I realize I only seem to post here when I have something to cry about. For that I apologize.

Here is the situation I am currently facing: I have a blog. Last Friday I posted a thread titled "Mormons, Halloween and Costumes." The post was prompted by something I saw on another message board. I was dismayed at what I discovered, and decided to post about it on my blog. Once again, however, I have found I should keep my opinions to myself.

So what is my problem? Ever since I made that post on my blog, I have been receiving increased traffic at my site. Now ordinarily I would be happy that folks are interested in my blog. The increased traffic is coming from a group of women who, I believe, are wanting to harass me. They don't leave comments, but when I check my sitemeter, I am able to tell which forum they are arriving from. The forum is by invitation only, so I am unable to read what they are writing about me. All I know is that what they are saying is derogatory.

Would what they are doing be considered cyber-bullying?

I have sent an e-mail to the moderator of the forum and hope to hear back from her. This group of women is an off-shoot of a message board I used to participate at quite frequently.

I'm probably just rambling here, but I needed to put into words what I'm feeling. What I'm feeling is emotional pain that these women (some of whom I thought were my friend) have turned on me.

Thank you for giving me an opportunity to vent. And thank you so much for your patience with me.

Oh honey, the best advice I can give you is to be a duck. Let it roll off your back like water off a duck. Remember...no one can make you feel anything.........they can suggest, remark, or say anything they want about you, but only YOU can pick it up and run with it.

Know yourself. Don't let them entice you to walk on the negative side of life. Send them love. Yes...love. And then move on to another topic for your blog. They will tire of someone they can't intimidate. Eventually, they will find more fresh meat to annoy.

Be happy in what you are doing. As far as having patience, have some of mine...my kids say I have plenty cause I've never used any.

I'm sending you a big hug and a pat on the back for doing a blog in the first place! Wuhoo! You're way ahead of tons of people!

JJ

Thank you, JJ. I'm probably feeling extra sensitive right now. Sitting in a house where the inside temperature is over 90, because the air conditioning conked out on Wednesday, hasn't helped my overall mental health. I'm physically, emotionally and spiritually drained right now.

I'm in need of lots of hugs and shoulders to cry on.

As they say, "This, too, shall pass."

NYWoman, can you post an article on bloggers using sitemeters, the purpose they serve, and how they can be used to monitor a blog? Create an impersonal what if, give your lurkers something to read. Keep it nice, keep it clean... might even toss them an anonymous compliment. Hard to do, but might throw them off. Then sit back and smile.