I'm now the Mindy Cohn of the blogging world!

I don't want to write about every piece of hate mail I get because that's all I'd be writing about: who doesn't like me this week. They don't like my foul language or use of the word 'retard' or they think I'm stupid and for the life of them they don't know why people are reading my drivel. I mainly delete those or send back a form letter Logan helped me write:

"Dear Suburban Bliss Reader,
Thank you so much for your note. Readers like you make my day!
Keep reading!
Melissa"

This infuriates some of the people who send me 'input', because they were trying to tell me they DON'T LIKE what I'm writing. Why did I ignore their input? I ignored it because I disagree or because I didn't ask for it or because I don't like it.

So I can't really write about every piece of annoying mail I get. But then this week I got a piece I really disliked, heartily and I was going to ignore it but then I got another piece of annoying mail and decided, "Well what the hell! I won't talk about that one but the one before it, I can talk about now."

The amusing thing about this email was that it was not at all intended to be offensive or annoying. The woman who sent it only meant to give me advice and maybe tell me a few things. The problem is the subject was: "Hi Michelle!" (My name is Melissa)

But I thought, well okay. The note started with this: "I've been looking at the pictures from Blogher and I think I like you the best because you're not skinny like the others. I can relate to you."

Which, okay. Now you've called me Michelle, the fat, relateable one. I was sort of offended (because my fatness has been on my mind a lot lately) but I decided to keep reading because the note was 5 robust paragraphs long. It turns out this person wanted to call me Michelle the fat, relateable one but she also wanted to read my archives and give me all kinds of unsolicited advice about 'Michelle's' spending, 'Michelle's job hunt and job training'. She also wanted 'Michelle' to give up her finances to Jesus.

Never mind that the advice was for someone named Michelle. Never mind that the advice was unasked for. Never mind that the advice was totally useless since it was based on information from 5 to 18 months ago and my situation has changed since that time.

I tried to take a deep breath and respond rationally. I came up with this.

"Hi Mau****:

My name is Melissa, not Michelle. The fact that you've called me fat was bad enough but that you just wrote 5 paragraphs of advice for a person named Michelle and not Melissa shows exactly why people should not give advice to virtual strangers on the internet.

But uh, thanks? I guess?

Melissa"

She wrote back and told me, among other things, that I am a "wanker", that bloggers put themselves "out there" so they (I guess) deserve whatever they get.

Yes, yes, I guess because we write on a website we "deserve" to be treated however some ass on the internet chooses to treat us. Somehow we aren't allowed to draw boundaries. We must smile and nod politely when someone gives us five paragraphs of totally outdated and unhelpful advice, doesn't know what our name is and calls us the fat, relateable one.

It's incredibly frustrating and it's not the first time this week I've heard that argument. That because we write on these websites we are asking for nastiness to be returned to us. It's fine to disagree with my opinion or something I write but when you call me by the wrong name and give me a metric assload of unsolicited advice I am somehow forbidden from having my feelings hurt? Or responding unkindly?

Personal website or not: I am allowed to draw boundaries and expect that they will respected.

All requests for advice will be clearly labled. Please remember my name is Melissa (my email address is actually MelissaSummers_at_wowwaydotcom, so uh? What the fuck?) and I am sensitive about my weight so starting any emails to me with a comment about my weight, will not be met with openhearted kindness.

I'm glad we had this talk.

*Mindy Cohn
**I call Alice gets to be Tutti, but only if she has roller skates.

Comments

[Chris]

I always think it's ridiculous when people write hate mail or nasty comments. If you don't like it, don't read it!

I, for one, think you're great.

[Kim]

M-E-L-I-S-S-A, there are way too many ignorant asshats out there with opinions. Best to ignore them. Here's another yearbook quote for you, "Don't ever change!" You rock!

[Heatheranne]

I'll never understand why people go out of their way to leave nasty comments or send hate mail. It just seems like a huge waste of time and energy to me.

[Lisa]

THIS IS NOT ADVICE. But I think, regarding this woman's comment about your "not being skinny" that she: (a) wasn't calling you fat, but was just saying you are not a skeleton or stick figure; and (b) was trying to bond with you saying that you're easy to relate to, obviously not realizing that no human woman (including me!) can hear "you're not skinny like the others" without translating it to "you're fat!" and having her feelings hurt.

Anyway, I think this woman was incredibly insensitive, and perhaps even stupid for not getting your name right, given your email address and her reading of jillions of your blog entries, but that she isn't necessarily evil or hate-filled. But it's your blog and you can obviously rant if you want to . . . I can only imagine some of the email you must receive.

[Kari]

I think you are adorable. For every piece of hate mail you receive, there are dozens of lovey fans. Not that you would want a stalker, of course.

Honestly. When I met you at BlogHer, I didn't notice any difference amongst the body types of those sitting around the table. Everyone was wonderful and hot.

[kelly]

Oh, what a hole.

I hope all the folks like me who think you're hott on so many levels makes up for the assholes of the internet.

[melissaS]

Lisa, you're right she wasn't being mean spirited or evil. However she ws being rude without realizing it and then, when I called her out on being rude she responded by calling me a "wanker".

How about Gosh, I'm sorry I called you Michelle and I didn't realize I was calling you fat. I'm sorry you took it that way.

[tpon]

Well, I for one think that you are fabulous and quite frankly who are any of us to give YOU advice on your life...

As for my and my household, we will continue to read your potty-mouthed posts with glee! and we will not call you Michelle. pinky promise.

[MG]

I still get hate mail/hate comments about a Natalie Portman post I wrote months ago. No one on the Internets ever gets over anything, I've discovered.

[Betty]

Good lord. I've seen your flickr pics, you are soooooo not fat. That's also very superficial for her to say she related to you because of your body. WTH?!

[alice]

I love that "well, you put yourself out there" argument. I think you should respond, "And you put yourself out there by emailing, so now I have the right to say to you whatever I want. Also I have your address, so I'm coming over. Be right there!"

And I can't wear roller skates without breaking something. Seriously, I don't even have to stand up. I just put them on and listen to my bones crack.

[okgirl]

She is obviously insensitive and maybe a little jealous. I am jealous too...because I haven't gotten the first piece of hate mail. You are so popular if not "skinny". Who knows what the hell she meant by that, but how inconsiderate! You go girl. You are awesome.

[Kay]

What an asshole. Screw her and her advice. For every idiot out there that doesn't like you, there are at least 50 people who do. Try not to let it bother you. . she's obviously dimwitted and socially ignorant.

[ensurt]

I personally LOVE your site, your humor, the way you write and that's why I come back regularly.

[Michelle (the fat)]

Hey, I think your e-mail was meant for me. My name is Michelle, and I'm fat.

Terribly sorry about the mixup. ;-)

[Lala]

"metric assload"=hilarious
Yep, Michelle, I love the stuff you write, I'm just sorry it's inspired by idiots.

[carla Rey]

The only financial advice I am accepting from Jesus is how to throw a party on an extremely tight budget. He seemed to have that down cold.

I relate to you because you are married to a talented handsome man who always looks great in photos, you'd rather eat glass that spend time with your inlaws, and you like to drink as much as me.

[Nancy France]

I wonder why some people find someone and "like" them, and then feel constrained to immediately "perfect" them. I also wonder what a "wanker" is... but I've lived a sheltered life........

[Romani Heart]

You write what YOU want, if they don't want to read it, they can go hump a Smurf. Those are my unsolicited words of advice for today :)

[arielle]

this is unrelated to your actual post, but i noticed you were from royal oak.. i just moved to boston, but i grew up in huntington woods. so i guess i'm writing to express my joy in finding out that there are more funny people in michigan.
i also promise never to send you advice filled emails.

[Sarcastic Journalist]

We must have some of the same readers. My personal favorite "helpful" emails tell me to "educate myself and read the classics." Also up there are the ones that "You and me are a lot alike except I don't hate myself."

I had a form troll email reply, too. It's fun to piss dumb people off!

[Carrie]

I'm stymied by the fact that she thinks you aren't skinny. I look at your pictures and think you are skinny. Why don't people like her think their actions should have consequences. You put your writing "out there" and deserve what you get (in her mind), so you'd think she'd figure out that by writing to you she gets what she deserves. I really don't understand people.

[kristine]

I'm surprised you got a real email address. I get my share of hate mail, but I have said I will never post it on my site. I've seen so many bloggers get hate mail and it changes the way they write after awhile. You start to 'hear' the bitterness in even the nicest posts.

I mentioned a reader on my blog once and I saw what a possitive effect it had. I think the same thing happens if a 'anon' gets mentioned for their nasty email.

People always have something to say. Sometimes it's not nice. But sometimes you get a really good email shoved in with the crap. Those are the ones I take my time to say, "thanks...I needed this today."

and Michelle...er Melissa...we think the world of you.

[Taamar]

Way to go, Michelle!

[FlippyO]

Hey, Michelle, it's TOOTIE, not Tutti. Oh, and Michelle, you're NOT fat. I fantasize about being your size of f-a-t.

Wait, it's Melissa? Oh, never mind. Besides, what would Jesus do with your finances, but spend them on expensive hair conditioner and shit.

[marla]

She advised you to turn your finances over to Jesus, but not your weight? I pray every day to wake up 20 pounds lighter (it hasn't worked yet.)

[Kelly]

First of all -- you are SO not fat. And what could you possibly write (no matter how open you are on this blog), that would make someone think it's okay to send a random email that includes comments about your weight? That's ridiculous. Maybe having a blog is like being virtually pregnant, where everybody thinks just because you're knocked up that they're free to touch you and comment about your weight.

And now I'm really hoping my email wasn't the other one that bugged you. And also, thanks for the Facts of Life theme song now stuck in my head...

you take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and there you have the facts of life...

[Meghan]

Melissa, you are my absolute favorite rock star of the blog world, and because of your honesty and relateableness I've made myself more honest and relatable on my own blog. You're awesome, and I'm constantly snorting milk out of my nose when reading. Either that or swooning over your gorgeous hubby and kiddos.

I officially offer up my thug service, any nasty trolls that want to harass Melissa have to go through ME.

[Dawn]

Your troll? What a wanker. Ignore her. To paraphrase Jesus, the asshats will always be with us.

You are from Royal Oak!?! I have cousins who grew up in Royal Oak! Maybe you know them? (tee hee)

[pinky]

she called you an english masturbator as an insult?

heh.

[Dana]

Melissa, sorry you had to deal with such a beast! I for one, think you're funny as hell....regardless of how much you weigh. I think you've got a very sarcastic sense of humor that I thoroughly enjoy.You keep on doin what you do!

[Stefanie]

What is it with people these days? Can't anyone be fat and UNRELATABLE? Why does being a few pounds overweight make you so much more accessible? Are that many people fat? If I ever gain a lot of weight, I want to be the bitchiest fat person on the planet. But then people will just say I'm bitter because I'm fat.

[ms]

The relative ease of creating/disseminating a blog does not mean that the blog writer is therefore opening herself/himself up to any and all unsolicited advice/criticism/insults from all across the web.

Would that person have written the same email to someone who published, say, a collection of memoirs, like David Sedaris? I doubt it.

People: Do not get confused by the technology! The blog genre does not mean that you are free to spew irresponsibly and without potential consequences or less-than-pleased responses from those you cover with your bilous spew.

Dumbasses.

[Frank]

Hey Melissa,

Here's my advise. j/k.

Just wanted to say I think your blog is awesome! I really enjoy it. Keep on writing. Good luck.

[Lisa V]

While I am always happy when people discover some of my favorite writers, it makes me sad that popularity seems to bring out the assholes.

[Nytro]

People like that piss me off. Who asked them to come visit your site, anyway? If they don't like what you're saying, all they simply have to do is navigate away from your page! Grrr.....

[Annie]

Well, let me say you were my favorite in the BlogHer pictures too, but simply becuase you're so freakin' adorable.

Whether or not that asshat meant to say "You're fat!" or not, I'm sure it came across that way to you. And since I imagine that getting an email from someone who may or may not have been calling me fat would TOTALLY be enough to kill my day, let me just throw in my two cents.

You're NOT fat. You're skinny, adorable, and so funny that you make me make laugh so hard I make horrible barnyard animal snorts when I read your site. I know that this sounds lame and fawning (or maybe just gross...), but hey... everyone needs to be fawned over every now and then.

Basically, if they made a pocket sized version of you, I'd totally buy one and carry it around.

[cmhl]

it takes little bitty hairless cohonas to write hate mail to a blog. write on, girl.

[mamaloo]

See, I saw all those BlogHer pics and I didn't find you anymore approachable, in fact, I found you less. You look like you have a disease, like that one where you can't stop sneezing, only with laughing, and I'm damned certain that with that kind of disease there'd be spit flying out of your mouth all over people and I wouldn't want to be one of those people.

[mamaloo]

*wink*

[vetmommy]

Just have to say, you are WAY cooler than Mindy Cohn.

And, yours is the first blog I read everyday.

[Dominique]

Wow! I don't think that I have thought about The Facts of Life in AGES! I wonder how long the theme song will continue to pulse through my noggin. Anyhoots, I agree with the others and think you are way cooler than Mindy! Don't worry!
P.S. I yelled at my child today about glue. GLUE! For christsakes, who the hell yells at their kid about glue? You are not alone! :)

[Nancy]

It was great to run into you with my sister at Holiday Market yesterday. (Although I got self-conscious when who first appeared right around the corner in front of us but this gorgeous man...your husband Logan!) My sister agrees with me and everyone that you are neither fat nor a Natalie. But I completely understand how important it is to feel good and be at the weight you're comfortable with. I introduced my sister to your blog today. (She hadn't heard of Blogs but will have internet access in Iraq when she goes back, so this will be something for her to look forward to reading while over there.) She also now loves you and your family, so you will have a "soldier fan" reading from Iraq soon.
The Facts of Life...I was a Jo fan...I look more like Natalie since having my daughter, but my new goal will be to get back to my "Jo" self...slender, athletic, ahh.

[Sarcomical]

now what would lead her to believe that was a compliment?

people are really thinking with their asses out there sometimes.

[jenB]

i used to get asked if i was mindy cohn A LOT when i was in my late teens. once, a guy at a convenience store thought i was lying when i said i wasn't her. i hadn't thought about it in ages. i am going to bed to weep now.

[FlippyO]

And if you were Mindy Cohn, you might've been lying anyway. Oh, just a rumor I heard about her.

[Léonie]

I cannot imagine sitting down to write a helpful' email to someone whose name I can't be bothered to remember. The names DO both start with the same letter, though, so you can see where she might've found it a little tricky.
In my (humble) opinion, I don't think you're fat at all, I think you're lovely looking.
'Wanker' IS a great insult, and one us Brits overuse. But ALWAYS for men, so, yeah she's an idiot.
Ignore her, Melishelle/Michessa.

[Jo]

Trolls suck her and are complete a waste of bandwidth and shouldn't be allowed on the internets!

The only other thing I have to say - and I'm going to say it loudly so you reeeeaaallly hear me.

YOU ARE NOT FAT, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL! AND, YOU ARE AN AWESOME WRITER!

[Melissa W.]

As a fellow Melissa who is constantly called MICHELLE or MILDRED or MARTHA or whatever by people who clearly don't care...I share your pain. And you are not overweight at all. Even if you were you'd still be talented and neat and stuff.

But you're not ;-)

[Connor]

Really, can you tell someone to give their finances to Jesus and then use the term "wanker"?

[Steph]

YOu are not fat at all. I don't think she meant that you were. Some people just word things incorrectly and don't realize what they say sounds hurtful. My mom is like that. Maybe it was my mom who wrote you.

[andrea]

Oh jeez. It's been years since I thought about the Facts of Life. I thought the song had been banished from my inner brain FOREVER, but NO. IT'S BACK.

:)

p.s. you're not fat.

[sweetney]

let me now claim my role as the fat, UNRELATABLE one. because a few extra pounds doesn't keep me from alienating other people, oh no.

don't listen to the evil trolls, honey.

[michelle]

Maybe she was directing her comments at ME? My name is Michelle. I'm fat. My job situation and financial planning could use improvement. Huh. Melissa, why don't you forward the email to me. Perhaps Jesus told this good samaritan to get this message out to *me* but the only vehicle she could think of was to email you instead, in hopes you would post it on your blog. And lo, it has been received!! Miracles abound!!

[snowy]

i find it amazing that people are so negative and hateful like that.

if you don't have anything nice to say then just keep your piehole shut! right?

*hugs*

[Molly]

Some people really are ignorant!

Well, the nice thing about a really good email program is that you can set it up to just dump any messages from certain addresses right into your spam folder and you never have to look at them.

[Mir]

Dear Michelle,

I happen to have Lisa Welchel's parenting book, Creative Correction, and I think I shall send it to you. It's about turning your children over to Jesus, which I'm sure you'll want to do right after you turn over all your money. It will probably help you with Max's little sexual issues, too.

Personally I take every single email I receive and hold it close to my heart and thank the good lord above that people just CARE SO MUCH.

Much love,
Maryanne

[Mysh]

OMG, Melissa...even though there were 2 other Michelle's who insist that the email Mau**** sent to you was meant for them, CLEARLY it was in error and meant for ME...for I too am named Michelle and well, gosh....I'm no Skinny Minnie, not at all on top of my finances, and am constantly torn between trying to make ends meet for my family and just dumping my paltry earnings in the nearest church coffer! Dearest non-fat Melissa, please feel free to give Mau**** my email address so that she may call the correct person "wanker" and give unsolicited advice where it is truly needed!

How I love reading you so! You ROCK now and always will! :O)

The REAL Michelle (Mysh)

[Amber]

You're totally a rockstar. Ignore anyone who says otherwise.

[MelissaF]

Awesome name!!!! :) You know, I have a personal hatred against being mistakenly called the name Michelle. It happens OFTEN in real life because I am Asian and I guess the American name beginning with 'M' that people associate with Asians is Michelle.

Anyway, enough useless information from me! Have a wonderful day! :)

[erin]

I wish you would post all the hate mail along with the email address of the sender. That way we can all enjoy it!

[terri c]

Hi Melissa,
Point one: You are NOT even CLOSE to even PLUMP let alone fat. You are so thin that I would hesitate to approach you even if someone were trying to introduce us. Point two: I *adore* your form letter, and think that for your obnoxious Michelle-poster you could add Yours in Jesus to your sig line. Love your blog.

[Stacy]

"You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The Facts of Life... The Facts of Life."

AWWWWW DAMNIT!!!

[Ignatz]

There's a special name for your e-mailer:

fucktard!

Please keep blogging!

[Lil' Sis]

I'm sorry about that one time I called you fat. Well, "FATTY FAT-FAT!!!" was how I actually worded it, and you burst into tears. But I was LOVING it and you were about 2 days away from giving birth to Max and I hadn't seen you since you started showing. It wasn't meant as an insult, but DAMN, I learned my lesson.
Also, nice thinly veiled name there... mau****- hm, now what could THAT be?
And, coming from a Jo, keep in mind that Natalie was the only one getting laid, so lucky you. Didn't she do George Clooney?

-miao.

[Becky]

Natalie did George Clooney? No way!!

[christy]

I like how having a blog opens you up to, uh, being called the wrong name? Ohkayyy ... if you say so! Wanker!

[Floyd]

I think you're adorable! And if she wants to go around calling people fat, then she should check out my pics on my blog - and then I'll find her and sit on her.

Wanker, indeed.

[Scott]

That "bloggers put themselves out there so they deserve abuse" idea holds about as much water for me as the crappy old saw that "She deserved to get raped, going to the bar dressed like that."

Keep doing what you're doing.

[Lil' Sis]

George Clooney was Snake. How am I the only one to remember this?!
http://us.imdb.com/name/nm0000123/

miao.

[Jenn]

I'm honestly kind of surprised she knew the word "wanker." You don't think about Cash for Jesus folks using words like that. Live and learn.

Anyway, I heartily agree with the YOU ROCK sentiment already voiced here. As far as I'm concerned, you're George Clooney and Natalie's witty, hottie love child. Take that, Fat-Jesus-Wanker-Lady.

[christina]

Since she clearly can't relate to you as an intelligent, funny, and all-around great writer, I guess she had to grab for the "you're not skinny" straw. Meanwhile, you may not be "skinny" (which to me conjures images of Paris Hiltonesque stick figures) but you're normal and ridiculously pretty. Frankly, so much so that I can't relate to you. ;-)

[Nire]

Well, if you're a wanker, then she's just as much so for responding to your response. ;-) Plus, doesn't she realize that by sending you and email she's putting herself out there and deserving of whatever response you feel like giving? Or something like that?

[Leslie]

First of all Michelle er, Mindy.....you're NOT fat. At all. Nor are you wanker.

You are HILARIOUS! Thanks for the biggest laugh I've had in a looong time! :)

[Michelle (no really)]

Hee Hee Zoot sent me.

Well my name IS Michelle and if it makes you feel any better I get called Melissa all the time, BUT I have never been called a wanker. My finances could shure as shit use help from Jesus or anyone else who wants to offer. BUT give me someone who is nasty and mean and NOSEY enough to offer unsolicited advice and I think I will turn them over to someone and it is NOT going to be Jesus.

P.S. I actually went looking through your flickr photos for fat and could not find one ONCE. Curse on her.

[samantha]

Amen, and amen.

I wish that I would have had the balls to say something like this when I had my own bout with the asshats.

Now, if I get mean emails, (which is not fun by any stretch of the imagination) I just write about it and ban them for all eternity. Just remember - it's their shitty life, and they're stuck with it. It's just so sad that they can't deal with other people decently.

[Zach]

Jesus does finances? How does that work? Do you just put the pen near the checkbook and leave the room with a prayer, like, "JESUS CHRIST, I need some money! I'm not looking to mock, just looking to learn.

[pinky]

lil sis - don't rip me to shreds, but Snake was that guy from Fast Times at Ridgemont High - Robert Romanus.

(ducks, because i'm a know-it-all)

[GG]

Melissa--I was at the Rock'n Roll Hall of Fame on Friday...my husband was chatting up some guy who went to SIU (Southern Illinois)like he did, and the guy says they live in Detroit--Royal Oak to be specific! I zoomed over to his wife and asked if she knew of your blog, and well, I may as well have been speaking Chinese to her. I don't think she even knew what a blog was. I was bummed because I thought I'd made a stalking connection which would have made my vacation! Also, Lil' sis, pinky is correct. Natalie did do Snake, but he was the guy from "Fast Times", who deflowered Jennifer Jason Leigh. George never did any of them, not even Mrs. Garrett.

[Jack's Raging Mommy]

I was going to call you Michelle to be funny, but 80 other people have already done so. I am so original.
I'd also say you weren't fat, but I haven't checked the photos. I will say I often think I am fat and others do not. Simply not being a twig does not make you fat.
But you've heard all that too.
So I'll just call Maureen a wanker.

[Laura K.]

A Wanker, huh? Definitely British!

I think you're hilarious!

- A fellow Detroiter

[maia]

Fuck them. We Love You JUST The Way You Are! :)

[Melissa]

When I read that this person called you Michelle I nearly died laughing. Our real estate agent, who's such a nice lady, randomly called me Michelle when we were looking at houses with her in January. I went along with her and my parents two weeks ago to look at houses for them and she was still calling me Michelle, even after my father corrected her. ughh..Some people...

[Andrea]

I love ya and think you are a great person. I have recently been called a bad mother by some moron who didnt even have the balls to sign their name to their comment. People like that love to dish it but cant take it so are too scared to have a blog of their own. Keep writing - I am loving it!!!

[Lil' Sis]

You are both right- It was Robert Romanus. I got a little confused- they had similar bad hair. Also, I was 7 and my mother explained that a virgin was someone who'd never been kissed. Go Bonnie.
miao.

[Donna]

I *love* your form email reply. It's great.

And I saw you at BlogHer. You may be relatable, but I wouldn't characterize you as fat.

[Anne]

You're not fat. But you ARE phat, baby.

[Heather]

I had to delurk to comment...I, too, am extremely sensitive about my weight and comments pertaining thereto, and I also despise unsolicited advice of all ilk. But that's beside the point. The point is this: I was once interviewed on television for winning a writing award as an undergraduate. I took special care to look nice and I was particularly witty and engaging that day. I told all my family and friends to watch the news that night for my interview. After it had aired, the asshole newsguy made the following brilliant editorial:

"Hey, that chick kinda looks like Natalie from the Facts of Life. You know, the chubby one? Mindy Cohn?"

Yeah. Thanks for that, asshole newsguy. I'm glad my articulate interview was so fucking thought provoking.

Anyway. Mention Mindy Cohn and I'm off like a rocket, hey.

Oh, and for the record: You are very cute and not one bit fat. And you are also hilarious and deliciously snarky to boot. So that chick can eat it.

[Surcie]

Seeing someone as articulate and clever (and cute) as you give this much time and energy to one lame-o reader makes me a little sad. You don't need her approval, her acknowledgement, her whatever. Nor do you need mine. Write because you enjoy it, because you have something to say, and because you are a good writer.

[melissaS]

I don't give 20 people acknowledgment but I'm as insecure as they come, especially when it comes to my weight. I write for all those reasons, but sometimes my feelings get hurt and I write about that too.

[Jennifer]

Hate mail just means you've hit the big time.

[julia]

Hey, what's with all the hate for Mindy Cohn ;-)

[Annie]

Wait, I don't understand..... all those pictures I saw on your webpage, I'm pretty sure I correctly identified you as the "Me"---- what the heck was that woman talking about?? I just found your website today for the first time, and after reading that I really wanted to see a picture of you and see for myself if you were really "the fat, relateable one", and I'm sorry, but you are SO not that!! I mean, I guess you're relateable because you're so open and humerous, but you are SO not the "fat" one at all. I kept clicking through the pictures trying to figure out who you were, but I didn't see any fat people labelled "Me". All I saw was this really pretty woman who smiles with such glee that her face wrinkles up, and her chin *maybe* wrinkles with her because she's not sooooooo concerned with looking absolutely perfect, just with having fun!

Does that make sense? I couldn't leave your site without trying to set things straight that you would SO be the skinny, distant one if it weren't for your hilarious and honest blog!! But yeah, if I saw you out on the street I'd so look at you and think "damn, I wish I was that skinny!!"

Thanks for the fun post!! And don't worry, that lady who emailed you that is probably off crying in a hole somewhere because she is SO going to hell for saying that to you, no matter how much money she gets for Jesus!!