The AC Favorite List

Recently I have received messages from several people about being on AC Favorite list. A few were asking me to add their name to my list while other only asked me to look at their work. One person even said to me, I added you to my list now you need to add me to yours. I resent this attitude.

The word favorites to me means that I favor someone else's work and I don't expect them to reciprocate, because I like "their" article. Maybe they won't care for mine and that is okay. We all have that choice and this should not be a requirement for putting someone on your favorite list.

There are some articles I read, I like, but are not really of real interest to me. For example, I don't have any children to home school, I enjoy reading these but don't make a comment, however do view them. The religious article are interesting but I don't always agree with what these people say, so refrain for comment. There are a lot of things on AC I read, but don't comment on however the writer gets credit all the same for my having been there.

I also got a note from a nice lady who said I respect your writing and enjoy it, would you look at mine. I did and found her work was very pleasing, so added her name to my favorites.

I've put some folks on my favorites list and later found we had very little in common and removed them, This is in no way reflect that I don't like them, it is just some columns don't interest me, however I still visit there occasionally to see what they are doing. I read a lot of things online and off. I get some 600 emails a day from friends, relatives and some of my student and ex-students.

Frankly, I don't have time to play games with hypersensitive people. I also will not respond to 6 article written on one day by the same person. I just do not have the time. I do try to catch as many people as I can in one day and if there is time I will go back and read the others by those people, but time is not always available to do that. I am writing a couple books and these come first.

I really resent someone telling me I HAVE to put them on my favorite list just because they viewed something I wrote. This is nonsense.

If you don't like my work, for heaven sakes don't put me on your favorites list. If what I say doesn't interest you, move on to someone that does. I certainly won't be offended but don't write me a message and say, "You don't read my stuff , I read yours, you owe me, now put me on your favorites list". It is my choice, who I read and what interests me, the same as it is yours.

Maybe I don't look at it like some of you and you think it should be mandatory. However, I feel that being put on a favorite list is an honor because whoever puts me there says I like your work. If you don't like it, don't read it. Not everyone is going to like my opinions especially on politics and religion. I don't expect them too. But I have the right to express it here.

I also have the right to chose my own favorites list, who I read and when. If that hurts your feelings, I'm sorry that is just the way it is.