Cloak of Invisibility

Well, hello.  I'm back.  I took a hiatus for a bit to recharge and regroup and do things like my actual job for which I am paid actual real money dollars and to check in with my family.  

Part of the reason for the time off was this: I didn't want to get yelled at anymore.  I know that most of the commentary here has been civil, and I do appreciate that.  I also appreciate that people have different opinions and I like hearing them.  However, here's the thing: sometimes it gets out. Of. Control.  Vitriolic.  Mean.  Nasty.  

I am a blogger, not a journalist.  This stuff is my opinion, that I often post from my iPad while I have a few minutes of downtime during my work day or in the evening after my kids are in bed and I've had some wine.  I don't have a fact-checker or an editorial board.  I don't get paid for this (or for being the PTO President, for that matter.)

And you, of course, are welcome to disagree with me and to comment and tell me how much you disagree.  It seems to be all too easy to say things here in the confines of the Patch that you wouldn't say to my face.  And if you would say them to my face, well, there's the other thing: Waltham is a small enough town that you could easily find out where I live and I shouldn't have to worry about that because I decided that it would be fun to write a blog.

About a month ago, after one of the snowmageddons that have fallen on Waltham this winter, @Carlos4Waltham wrote in his blog that the streets in his neighborhood weren't properly plowed.  And that happens and when it does happen, it's fine to blog about it.  The comments left on his blog after he posted his views were so nasty and mean-spirited that it really, really gave me pause.  I wrote to @RyanGrannanDoll in dismay and Ryan challenged me to write something nice.

Was I hard on the School Committee members?  Maybe.  Was I responsible for the election results?  Hardly.  Yet, there was a comment posted that implied just that.  I wish I had that sort of power and influence.  Or maybe I don't.

Anyhoo, I'm just here being a PTO Mom, advocating for the kids in our schools, speaking out when I see something that isn't right.  Please do comment when you disagree; just take the time to do it in a non-threatening way.