This is a message I received through Stumbleupon that just kinda rubbed me the wrong way:

Hi, I’ve just stumbled your share as I’ve done regularly for the shares you send through. However, in an effort to cut back on the amount of shares I’m receiving I am starting to cut people who don’t view sharing as a 2-way street. I have sent 13 shares in the past 2 months and it doesn’t look like you have stumbled any of them. That is of course your prerogative and this is not a threat, I’m just trying to notify people before I stop their shares in case I have made a mistake.

Ummm….. MOM? Is that you?

Usually when somebody criticizes the way I do something it’s my Mom. Love her dearly but my goodness the woman can’t just say something nice and leave it alone. This was not my Mom or my friends Mom who is queen of the backhanded compliment. It starts out nice, they stumbled my share!

How wonderful, THANK YOU!

HOWEVER apparently they are getting a lot of shares and now have to cut back, okay. Sharing is a 2 way street. Yes, yes I agree… but it is Stumbleupon and not Shareupon. I stumble or people share, I read  or squeal at puppy pictures and nine times out of ten I’ll hit the  thumbs up.

Yep, that’s what I do when I’m sitting on my ass in the evening after a long day at work. If I really like it I’ll send it to twitter or share with friends. That’s sharing, isn’t it?  So they want me to market they’re blog for them, following they’re criteria? Are they paying me? No? Well then I’ll read they’re shares, give it the thumbs up, possibly share it on twitter and if I really like you I’ll tell everybody I know about you. (Some favourites Runaway Juno, Hektic Travels, Girl In A Boy House, Bald Hiker, I could go on and on I love blogs)

I love that they know how many times they have sent shares, lucky 13! In two months! Looks like I didn’t stumble any of them. Bad employee! Oh wait, I don’t work for them. I believe I did give them the thumbs up, I do like the blog.

Totally my prerogative (now I have Bobby Brown in my head…..Thanks).

My FAVOURITE part….. this is not a threat.

Umm no it’s not a threat. Let me get the dictionary…… nope doesn’t seem to meet the criteria of a threat, just as I apparently don’t meet they’re criteria for sharing.

So they want to criticize people that they have no way of knowing how they might be promoting they’re blog?

If you don’t like my blog, don’t want to see my pictures or read my ramblings, view my shares then the really easy answer is block me. Don’t accept my shares, easy peasy!

You see they’re an eye for an eye person. I do this and you do that. You don’t play the way they think you should play they’ll take their ball and go home. Like a bully.

I’m more do unto others, I’ll share and tweet and tell everybody about the blogs I like and I don’t expect them to share just because I did. Some do (Thank you!) and some don’t (still love you!). I will still share theirs because I think they are worth sharing, they stand on they’re  own merit.

So really they can block me, I’m okay with that.

BUT here is the kicker. The last share they sent was a post describing how they need help. They are offering a discount on their pictures for people who donate. I was looking at the pictures and was thinking I could help and pick out a picture (if you donate you get a discount on the pictures). Maybe get two, a friend has a birthday coming up. Then while I was thinking about it I was checking my other shares and received the message.

Wow. Suddenly a bad taste in my mouth. So let me get this straight, they are going to stop my shares because they really have no idea about how much I have or have not shared they’re blog. They have bitch slapped me through a message AND they want me to donate?

Also with the trying comment all I can think of is Yoda “Do or do not there is no try”. Share or share not fellow blogger but that is your decision.

In case they made a mistake, I am guilty until proven innocent. Which I find really funny considering they’re former profession.

So a reply:

Hi, I’ve just stumbled across your request for donations. However, in an effort to cut back on expenses I am not donating to people who don’t say thank you. Sharing is a 2-way street and since we are apparently no longer sharing because you can’t tell if I have or have not shared your blog. I will ignore your request. I have no idea how many shares I’ve sent in the past two months (but less than thirteen, so really you’ve taken up more of my time than I have yours) and no idea if you have stumbled them. It is of course your prerogative (cue Bobby Brown) to stop my shares and this is not a threat (it really isn’t). I’m just trying to notify you that perhaps your approach could have been better?

Have a great day!