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Discolor Online

Weblog of the sweetest person you never want to piss off.

 

Unforgiven

It's no secret that I can be an unforgiving bitch. It's not that I have a hair-trigger on these things, I'm also incredibly loyal and I will afford a person numerous chances to prove that some small spat may have been a genuine misunderstanding. If I've worked with you for years and you've never done me wrong, I'll try to give you the benefit of the doubt, work things through... right up to the point where you take my money and skip town in the middle of the night. Once the line is crossed, though, you're on the list.

What I find utterly hilarious (seriously, laughing out loud funny) is when people who have repeatedly crossed me, stabbed me in the back, betrayed my confidence, actually freakin' spied on me, intentionally worked to materially harm my business or my reputation, lied to my face and behind my back as well, decide to be all "gosh, shouldn't we just be friends anyway?". Even better is when they've committed slights against me personally but choose to go around me to Pramas, I suppose in the hope that he'll advocate on their behalf or over rule my opinion or something? HA! What world do they live in?

This has happened several times in the last couple of months, with no fewer than three people on "my list". Should I be all eager to bury the hatchet with someone who has repeatedly insulted me both personally and professionally, who repeatedly rebuffed my initial attempts at striking up a cordial relationship, who engages in predatory business practices that I find morally reprehensible? Should I forget that when given the opportunity, these people chose to act like assholes because now they're "bored" with being gigantic public cocks and want to rewrite history and just forget all the dickish things they've done?

Here are some examples of things that count as "crossing the line" with me:

Stealing from me

Gross hypocrisy (for example, turning over an inferior manuscript two or three months late while dodging attempts at contact and then forming a public lynch mob crying for retribution against publishers who don't live up to their contracts)

Illicitly reading my e-mail, especially with the intention of using that information to work against my interests

Making public insinuations about my moral character (I'm especially bitter about having been called a liar over things that I was later proved right on like Wizards Attic, GAMA, or Ryan Dancey)

Engaging in whisper campaigns to harm my reputation

Interfering with my business negotiations

Attempting to go "over my head" to try and force me to do something that you know I don't agree with

Making threats (against me personally, my employees, my trusted colleagues, or my business)

Fucking with my family


From where I sit, a snake is still a snake. Just because I have no urge to go poke it with a stick doesn't mean that I've forgotten it's a snake, or have confused it for Man's Best Friend. Why in the world should I think you'll do right in the future when you've done me so wrong in the past?

 

for this post

 
Anonymous Kara Says:

I say life's too short to put yourself in bad situations. Cut the strings, and walk away.

 
 
Blogger Cruel Buddha Says:

I say, if you act like you've forgiven them it gives you ample opportunities to get in close so you can truly "bury the hatchet".

 
 
Blogger Brian Says:

Heh. That post strikes a complete chord with me, on both a general and specific level. I have a long memory for such things.

And, fuck no, they absolutely shouldn't be forgiven. They should suffer the consequences of their bad behavior.

 
 
Anonymous James Wallis Says:

Remember that old Hogshead company motto, the one about life being too short to do business with fuckwits? I've got a new company now, but I still have the same old motto.

 

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