I have written just shy of 600 blog posts for Don’t Blink. As many of you know who read my stuff frequently, I write about a very wide range of topics. Because I have covered such a vast array of material many times in random conversations I find myself saying, “Hey, I have written about this before!” But instead of acting like a normal, social person and verbalizing my thoughts I sometimes take an easier way out.

I have family members and friends who despise receiving a link from me. It will come after a conversation about something where I usually said very little. However, once they open the link they will find 800 words written by me on the exact same topic discussed. They hate this little habit of mine for several reasons. It shows laziness. It oozes cowardliness. It implies superior intelligence. It assumes that they have time to read my scribble.

In fairness to me I do it for valid reasons of my own. By nature I am a quiet person. I am not too keen on loud and involved conversations. I am also not the most elegant speaker. I rather have my written words talk for me. I also don’t like to waste the time of others. Rather than force someone to listen to my opinion or thoughts I much rather present it to them in a way where they can choose to listen or not.

My girlfriend has already had enough of my links. At least a couple times a day topics are brought up in which I have written blog posts about two or three years back. I will send her the link and she will say something to the effect of “I’d rather hear you say it out of your own mouth.” I pushed her buttons just a couple days ago when I responded to one of her tweets with a link.

Sidney didn’t appreciate the link I tweeted at her the other day.

Usually I will just send links to people who are close to me. They know all about my blog and they know all about my preference for giving them as much detail through my writings as possible. It is not like I engage in conversations with strangers and then ask for their phone number or e-mail so I can follow it up with a link to one of my blog posts from July of 2011. But sometimes I will send an acquaintance or co-worker a link if we had an especially interesting conversation in which I think a past blog post might add substance or context to it. Also, if I think one of my blog posts might truly help educate someone (take for example the subject of social media) I will send a link their way.

I will admit it, I used to get irked by links myself. Whenever I used to ask a certain friend a question over e-mail or Facebook Messenger he would always send me a link from the internet. Even if the effort was less to just tell me the answer by typing a few words he would always go the link route. But I feel what I do is different. I provide people links to my own original material that I think builds on the conversation.

So if I ever send you a link, please don’t feel offended. I want to communicate with you and express myself in the best possible manner. In my case, that sometimes requires that I share with you what I have previously written in this crazy land of Cyberspace. Don’t Blink.