LovingRadiance
Active member
meta communication
http://danedgeofreason.blogspot.com/2008/02/meta-communication.html
In terms of writing-online especially,
using italics, capital letters, punctuation, underlines, font changes, font color changes, emoticons all impact communication and can be used to ensure that the EMOTION of a message is sent congruently with the words being typed.
Additionally, something that can be used in verbal or written communication is establishing (frequently if the conversation goes over several hours or in this case days and weeks) what the goal/purpose/intent of the writing is.
For example, if I want to vent-and know I may say things "politically incorrectly"-I can say,
**VENT**
Then readers know that what follows may be a totally brainless temper tantrum-and not to presume that every word I write is the exact way I feel or exactly what I think of my partner (or the situation) or even exactly what occurred in a situation.
So, if I write the following:
**VENT** OMG MACA IS SUCH A DICK! I can't believe he fucking woke me up at 5 am for NO DAMN REASON today! What an asshole! I haven't had shit for sleep in a week and I'm exhuasted. I wish he was more considerate! I am so sick of hearing his damn alarm clock go off 3 times EVERY FUCKING DAY.....Someone else might reply with:
Wow LR-that's not really like you to say those types of things about Maca-is everything ok?
People know that there may be some exaggerations, that I am letting off steam and probably not ready for suggestions or advice and just need some emotionally attentive "listening" and empathy until I cool off.
A few posts later I might write something like this:
**Apology** Wow, I really lost it today! I just started my period and realized I must have been on a hormonal bent, because it just wasn't sensible for me to flip out like that!
I hope you all know I was just having a moment.
Then in reply to the question someone asked I might say:
Yes, we're ok. I don't even think Maca knew I was pissed. We've talked about the alarm before and agreed that if I just can't handle it, it's ok for me to get up the first time it goes off and move to my room to sleep without hearing it go off 2 more times. But, really, I can't bitch. He gets up at 5 every weekday morning and drives an hour to work. Usually I don't have to be up til 9 when the kids get up.
I was just hormonal and frustrated because I agreed to babysit LP (WHAT WAS I THINKING) all week. He's been sick and so have his parents-so I haven't been sleeping well. But that's not Maca's fault! [shaking head at self] he wakes up every time LP does also and he's been trying to be supportive and helpful. Hell-he made dinner every night this week and got everyone quieted down and mellowed out so I could go to be early several nights too! I just freaked out.
THEN everyone can follow the progression of my thoughts-not only the parts I specifically write;
but also the emotions (via emoticons and parenthetical remarks about my actions) and what it is I'm expecting to accomplish with my writing via my "vent" and "apoloy" notations at the beginning.

http://danedgeofreason.blogspot.com/2008/02/meta-communication.html
In terms of writing-online especially,
using italics, capital letters, punctuation, underlines, font changes, font color changes, emoticons all impact communication and can be used to ensure that the EMOTION of a message is sent congruently with the words being typed.
Additionally, something that can be used in verbal or written communication is establishing (frequently if the conversation goes over several hours or in this case days and weeks) what the goal/purpose/intent of the writing is.
For example, if I want to vent-and know I may say things "politically incorrectly"-I can say,
**VENT**
Then readers know that what follows may be a totally brainless temper tantrum-and not to presume that every word I write is the exact way I feel or exactly what I think of my partner (or the situation) or even exactly what occurred in a situation.
So, if I write the following:
**VENT** OMG MACA IS SUCH A DICK! I can't believe he fucking woke me up at 5 am for NO DAMN REASON today! What an asshole! I haven't had shit for sleep in a week and I'm exhuasted. I wish he was more considerate! I am so sick of hearing his damn alarm clock go off 3 times EVERY FUCKING DAY.....Someone else might reply with:
Wow LR-that's not really like you to say those types of things about Maca-is everything ok?
People know that there may be some exaggerations, that I am letting off steam and probably not ready for suggestions or advice and just need some emotionally attentive "listening" and empathy until I cool off.
A few posts later I might write something like this:
**Apology** Wow, I really lost it today! I just started my period and realized I must have been on a hormonal bent, because it just wasn't sensible for me to flip out like that!
Then in reply to the question someone asked I might say:
I was just hormonal and frustrated because I agreed to babysit LP (WHAT WAS I THINKING) all week. He's been sick and so have his parents-so I haven't been sleeping well. But that's not Maca's fault! [shaking head at self] he wakes up every time LP does also and he's been trying to be supportive and helpful. Hell-he made dinner every night this week and got everyone quieted down and mellowed out so I could go to be early several nights too! I just freaked out.
THEN everyone can follow the progression of my thoughts-not only the parts I specifically write;
but also the emotions (via emoticons and parenthetical remarks about my actions) and what it is I'm expecting to accomplish with my writing via my "vent" and "apoloy" notations at the beginning.