Not to steal any thunder from my gushing, recent post about the lovely Jennifer Murphy, but I've got to issue a wee statement here, to the lovely commenter from my last post, who wasn't gracious enough to leave her legitimate email address.
Dear Negative Nellie,
IF my blog or the terms of endearment that I choose to use on it trouble you so, I think there might be an option you've forgotten:
JUST STOP READING IT.
JUST...STOP.
And, please, if you are going to bother commenting to air your unfortunate and hilarious grievances against the way that I choose to conduct my personal weblog, don't be a coward. Use a real email address.
All the best,
Emily
The Black Apple › Inside A Black Apple
Comments (63)
Personally, I LOVE being an applet! So Please continue to use your fun and enthusiastic adjectives. And negative nellie as you called her can please read elsewhere!
michelle · July 28, 2007 at 03:47 AM
I love being referred to as an applet because 1: it makes me feel part of a lovely little club 2: it makes me feel as cosy as a kitten wrapped up inside a big handsome bearded man's jacket during a snowstorm (the man is possibly a woodcutter). Purr purr!
Laura · July 28, 2007 at 04:58 AM
Oh my! I was about to say that I think your terms of endearment are all just dear... which is why I read your blog. But then I read the previous comment about the handsome woodcutter. May I vote for that please?
Melissa · July 28, 2007 at 05:28 AM
Oh Emily,
I have just had a dismal blogging experience too, but I notice that you didn't have to resort to swear words in your response (unlike myself).
Personally, I would wear an "I am an applet " badge with pride - with my pear head girl pendant and my tinymeat/black apple wallet.
Your endearments are part of what makes this blog so distinctive and so you- No one would want that to change .
Jodie
Applet Number one
Jodie · July 28, 2007 at 06:44 AM
Delurking to say I'm happy to be an applet too - definitely no negative inference to my ears/eyes...
An endearment is a scion of affection...:-) and the whole world would do better with a little more of that floating around!
Keep up the good work, hinny (an endearment from Newcastle, England), cheerio Jo xxx
P.S Also love your artwork and, as soon my budget looks healthier, will treat myself to a few key pieces!
Jo · July 28, 2007 at 06:56 AM
Also delurking. =) I only just started reading your blog (came here through MyAimIsTrue) and I love being an applet~ It's like every person who happily reads your blog gets a little apple-love!!
I've never understood why people find it necessary to make their personal preferences about SOMEONE ELSE'S PERSONAL BLOG known. You'd think you were using applets like it was a slur of some sort. xP Oh well. More apple-love for us, then.
stella · July 28, 2007 at 07:20 AM
How silly. The blog's name is "Inside a Black APPLE"...what else would we readers be but applets? Duh! I read your blog often and love it.
Joanne · July 28, 2007 at 07:43 AM
NN needs to get a life. It is just the internet for goodness sake!
Heck, I was thinking it would be cool to have a name for my blog readers too. Planetoids or asteroids maybe. --- talk about insulting! :-)
Keep on inspiring us.
Janet · July 28, 2007 at 09:56 AM
Well said Emily!!!
I agree with you, it's your blog! You're allowed to say anything you want on it, and I'm proud to be a little applet :)
Continue the great work!!!
Danielle :)
Danielle Nilsson · July 28, 2007 at 10:02 AM
How on earth is being called an applet insulting??!! I love the way you write, it reminds me a little bit of Jane Austen. Proud to be an applet :D
cassie · July 28, 2007 at 10:02 AM
Don't let a bad applet spoil the bunch!
Hugs,
Cassandra (Proud to be an Applet!)
Hmmm....T-Shirts?....
NolaCassandra · July 28, 2007 at 10:13 AM
I to read your blog often and have purchased items from you. I love your site. Do you think maybe she is a tad bit jealous? What ever. Feel the love because the rest of us love ya.
Amber · July 28, 2007 at 10:21 AM
ya some people take things too personal.
kim* · July 28, 2007 at 10:46 AM
Wow, people need to get a stress ball or stiff drink or something...such hostility over a word? And a cute word at that:)
Keep up the lovely blogging!
Kathleen · July 28, 2007 at 10:47 AM
I am sincerly sorry that any offense was taken by my comment. Re-reading it I can see where it might have been a little harsh. Please understand that I respect other artists, their uniqueness, ideas, and individual successes. I will stop reading YOUR blog, and again I am very sorry.
Erica · July 28, 2007 at 10:56 AM
One word Emy..............Jealousy. It makes people do strange things. Keep it up!
Michelle Parrish · July 28, 2007 at 11:19 AM
im a fat bald tattoed pierced hairy 31yr old english man and im an out and proud applet...
xxxxx oh and i love yor knee socks....if only i was a lady ?
steven · July 28, 2007 at 11:41 AM
im a fat bald tattoed pierced hairy 31yr old english man and im an out and proud applet...
xxxxx oh and i love yor knee socks....if only i was a lady ?
steven · July 28, 2007 at 11:41 AM
im a fat bald tattoed pierced hairy 31yr old english man and im an out and proud applet...
xxxxx oh and i love yor knee socks....if only i was a lady ?
steven · July 28, 2007 at 11:42 AM
I have no problem being an "applet" as long as I don't actually have to perform subroutines in your web browser. Perhaps your complainant is in fact a more complex software program, and felt demeaned by the misnomer.
Devlin · July 28, 2007 at 11:50 AM
I just wanted to add my voice to the chorus! Emily, I've never had the pleasure of meeting you, but I can tell from your writing that you are a dear and precious person & I feel honored to be able to peek into your world from time to time through your blog. Keep writing in your own voice & stay true to you!
Mrs Steel · July 28, 2007 at 11:58 AM
i'm another proud applet :-)
paper-and-string · July 28, 2007 at 12:44 PM
I usually lurk, so I'm a closet applet, but let me add to the other comments by telling your cowardly commentator who isn't brave enough to leave an email address:
GET A LIFE
You must have plenty of time on your hands, is all I can say.
Anne Galvin Bremer · July 28, 2007 at 12:48 PM
My policy is to delete negative, anonymous comments ... probably because I couldn't respond as sweetly and directly as you did while foaming at the mouth. :)
I love your sweet, cuddly style, and, although I could never be as inclusive and generous as you are with your affection, I appreciate that quality in you and think it's one of your biggest draws for me. :)
futuregirl · July 28, 2007 at 01:07 PM
Another proud-to-be-called-applet chiming in! Love your work, your blogs, your sweet, sweet self! Please do not change a single thing!
Thanks so much for putting yourself out there. I truly appreciate it (and it looks like several others agree with me!)
kelly · July 28, 2007 at 01:09 PM
Why do so many people in the world get offended like this? i find most of the time it is simply because someone did something in a way they wouldn't have or in a way they don't understand, not because the other did anything wrong or offensive. So many conflicts in life can be diffused by simply saying to ones self, "why does this offend me? Is it actually offensive or is is just something i don't like? Is it something worth making a conflict over or is is something i can just let go and be calm about?" Seriously. we are so bent on making everyone bend to our ways sometimes.
I'm glad you addressed it emily.
~ the little trina applet
trina · July 28, 2007 at 01:12 PM
I love being an applet. It makes me feel like a part of something much bigger than myself.
I'm glad you stand up proudly for yourself!! (on your vintage style heels, of course)
Sally · July 28, 2007 at 01:30 PM
HI!
This is Erica from England, (not the grumpy Erica!!!).
Just wanted to say I LURVE your blog and can't believe someone would find it necessary to leave such a mean comment.
I am a proud "Erica Applet", (although slightly miffed I share the same name as someone so grumpy!!!)
Erica
xxx
Erica · July 28, 2007 at 01:35 PM
I've thus far been a lurker, but situations like this call for immediate de-lurking and bringing on the support.
a) Someone is offended by being called an applet? Seriously? I don't see you holding a gun to her head and forcing her to read. She really needs to get over herself.
b) If someone is offended by the use of the word "applet", I think that the person has much bigger issues to deal with.
c) People usually bring negative attention to others to make themselves feel better about their own problems.
d) Applets sounds rather endearing to me and is much better than what some other bloggers call their readers. i.e., "squirrel fuckers" and "later, bitches". Those two always make my skin crawl a little bit, but I don't say anything because ...
e) ... It's not my blog!
f) Cowards suck.
Jodi · July 28, 2007 at 02:00 PM
I like NolaCassandra's idea about applet t-shirts.......I'd buy one!:)
applet guildencrantz......
guildencrantz · July 28, 2007 at 02:01 PM
That grumpy blogger can go pound sand. Your response was appropriate and eloquent, as is everything you write. I love your blog, I love your art, I'm proud to own some of it, and I adore you and wish you were my friend. I think I'm about 10 years older than you and in NO WAY have I ever felt patronized by your use of "applet." It's not condescending; it's adorable. Keep up the great work and if there is a T-shirt in the works, I'm buyin'!
~Christine H.
Christine · July 28, 2007 at 02:21 PM
Emily,
Your just too classy, I love the way you handled this.
XOXO,
Proud Applet
cristina - string*THEORY · July 28, 2007 at 02:55 PM
I love being called "applet" it's what we are! I too love how you handled the situation and in case anyone forgot- this is YOUR blog!
Keep doin' what you do girl!
Jessica proboh@sbcglobal.net · July 28, 2007 at 03:20 PM
wow! thats just nuts, why are people so grumpy sometimes? I love your terms of endearment--they make you oh so lovely. Plus you have this sweet way of saying things, really you could call us readers your little turd nuggets, and i think you would pull it off with flourish :)
i still owe you some mail, im adding little bits to it slowly!
heidi · July 28, 2007 at 03:27 PM
You tell 'em! Humph!
Kristina · July 28, 2007 at 03:59 PM
oh my god, really???
really?????
Blair · July 28, 2007 at 04:04 PM
Emily, don't change, don't you ever change. I absolutely love your blog and love everything about it. it's such a source of inspiration and makes my day that much brighter. One can only assume that the negative comment is only stemming from jealousy.
Mary · July 28, 2007 at 04:04 PM
Oh good googlie mooglie ~ I would much rather be called a little "applet" any day, rather than a little "piglet", which I'm slowly becoming thanks to that Nigella Lawson cookbook I just had to have when you wrote it about it a long, long time ago. We need your kindred spirit is this not so pleasant world. It keeps my hope alive for future generations, since I'm old enough to be your mother ~ xxoo
Kathy Hardy {Dornick Designs} · July 28, 2007 at 05:13 PM
Applet, piglet, they're all cute! (Just think about sweet little pink piglets, Kathy) Kudos for handling a negative comment with such grace.
Ky Eliza · July 28, 2007 at 05:23 PM
here, here to that! I love love love your blog. Your style is fabulously delicious. Change for no one but yourself!
Jeannine · July 28, 2007 at 06:49 PM
People who leave comments like that are just one of many, there will be more to come, but kudos on handling it the way you did.
I've found the term applet a very endearing term that follows in the steps of other movements of art that leave a long lasting impression in people's minds that help keep it all alive.
And as I think of it you're really helping to make a movement in art with what you are doing and how you are labeling it because who knows in the future this style of yours and others like could be possibly lumped together (as those who've studied art history know this does happen) that it could be called Applet.
Katie · July 28, 2007 at 06:50 PM
What a weenie! We love you. NN is now and forever the BAD APPLET. HAH!
Kimberly Garcia · July 28, 2007 at 06:58 PM
Perfectly said!
Lissy · July 28, 2007 at 07:57 PM
It's strange, because in another of your blog entries, I seriously considered leaving you a comment telling you just how much I appreciated your terms of endearment, and all the other happy sweet things you direct toward your readers. I didn't, because I thought it'd be too random, but now I wish I had.
Sincerely,
Another Proud Applet
Kate · July 28, 2007 at 08:35 PM
I love your blog, for it's beauty and originality. Such comments as NN's are so few and far between, and although unwelcome and negative, look at your postive support. It's wonderful. That's gotta annoy NN hey!
Linda · July 28, 2007 at 08:45 PM
I love being an applet.
In the words of Rizo from Grease...."some people can be so touchy"
And to Steven the cuddly english man....you can buy socks for men at Sock Dreams and I reckon you would look pretty dandy!
Toni Brockliss · July 28, 2007 at 10:01 PM
The way this has been handled makes me not want to read this blog anymore either. I've thought the same thing on occasion, but you don't have to like every aspect of someones personality to appreciate their artwork. Now I pretty much believe the old phrase if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say it at all. While this should have been held up in the first instance, it is definitely not helping to say all these nasty things about "NN" like she is jealous and all this. I highly doubt that is the case, she probably just went with her gut and was tired of seeing something she thought was condescending and said something about it, that was wrong and she should have just made the choice to say no this blog is too much for me, I'm done. But the rest of these posts are for me, far worse than what Erica initially wrote, they are down and out rude and attacking her character far more than the comment she made about Emily. So sad to see a group jump on someone just for stating her opinion. Or for it to negate a huge post about it instead of simply a return comment, almost asking for this retaliating behaviour from fans. So so sad.
cassandra · July 28, 2007 at 11:00 PM
Dear Sweet Emily,
I just had to make a comment because I think what you've done is quite noble in blog land. The reason I say that is because you've NOT deleted the negative comment.
There was a blog I used to read of an artist that was calling out another artist for "stealing her idea"...I knew I shouldn't have said anything, but I had to make a comment that ending up sounding a bit negative. I just thought her accusing someone like that was - childish to say the least. She deleted my comment and blocked me from her blog.
I think it's great that you didn't delete negative nellie and you can take the negative and positive.
Having said that I think you're adorable and if I'm an applet for reading on a regular basis - so be it!
AM
AM · July 28, 2007 at 11:15 PM
Dear Emily, I think you're great and love the charm of being an "applet." Keep up all your creativeness b/c it is wonderful and inspiring, and I love reading about you - just the way you are. :)
Erika · July 28, 2007 at 11:39 PM
1. i lurve (yes, i'm channeling woody allen here) your blog and i love the idea of being an applet.
2.music suggestion: Brandi Carlile. i think you might like her sound.
gina · July 29, 2007 at 12:10 AM
time to put a positive spin on things! Emily, are you familiar with Mary Oliver? She is just one of my favorite poets, EVER. She's wonderful. You should google "wild geese" this weekend and curl up over it (it's short) with a (thus, appropriately small) cup of tea.
sarah · July 29, 2007 at 12:34 AM
And don't use my name either! I love applets! :) *sigh* Maybe I should change my name to something unusual... like Minerva... (can you tell I just finished Deathly Hallows?)
Sarah · July 29, 2007 at 12:51 AM
I think you should do a painting called 'Queen Emily and the Applets' ... I can see it now,very Pied Piper like.
lara · July 29, 2007 at 01:02 AM
I have 10+ years on you + have never once felt like you were talking down to me- she's got problems.
Signed,
Happy to be an Applet
shona · July 29, 2007 at 01:27 AM
I've got at least 15 years on you, love your art and your blog and have never once minded being called an Applet...in fact, I think it's fun and makes me feel welcome...However, I don't know if all the solicited outpour from supporters against someone who doesn't like it is warranted. She just made a comment...and while perhaps she should have made it privately or simply stopped reading...the punishment seems a little harsh for the crime. You get so much well-deserved "comment love" every day that one rather mild criticism shouldn't be the end all/be all or even post-worthy. I want the space used for more pictures of your art, vintage slips and cupcakes, but that's just me!
Laura · July 29, 2007 at 02:12 AM
I love your work, your pics and your blog, you go girl!
Miss Dot · July 29, 2007 at 06:28 AM
Just bought a few prints - yay for me! Enchanted by your work, and thank you for your lovely blog.
I'd be HONORED to be an applet....
Daniela · July 29, 2007 at 06:59 AM
Emily,
I,too, am a lurker but have been totally enchanted by your delightful blog. I love your
gentle but firm response. As an art teacher for children I have had to be attentive,but with adults,I have not a lot of patience with that kind of response. sigh...from the number of
replies, you have our support. Thanks for making my days bright.
Dorothy · July 29, 2007 at 07:38 AM
ooh this is a tough one! I think it's definitely a case of someone writing a thoughtless comment when really they should have said nothing at all, or just stopped reading.
but it is a bit disturbing that as a result everyone else sort of pounces on them in the comments. The stuff said above here could be considered worse than her original comment and we know nothing about this Erica person, so who are we to judge?
Lara · July 29, 2007 at 08:47 AM
HAHAHAHA! Oh, some people.
Here's an idea, just in case is hasn't been stated yet (I didn't read ALL the comments). To build upon the suggestion of one of the earlier comments, you should make buttons that say "I'm an applet," or something of the sort. Or incorporate it into one of your paintings - have a classroom full of "Little Applets." How cute!!
Melissa R. Garrett · July 29, 2007 at 09:01 AM
isn't it amazing that someone is so miserable that they would take the time to spread their negativity around ANONYMOUSLY!? LOL what a joke!
Jessica Hood · July 29, 2007 at 09:18 AM
I agree that just as much negativity is being spread in these comments, and I find that disturbing.
Rachel · July 29, 2007 at 09:48 AM
Oh my.. with all the applets around, I suppose one of them has to be sour..
Atleast by all the posts she most definitely has not spoiled the basket!
A most sincere applet,
:)Abbie
Abbie · July 29, 2007 at 11:14 AM