The last word on the last word…

By dianasschwenk

I started my blog just over 5 months ago.   I’m so enjoying the challenge of writing and adore reading your posts and learning from you.

But there’s been an unexpected benefit as well. This incredible sense of online community has been a huge blessing.

I have particularly enjoyed all the laughing I end up doing.

Today I want to focus on two people. One is a face-to-face friend who reads my blog and the other is a fellow blogger. Both seem to be afflicted with the same neurotic disorder I have:

Obsessive Compulsive Last Word Disorder. (OCLWD)

I tip my hat to you Sandra and Bill. You are formidable opponents.

Sandra and I communicate mostly by texting when we are not in each other’s company and sometimes even when we are at the same place!  We are self-proclaimed Soul Sistas and we both have a huge love of dancing.

Typical communication between us goes something like this:

Sandra: Hey what are doing Saturday?

Me: No plans, why?

Sandra: Such and such band is playing at Mikey’s!

Me: No way!

Sandra: Yup!

Sandra: Wanna go?

Me: Hell ya!

Sandra: Meet there? Or should I pick you up?

Me: We can meet there! Want to go early and eat there?

Sandra: Yes!!

Sandra: 8? (She’s usually late so I’m planning my day around how I will be there by 8:30)

Me: Sure, see you then!

Sandra: Ok! Ciao xo

Me: Bye! (By this time my thumb muscles spasm – do thumbs have muscles?)

Sandra: Love you!

Me: Love you too!

Sandra:  :)

Sandra: What’s not to love?

Me: LOL

Sandra: Ok bye, I have to cook dinner now.

Me: Ok enjoy your dinner!

Sandra: Thanks I will!

Me: LOL you’re trying to have the last word again right?

Sandra: Nope.

Me: OK LOL

Me: haha

Me: Have a great night!

Sandra: You too!

Me: Ok byeeeeeeeeeeee

Sandra: C ya on Saturday!

Me: LOL OK you can have the last word!

Sandra: thanks! ;)

…you get the picture.

~

Sometimes I’m amazed at the number of comments I get on my blog. That is until I realize that a large portion of them are between Bill and me. By the way, you can check Bill’s blog out here. I really enjoy his posts and the way he able to say so much with so few words.

Scroll down for some classic examples of OCLWD

Duh! It takes one to know one!

You got me there!

Don’t judge – it’s a disorder!

Maybe I should re-name my blog The Last Word?

Oh my gosh I really am sick! This affliction doesn’t just happen with texting and blogging!

I’m obsessed!

I have to answer every email I get too! I hear that ping on my blackberry that alerts me of new mail and I have to look!

Sometimes I try to hold back, but it’s like an addiction…my heart starts to beat a bit faster…

I feel droplets of sweat forming on my temples…

I just have to read the email and answer.

And facebook!

I have to answer every comment…

At the very least I have to like every comment…

I guess there’s one saving grace…

I’m not a huge fan of talking on the phone…

So y’all can have the last word there…

I seriously entertained the idea of closing my comments on this post so that I could have the last word…

But how would that be any fun?

Ok byyyeeeeeeeeeeee  ;)

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47 thoughts on “The last word on the last word…”

  1. Ha ha just had to comment on this one!
    I’m just not sure whether to reply to every comment on my blog or not – am I being impolite if I don’t, obsessive if I do? insert emoticon with cross eyes, now rolling them…

  2. LOL! I love this post :) I get caught in the “is it rude?” element. I love when people comment on my blog, and love to comment on others, but then there’s that point where the conversation is ended, but I just can’t decide if I should leave well enough alone or the other person will think I don’t value their time if I don’t respond.

  3. Oh yes…when is enough really enough? I hate to encourage you but one of the things that I really love about you is that you take the time to say something insightful. So, don’t stop, but let me know when we’re done! : )

  6. I bow to your excellence in OCLWD. I prostrate myself at the feet of your compulsiveness and relinquish all desire to out-word your lastwordiness!

    and btw — Bill and Sandra don’t hold a candle to your persistence (not to mention insistence) of getting the last word in! :)

  7. Great post! I know what you mean, Diana. To me it’s a matter of politeness. when someone communicates something to me, it feels polite to respond so they know I’m not ignorning them. But if they feel the same way, where does it end? I notice that usually what happens is each reply gets shorter and shorter until one person or the other feels it won’t be impolite to not reply. There should be a symbol or something that can be used that says something to the effect of “While it’s always good to communicate with you, I don’t need a repy after this message and I won’t view think you’re ignoring me if you don’t reply to this message.” Perhaps: “ARIN” (A Response/Reply Isn’t Needed/Nececessary)

    Russ
    ARIN ;-D!

    • ;) I have a friend who sends blanket update emails about his org and life and they always start with “..there is no need to reply to this email…” I sometimes have wondered if that is his way of saying Don’t write back!

  10. Diana you just gave me an idea for a new app: “LAST WORD” which will auto reply for you. Only thing will have to be selective who gets it, if it becomes too popular, will crash the net with all those auto reply’s. On second thought, not going to bother with writing it, will instead graciously allow you the last word. :P

  11. …do thumbs have muscles?

    You betcha; you must be able to lift automobiles with yours by now! ;-)

    I’m the same way about the phone, and I must have a touch of OCLWD (“ocklewood”?)… I constantly have to remind myself that, “No, you do not have to answer every comment.”

    “But they’re just dangling there all lonely looking like a lost puppy…”

  12. I LOVE this! I think I have the same dysfunction….I’m always conflicted on whether or not to reply when the conversation obviously ended several posts earlier…so funny, I was actually just contemplating that on another thread I was participating in!
    Oh, and it’s so true about the blogging community. All great peeps on here, I’m blessed to be part of it.

    • Thanks for stopping by and commenting – I appreciate that! I just do what I want basically. If I want to comment I do, If I don’t want to, I don’t…I hope my actions haven’t left people wondering if I’m rude or nuts…then again oh well ;)

  14. I have the same thing! I have to force myself to not say anything when the conversation is over. I have to have the last word in comments or real life….and yes it is a sickness! But I guess it’s better then being rude, right? :-)

  15. I am grateful for the comments – it makes one feel that taking the time to read the posts and making a comment has been fully appreciated.
    Now that I know that you have face-book and reply to every comment and also reply to every email…. and write such awesome posts ….. I am wondering where you find the time? …. you must be one of those miracle woman :)

  16. LOL – this made me laugh – you’re comments are so conversational. It’s not just a remark, so it’s natural to follow up. I confess that I am still figuring out the comments/reply ropes. I had my second post FP’d – I had no idea what that even was. I was inundated with comments and was not sure how I was supposed to respond. I had never had a comment before so I tried to answer some and others took me a couple of weeks to get to. If I had any clue I know I would have done better. I hope I am doing better now. Great post:)

  17. LOL on closing the comments so you can have last say, Diana. You made me nod my head many times, though not about last word. Agree, Bill is a man of few but high quality words. I’ve often smiled, when i*ve seen your and Bill’s comments. Always exciting which one will give up or run out of things to say. :D Btw, somehow I do not get your posts in my reader. weird! I am following your blog. Been thinking, how come you’re not writing that often, but apperantly I just do not get your posts there. Need to come directly to your blog. noted. over and off.

  18. I’ve gone back and forth on replying to every comment. For a long time I felt I was being rude if I didn’t, but it became overwhelming to keep up with it every day. I was spending much more time commenting than writing my posts and I felt the quality suffered.

    • Well ultimately we have to be true to who we are, right? I just can’t help it, it’s part of my personality and people accept or don’t accept me for who I am..and people accept or don’t accept you for who you are…I don’t think there’s a right or wrong answer here, do you? And personally I don’t give it a second thought if someone doesn’t respond to my comment…honestly! Haha it just dawned on me that if they don’t…I get the last word ;) Thanks for reading my post and leaving your thoughtful comment..

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