I’m an Online Bartender (Revisited) #IWSG

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This month’s IWSG question is about where we draw the line in our writing. This is a post from 2014. I can’t believe it was 7 years ago but there you go. Here’s my IWSG post (a day late and a dollar short).

When I bartended many moons ago, I stuck to the (possibly antiquated) rule of not talking about politics or religion. I kept the conversation light. Superficial.

It worked for me. After my shift, I left with a purse full of tips and my sanity intact. I didn’t take my work home with me. (Which, as a bartender, you really shouldn’t. Unless a rep comes in with free samples of a new raspberry-chocolate liquor. Those you bring home.)

Drunken conversations, disagreements, arguments, anger? Why would you want those in your head while you’re trying to get to sleep at 4 AM?

I’ve seen a few bar brawls in my time caused by “discussions”. It’s really not a good idea to drink and talk about volatile issues. In fact, one can drink a few margaritas, make a cutting comment about another person’s shoes, and that can lead to a fist fight so what might talking about religion lead to? Go ahead and give that a moment’s thought.

I have coined a new term: “Online Bartender”. I’m not going to mix you a martini. (Get your own drink and meet me back here.) I’m also not going to discuss politics or religion or current events. Bet you saw that one coming.

If a person (like me, for example) does not write about the latest news, it does not necessarily mean that said person doesn’t know or care about the issues.

I choose not to write about my opinions on religion and politics (war, abusive sports players, school shootings, terrorism, anti-this or pro-that…) here at Lemon Shark. It doesn’t mean I don’t know about these things, it means I don’t use my blog to talk about them. That’s just me.

Although…

I happen to know that some other bloggers also feel this way so please, while on your blog-reading travels, try to remember that some people are Online Bartenders.

Cheers! 🍷🍺😊

On your blog, are there topics you shy away from (or that are completely off-limits) or do you let it all out? Are you an Online Bartender?

IWSG Question of the Month

October Prompt – In your writing, where do you draw the line, with either topics or language??

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IWSG (Insecure Writer’s Support Group)

This post is part of IWSG , a monthly blog hop/prompt started by Alex J Cavanaugh. 

37 thoughts on “I’m an Online Bartender (Revisited) #IWSG”

  4. You often call on people to reflect or think beyond themselves, to consider the environment or a good cause. I always appreciate that. You are far more thoughtful than I.

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  9. I am an on-line bartender too, Sarah. I really like this phrase. I tend to not read political posts although I do read posts by people who are religious and who make write comments and poems in praise of their faith. I don’t follow religious discussions.

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  13. I belong to a speakers club over here, and a general rule we follow is to avoid sex, politics and religion on the basis that, however valid our views, the purpose of a speech in those circles is to entertain or inform rather than create disagreement. So far, I think my blogging has pretty much followed that line, although I might have strayed a little. As for my writing generally, I do push boundaries, largely in the name of entertainment, but also to, maybe, get others to think a little. I’m working on a crime series at the moment, which will have a lot of what could be termed ‘political’ issues in it, mainly highlighting social injustices. So, as the time grows nearer to launching that series, I might just let loose with some thoughts in those arenas. It could attract some potential readers. (Or it might result in me coming off social media forever…)

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    • That’s a great rule for a speakers club. Online, it tends to be so…hostile. Perhaps because people are “hiding” behind their screens. ? I often wonder if people behave in real life the way they do online.

      Pushing boundaries in your writing (offline) can often be a good thing. Sometimes genre-specific, you really can’t avoid it. And getting others to think a little is *always* a good thing.

      Interesting to see what happens when you bring this online. I hope you don’t disappear from social media forever. We’ll miss you. (Though, as I’ve said many time, I have a love/hate relationship with social media so… ? It feels a necessary evil for authors.)

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  14. I LOVE the description of an online bartender. That is what you are, giving people a safe place to talk about writing – or not.

    I try not to discuss current things, either. I just want to talk about film. There are so many people who can articulate today’s issues much better than I.

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    • I missed this one, lovely. Hello. 🙋🏻‍♀️ Yeah, “Online Bartender” was pretty cool–I was glad to have a reason to bring that phrase out again. And thank you. What a sweet thing to say. I feel like Ted Danson (there has GOT to be a better comparison). Cheers! (Har.)

      I love that you talk about film. It’s fascinating and you’re damn good at it. 🙂

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  16. I feel much the same way about my blog’s contents. I will however say that I am less restrained about my opinions when I don’t have to rely solely on written words to protect me from being misinterpreted.

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