 1:30 am
I like your blog! 🙂
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Jan 30, 2005 at 1:50 am
Projection’s a bitch sometimes!
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Jan 30, 2005 at 2:39 am
I got your back!
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Jan 30, 2005 at 5:29 am
Hey- Well I’m here because this “JUTE” (buttwipe) had the nerve to also “judge” (as he calls it) a good friend’s blog- This man JUTE has nothing better than to go around in search of (mainly) female’s blogs . Yes he has gone to some “male” blogs- but his main search (if you look through his archives) are females- I guess he has a terrible “gender Identification” problem- besides a deep psychological one- anger is not the problem here- it is mere stupidity and lack of education and morals. I am glad you have taken it so lightly- My friend was really upset about her “review”—- As if this man’s “words” counted for anything in life (ROFLMAO)… a street dog has more value than he does! Kudos to you for taking it for what it is- Mere Stupidity! Some people have no life- and this is the Life they make for themselves- (I mean if being a Walking Anal Orifice is life- let him live in his own EXCREMENT Then!) LOL! Have a Good Day! I had a Good visit with you! Very Interesting reading! ❤ ‘Ria
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Jan 30, 2005 at 8:32 am
I had to read what was written twice, because the first time I was blindsided….
Not sure why this idiot went after you, but I enjoy your blog…enjoy your words, and although I’ve not been in your class…as I teacher, I’ve got the back of any teacher that gets attacked.
Horrible…
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Jan 30, 2005 at 8:45 am
I never thought of you as someone “trying [to] break students.” I’d better watch out :).
Clearly (and you certainly know this already), the “real world” that you have a keen connection to, is a heck of a lot more meaningful than anything generated in the arrhythmic tirade of this insipid self-centered nincompoop.
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Jan 30, 2005 at 8:45 am
Don’t you suppose this is a teenager? The angst, the self-loathing, the porn? Sounds like the sort of person that used to troll for flames on the Usenet News disscussion boards of years past. I’ve got to give him credit for better spelling and grammar than is usual in this sort of posting, though.
I only follow a half-dozen blogs, and yours is one that continues to interest and inspire. Keep up the good work, oh small woman of drabness!
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Jan 30, 2005 at 9:42 am
This is the downside of the Internet, that thoughtful, caring, interesting people are subject to the judgments of close-minded, boarish people who don’t know how to quietly click away if they do not like what they are reading.
Remember my father’s saying, Lorianne, “just because a jack-ass brays, it doesn’t mean you have to answer!”
I am sorry for the rude behavior of this single individual.
annie
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Jan 30, 2005 at 9:43 am
On a practical note:
Lorianne, don’t link to him. You’re giving him traffic.
Kevin
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Jan 30, 2005 at 10:41 am
What can I say? Idiots blog, too.
I find glimpses of my own Path here, and I am a old, drab little woman.
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Jan 30, 2005 at 11:10 am
Wow…what a huge string of comments this one has generated…
Thanks for all the positive feedback, although I really wasn’t fazed a bit by “Jute.” As a teacher, I’m used to getting evaluated on the basis of my clothing, hair, speech mannerisms, etc etc: if someone doesn’t know how to handle your *brain*, they find all sorts of ways of critiquing other aspects of your person. And as the saying goes, “Those who do, do. Those who can’t, teach. And those who really, really can’t, critique.”
Ultimately, I laughed at “Jute’s” pronouncement since it was so absurd, and I have a pretty solid self-esteem (and sense of humor!) about this sort of thing. In the end, this little bump on the Information Superhighway brought a lot of commenters out of the woodwork, both familiar friends & some lurkers who hadn’t commented before. So at the end of the day, this Drab Little Woman’s feeling fine!
Thanks, Jute. You really *did* make my day! 😉
(and yes, I shouldn’t have linked to the SOB since that only gives him traffic…but since I’ve gotten some traffic from *his* site, I thought I’d return the compliment. After all, it looks like his new blog needs some help getting off the ground, what with its lack of original content & all) 😉
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Jan 30, 2005 at 3:29 pm
Huh. I usually enjoy resting a little with this kind of flame, trying to find the piece that I can learn from — unbalanced vindictive people often give information you can’t find anywhere else — but this one seems completely dissociated. Did this person actually read your blog, I wonder? And if so, why? Very mysterious.
Ay. An unpleasant experience, but I guess I have to bear in mind that if visiting a hell-realm is this distressing, what must living in one be like?
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Jan 30, 2005 at 4:37 pm
Lorianne,
How bored one must be to find the need to “critique” a blog in this manner. As you can see so many enjoy your blog and come back regularly to read. I for one would just not continue to return here if I found any of what “jute” said to be true. Funny how something that is meant to hurt ones feelings can have such the opposite effect! I’m so glad you didn’t take it personally!
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Jan 30, 2005 at 5:29 pm
I agree with what Dale said.
I think this whole thing was so contrary to the truth, not only cruel but also ludicrous, that I can only imagine the person who wrote it is in a world of pain.
We do love you Lorianne (you know this). It was characteristically brave of you to share this here. We think good thoughts of you and speak positive things into your life.
One of the satisfactions of putting this bodily existence behind will be no longer having to put up with idiots. OK, that might just Mr Crankypants talking, but there’s some truth in there, I’m sure.
Blessings!
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Jan 30, 2005 at 5:29 pm
This “person” is nothing but an internet troll. I’ve seen a couple of sites like this, where the writer does nothing but rip someone else apart for reasons that don’t exist, no doubt for their own pleasure. Kevin Kim is right — don’t link to him/her. It just serves as a feeding tube, and as any Usenet vet will tell you, “Don’t Feed the Trolls.”
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Jan 30, 2005 at 7:44 pm
Jeez. As flames go, that was, I have to say, pretty uninspired: low-grade, unambitious, no imagination, no feeling. After reading a few of his other posts, I sorta feel sorry for the guy. What a strange and empty way to pass the time.
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Jan 30, 2005 at 11:17 pm
I, too, was stunned to read this. As you know, I stumbled across your site for the first time several weeks ago and my innitial impression was about as opposite from this person’s as possible.
Unbelievable.
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Jan 31, 2005 at 2:08 am
Oh, and I love the photo. I have a penchant for stretched-before-me roads, too!
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Jan 31, 2005 at 7:50 am
Like others, I first had the impulse toward huffy response, then thought so what? There are uninformed people in the world, with opinions I consider…dim and stupid. One has to wonder why he felt so strongly that he needed to write about you, Lori.
I am sorry that he hurt your feelings, but surely you see that the opinion of one person who does not know you, who is reacting to some image he has formed, is less important than the opinions of people who choose to interact with you. And ultimately, it is your own opinion of how you present yourself to the world that really matters. I would encourage you to keep doing what you think is important, and ignore the naysayers.
If any of us can offer encouragement along the way, great, we all need a boost now and then, but really you are doing a terrific job of being you…what more can any of us do?
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Jan 31, 2005 at 8:49 am
I agree with all of the sentiments above. I find you a great teacher, as your site has influenced me to study more about Buddhism and has also inspired me to me more aware of the present moment, of the simple, wondrous things that surround us at all times. Keep up the good work!
Brett
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Jan 31, 2005 at 3:35 pm
haha.
Lorianne, it’s so far off that you just have to laugh. Or punch Jute. One or the other. Maybe laughing I guess. Cyber punches are so ineffective.
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Jan 31, 2005 at 6:12 pm
look at it this way. it’s already hundreds to 1 and you’ve got the hundreds. 🙂
I always say, assess the competency of the critic, before taking the critic’s word for anything.
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Feb 1, 2005 at 8:23 am
Went to Jutes site to look around- how boring can you get? A blog negatively critiqueing other blogs.
*SNORE*
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Feb 1, 2005 at 9:01 am
I just came back from a few days away and found this when catching up on my favourite and much-missed blogs. What a sad person this reader is. Of course we all know they’re out there, but how nasty for you to be so sharply and personally reminded of this. I’m glad it happened right in time to be dwarfed by the pleasure your meeting with Beth and Ivy.
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Feb 2, 2005 at 4:04 pm
No attention whatsoever.
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Feb 4, 2005 at 4:42 am
Thanks again, everyone, for the overwhelming support. Rest assured that I wasn’t hurt by “Jute’s” pronouncements–I actually laughed at the absurdity of it all–but in the end it’s been nice seeing everyone come out to pat me on the head & tell me everything will be all right. 🙂
Dale’s right. Judging from how nasty “Jute” made us feel, imagine what it must be like to *be* Jute. I’d rather be a Drab Little Woman surrounded by wonderful people than a Hip & Cool blog-critic with a lot of enemies.
In the end, Mumun had the best response: No Attention Whatsoever. 🙂
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