| Thursday, April 24, 2008 |
| Miss Conduct blegs me to post the following |
I believe this is the first time I have had an official bleg (basically someone asking you to do something on your blog) and by an advice columnist no less! So here goes: Dear Boston Gal--
Greetings! I've been reading your blog for a while now and am quickly becoming a fan. I write the "Miss Conduct" advice column in the Boston Globe Sunday magazine, and have a blog of my own on boston.com/missconduct.
If you don't accept requests for blogwhoring, no worries--but if you do, I'd love to hear your readers weigh in on this. I'm writing a book about etiquette for the fault lines of society, and I've posted on my blog a request for people to comment or write to me their advice, perspectives, or stories about relationships with people (friends, family, neighbors) who have different financial priorities, especially around consumerism. The post is here:
http://tinyurl.com/3wxwuf
And this is the text:
As regular readers know, I'm working on a book of etiquette for the fault lines in society--areas where people's values, priorities, and experiences differ. I'm currently working on the chapter about money. It's been relatively easy to write about how to deal with the awkward situations that arise between friends of differing income levels (in part because, what with the economy as it is and the occasional bouts of graduate school, all my friends and I have taken turns being the "rich friend" or the "poor friend" on occasion.)
What I'm finding harder to write about is relationships with people who have different values around materialism. Can someone whose idea of a perfect Saturday is to hit the mall and shop till she drops, fueled by the occasional triple latte, be friends with someone who wants to bake cookies and then take a nature walk? How do you cope with the in-law who insists on showering everyone with gifts from Neiman Marcus when the rest of the family has sworn to buy only handmade gifts this year? The co-worker who starts in on sweatshops every time you show up with a new outfit? The neighbor who buys a new car every two years--and then complains constantly about his credit-card debt?
I'm not looking for answers--though if you've got any, I'd love to hear! What I want are perspectives, stories, thoughts, feelings. If you don't want to leave them in the comments, please e-mail me.
Thank you! As always, my readers are my riches!
***
I'd be terribly grateful if you'd link to this from your blog, but again, it is YOUR blog and you needn't let anyone else take up space on it if you don't want to!
Keep up the good work, and best of luck hitting $3,376,500!
Robin OK, Miss Conduct probably did not intend for me to post the full email message - rather just the official request text, but I loved how she went about making the request. First she complimented me by saying that she was a reader - I am a bit of a sucker for compliments. Second, it cracks me up that Miss Conduct used the word "blogwhoring" - I found that incredibly funny and it is rare I read an email and end up laughing aloud. Third, her request for input fits nicely with the subject of my blog. Likely my readers will have insightful stories to share about materialism and money and how that impact relationships. Lastly she added that nice bit about this being my blog and as such she is fine if I don't post her request at all.
But as you can see, now that my ego has been flattered, my funny bone tickled, my interest piqued, and my control validated, I am happy to post her request. I also highly recommend you pay a visit to Miss Conduct at the links above and share your thoughts, feelings, and stories! |
| posted by Boston Gal @ 1:33 PM *
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| 5 Comments: |
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I'm a reader, and I bleg you to blog (did I use that correctly?) about your gardens at BG Headquarters. I haven't seen a garden post in ages! How are the seedlings?
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Hi Andrew,
I will work on a garden post this weekend...
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Did you seriously just post her whole email?! I suggest you start reading advice columns (I think that was rude)!
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Oh get over yourself. I thought it was great that BG posted the full letter. Made me click over to read the advice column blog. If she just posted the scripted appeal for book fodder I likely would not have bothered.
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To settle the dispute between the anonymi--
I was certainly SURPRISED that Boston Gal posted my whole e-mail! However, one thing I've learned from e-mailing other bloggers and writers is that you are always "on the record," unless you specifically say you're not. Any e-mail that comes in to Miss Conduct (not to me personally) is considered publishable unless the writer says otherwise.
But I certainly can't argue with Anon 1 that *everyone* should start reading more advice columns ... starting with mine, please!
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I'm a reader, and I bleg you to blog (did I use that correctly?) about your gardens at BG Headquarters. I haven't seen a garden post in ages! How are the seedlings?