Fruit Cup
We have monthly “birthday celebrations” in my office during the months that the staff has birthdays. The company orders treats and we all sit around in the conference room, chatting for about 30 minutes (or more!) while enjoying the treats. It’s actually a nice break, to just sit and chat with everyone. I think of it as a morale booster.
Sometimes the company orders individual treats, like drinks from Starbucks (bleh), and sometimes they order one big thing, like a coffee cake.
You may recall that I am on a “healthy lifestyle” quest. Whenever they order individual treats, I try to order something healthy or low in calories, like a fruit cup or a diet soda.
Today was the August celebration (duh) and our receptionist/secretary/all-star came up to me and said, “I’m going to order that cinnamon-cake thing from Corner Bakery. Do you want a fruit cup, since you are so being so good [healthy-eating wise]?”
She didn’t say it meanly – she was being nice. She noticed I’ve been watching what I eat, and actually asked me if I wanted an alternate item for the birthday celebration. I thought it was very nice that she provided that option for me, because some people are actually pretty mean when you are eating healthy. They become “food pushers” who want you to eat what they are eating or what they are making. I’m happy no one in my office is like that.
But damn, that cake smelled good when I was sitting there eating my fruit cup!
And a little bit of housekeeping… called “How I Blog.”
I usually have a lot of time to think about what I am going to write when I post something – not much is “spur of the moment” writing. I think about it when I am walking or riding the train. Then I just have to turn my computer on, and type it out. I reread it once to see if it makes sense (ha ha, right), then set up a time to publish.
I love getting comments. But for some reason, it takes me a long time to respond to comments. I am guilty of letting them pile up, so that I can think about what to say, then responding to them all at once.
I am setting a rule for myself that I won’t post anything new until I’ve replied to the comments from the previous post. That seems fair.
Also, I think I am going to quit “responding to comments” in email form. WordPress is only sending me about half of the emails I get for comments (wtf?), and honestly, it’s kind of a pain in the butt. And it makes me nervous and guilty when I don’t get back to people right away. I mean, how annoying would it be to receive a response to a comment you left almost 5 days ago?!
But, if you see a new post, you’ll know I replied to your comments (because of the rule above). Does that make sense? Am I being an idiot? Please let me know what you think. I am just trying to make blogging less stressful for me (I can’t believe I just wrote that).
Themocracy
Blogging shouldn’t be stressful for you. Sometimes you just get too busy to respond to comments. I’m horribly guilty of that, but it is just the way it is. Don’t feel bad about it. Most people are here to read what you wrote, not to have a comment battle with you, I promise. 😉
I think that was very thoughtful of the woman to ask if you would rather have a fruit cup. I totally agree about the healthy eating and the food pusher stuff.
I love responses to my comments, but if you miss one or two I am not going to be upset. Don’t stress out over responding if you don’t get a chance. I always try to respond to all comments on my blog in the comment section, but occasionally I miss people. Some people never respond to comments.
I’m glad you didn’t get upset by the fruit cup comment. My wife used to work with a woman who specifically brought in cake/cookies/etc… any time any of the girls in her office mentioned something about their weight. She was fat and miserable and wanted everyone else to be that way too.
That poor woman is younger than me but now looks and acts like a woman twice her age. She’s a dispicable human being and it’s really sad. I feel sorry for her.
We have a “healthy food pusher” in our office. When she is dieting, the whole world knows. Every time food comes near anyone’s mouth we hear “Do you know how many calories that has in it?” Let me tell you–she is a joy to have lunch with when she is on one of her healthy kicks.
For instance, tomorrow when we go to the Mexican place for lunch, she is only coming with us if we agree to forgo the chips and salsa. So the question is—do we want her company or the chips and salsa? Hmmmmmmmm. We’ll have to think about that one.
Kyra is right. Blogging shouldn’t be a stress point. I know when I’m bored, I hit refresh every few mins to see if someone has posted something. Of course, in the time, I could be working on an idea for a new post – creative flow – instead of just mindlessly hitting Command-R (refresh on a Mac).
It was nice of the receptionist to ask what you wanted. Always nice that there are people out there that care what the other person is wanting/thinking.
Kyra – I DO get too busy to respond. And I shouldn’t feel guilty, but I think “If I have time to write, why don’t I have time to respond?” Thanks for reassuring me though 🙂
tori – I was really happy that she asked me. Because I was actually kind of stressed out about what the treats would be. And as for the comments… I kind of feel sad when people never respond. So something, sometime, is better than nothing, right?
ajooja – Oh my. That poor woman. I feel sorry for her, but if I knew her personally, I know she would piss me off beyond recognition. What a poor, poor woman.
Robin – Are. You. Kidding. Me?!!?! Does she not want YOU all to eat chips and salsa, or does she not want to be tempted by them? What the heck? Can’t she just come along and get something on the lighter side and not be such a drag to be around? You’ll have to let me know how it ends up.
martymankins – I do that too. I usually check my email for comments, then check here to see if my email missed one (which it does now for some reason). The receptionist notices everything… and she does care. It’s nice.
You crack me up, Kim. 🙂 I am TERRIBLE about responding to comments. In fact, I almost never do it, which I think is a pretty big blogger sin.
But I do read all of them, and always enjoy them.
When we were getting individual e-mails from you responding to comments, I admit I thought, “Dang, how long is it taking her to do this?” It made me NOT want to comment because I didn’t want to create more work for you! LOL!
That is super nice of her. I think people push the cake or whatever on you because it alleviates their guilt. Don’t let them get to you!
I repeat some previous comments: please don’t stress yourself out about responding to comments!! and please don’t “deny” yourself (and us!!) a new post until you respond either! Blogging should be this fun thing you do, not something that adds stress to your life… personally, for my blog, my response to comments is sporadic at best: I suppose I’m more interested in people’s reactions to what I’ve written in the main blog post, than to respond to their response? 😀
on the fruit cup: it’s awesome to have a supporter in the workplace! Reminds me of how it *wasn’t* for me back in my first year of work, out in the boonies of Malaysia, where everyone was very very pious/religious: I was a vegetarian at that time, and therefore when we had office eats I’d usually just not eat, or have just a bit of rice and curry/sauce without the meat,,, and I’d get an earful from officemates telling me that God had put the animals on earth for us to eat, that it was a sin to refuse such gifts. niiice!
That’s a good little policy! Comments piling up is not a problem i have exactly (I have like 2.461 readers or something, one of whom is my mother :D), but when it is, I’ll use that system too!
diane – Oh no! Well, you don’t have to worry about commenting now. I AM DONE WITH THAT 😛
Cheryl – I definitely agree that is WHY they do it… I just wish they wouldn’t. Some people are cool about it and will stop asking, but some just ask over and over and over and over…
*lynne* – A SIN? TO NOT EAT MEAT?! Give me a frickin’ break. I suppose those people are they type that think what they say has some importance though.
Catherine – Thanks. Now I just need to stick with it… 🙂
I start to feel guilty too if I let too many days pass and haven’t replied by email to a comment. Some posts it’s just impossible because of the volume of comments or it’s too personal and I am feeling internal (re: not wanting to engage further than what I posted on the blog). I don’t reply to every comment but I try because I like that it often creates a conversation with one of my readers that I wouldn’t get to know on that level. I, personally, rarely go back to a person’s blog to see if they commented back to me. I just don’t have the time. So most of the time (and lots of people use that method, I understand why), I have no idea that someone has responded. I figure if it is important enough to tell me, they will email me.
The bottom line is, do what YOU need to do and don’t let the blog stress you out.
We have a food pusher @ work — in fact we call her The Pusher. She’s a triathlete that feeds on cucumbers and tomatoes and can be satisfied with just a bite of a brownie. Not me.
I have blog guilt too. 🙁
sizzle – I am with you on the “too personal” thing. I wrote about missing my deceased uncle… then never replied because every time I read the post, it made me cry. I don’t know why I wrote it in the first place. I also forget to look back for replies too though… so I don’t know what the best solution is. I think if it is important enough, I will respond by email.
mannyed – So she is another healthy food pusher? I didn’t know this type of food pusher existed! Everyone that I know is usually trying to get me to eat crap 😛
i think you are an excellent blogger and i think the time that you spend responding to all of your comments is phenomenal!!! (i have a blog guilt too!!!)
that was super nice of your co-worker to offer you a healthy alternative since you’re watching what you eat!!! i came in to donuts this morning and caved!!! your weight loss ticker has inspired me to put one on my blog!!! you rock kim!!!! 🙂
CourtneyInControl – Thanks for all of your words of encouragement! Someone brought some super yummy pastries in today. I just look at them… and imagine how great theyu would taste. Ha ha. That sounds kind of lame, but I could not eat one of those “in moderation”!
haha, no, let me clarify, The Pusher pushes crap while she eats the cucumbers, lol.
Gina (Mannyed) – WTF? Seriously, WTF? She just wants to feel like she is better than everyone 😉