It's called a Shout Out

I was talking to a blogging friend the other day. I won't mention her name, but it is someone who is linked on my blog. You'll have to guess who. This certain friend can be rather crafty, and, yes, that is a hint. Although, it seems that I have added a lot of crafty Mormon women lately. So, hint #2 is that this friend is not just really crafty but was one of the original links on my blogs...that narrows it down quite a bit.

"This friend" has already given me permission to not mention her here because she knows me well enought to know that this entry could be potentially offensive. And, because I am not crafty, I am fully aware that my role in this blogging society has its certain place. So, I've got to keep earning my place as the blogger who is willing to say just about anything, and hopes that she can be funny at least 25% of the time. As you all know, I am not afraid to say too many things. (Even though I have recently made a goal to say less offensive things - and it is Jan 18th, so it's time to break the resolution - heck, I ate more than 2,000 calories in one day on Jan 3rd - I've lasted long enough)

So, my friend and I were on the phone, discussing my recent blog blah blag entry. This discussion led us to venting about our blogging pet peeves. Now, there is much to be found in reference to blogging etiquette. I have purposefully ignored all of these musings. If I don't read it, I don't have to abide by it, right? It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, right? (Every Mormon knows this saying)

But, whatever your blogging philosophy, you should be made aware (as a reader of my blog) that my friend and I adamantly agree that a "shout out" should be given whenever it is deserved. What is a shout out, you ask? It's a link, gosh dang it!!! If you quote someones blog, you had better give them credit. If you get an idea from someones blog, give them a little credit. And for heaven's sake, if you get a crafty idea (especially an original one), you had better give the crafter and/or author some credit.

My friend got me all fired up about this, can you tell? I normally don't need credit for my stuff (probably because my stuff never gets mentioned), but when a friend of mine, has her own very fine crafty idea and another person just puts it on her own blog and acts like it was her own, WATCH OUT! Watchdog Alice has come out in full force.

My husband tells me repeatedly to try not and offend my readers, and so I won't mention any details about if and when this has happened to me before (how is that for learning tact), but I will tell you that it has happened. So, bloggy readers beware, "I'm watching you."

We all blog because we love to throw ideas around, but c'mon, blog etiquette or not, it's common decencyto give credit where it is deserved! If you take something from someone, just mention it, it's not that hard to do. It's just a copy, paste, and a link button away. It's called unofficial intellectual property, so just give the blogger a link, will ya? That's all I ask: just a simple link, a "shout out", or whatever your prefer to call it.