W Is For Welcome (A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015)

I had no clue what I wanted to write about for “W.”  The obvious choices were Work, Writing, or Words with Friends. But I really didn’t have anything to say (at least that could be repeated) about any of those things. I love writing, and I range from light-hearted fluff to in-your-face rants. Words with Friends is the only online game I play. Right now I play 5-6 people consistently. All but one is a total stranger. I’ve only chatted with one while I’ve played—and surprisingly she is one of the ones I don’t know. I really like by job most of the time, but right now I’m in a slump at work, so I really don’t want to write about that. And then today, I was catching up on reading some emails and I came across the blog for Literary Agent Janet Reid, the infamous Shark of Shark Query.

I love The Shark. She is so spot-on in her comments. I would love to write a book and have her be my agent. Alas she does not rep what I’m trying to write (it’s a stalled cozy-turned-straight mystery-turned suspense-turned back to cozy-stalled at the 1/3 mark because I don’t know what I’m doing). But if I ever figure it out and get it written, she would be my Dream Agent. She is the QOTKU (Queen Of The Known Universe) who banishes her followers who anger her to Carkoon—some have earned a lifelong residence there. I try not to make too  many comments so I don’t get banished. Although, it’s all in fun and the ones banished really aren’t. You can tell she cares deeply for everyone. Even the banished. I have email alerts from several blogs so I don’t miss them. Even when I’m having a really stressful week and I’m not able to read the blogs, I save them. There are two that are at the forefront of my To Read List. I make time for them before any of the others.  Hers is number one.

In this past week’s Week in Review post she talked about the use of acronyms and their exclusionary effect. I’m an RN. I use acronyms and symbols in my writing all the time, to save time and to expedite getting vital information across to others in the health care setting. When I read her statement, it really hit me. I don’t mean to exclude people. But that is exactly what I am doing. Using an acronym that may or may not be well known is exclusionary. It’s a snub, intended or not. It’s a reminder that you  are not a part of the club. As someone who has never been A-List, I know what it’s  like to be snubbed, to be reminded that I’m not a part of the exclusive club. I don’t want to cause others to have experience that feeling—to be the person on the snubbing end. I don’t want to be the one excluding others.

I want to be the welcoming person—and I usually am. I speak to people and ask for their opinions. I invite people to join in the Reindeer Games. I ask how your day is going,  and I listen to the answer, and if you are going through a rough time I offer to pray for you and I try to remember to ask you how it’s going the next time I see you.

However,  I am very much guilty of using shorthand, symbols, and acronyms—even though I know not everyone knows what they mean. Oh, they will figure it out when they see it in context I think But they don’t. And I continue to use the acronyms—even though I know I’ll have to explain them.  Maybe I need to check  my motives to make sure it’s not just a convenience thing. Maybe I need to make sure I’m not, on some level, wanting to exclude others, “not in my club” as some sort of a sad little pay back ploy.  Thanks for the reminder Janet!

So there you have it. My “W” word is Welcome.

Right about now, I'm visualizing Herve' Villechaize saying , "De plane, Boss! De plane!" and Ricardo Montalban', the “epitome of continental elegance,  charm,  and grace” (IMDb's description,  but one I cannot top), opening his arms wide, and smiling as, week after week, he said to the passengers disembarking from the little Cessna, "Welcome… to Fantasy Island!”

This blog post is my contribution to the A to Z Blogging Challenge 2015, in which bloggers from around the world, representing every skill level and interest, blog every Monday through Saturday during the month of April, using successive letters of the alphabet as the daily inspiration.

We are in the HomeStretch and tomorrow is "X."  Once again, I have no clue what I'll write about...