Opinionator, Not Advisor

There is a line from The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, spoken by the esteemed Maggie Smith: "I don't give advice, I give opinions." 

There is a difference. 

More than once a comment has been posted, claiming that I am giving bad advice. But I never thought of this blog as giving advice. According to Merriam-Webster, the simple definition of "blog" is "a Web site on which someone writes about personal opinions, activities, and experiences." The full definition is "a Web site that contains online personal reflections, comments, and often hyperlinks provided by the writer." 

See? Nothing about advice.

For one thing, advice is asked for, not volunteered. Otherwise, it is merely opinion. 

When I gain an insight that I have found helpful for me, I am eager to share it—not demand agreement with it. In my experimenting with different methods in order to do better, I wish to tell others about it, hoping it might work for them, as how it worked for me. Not a guarantee, mind, simply options to consider.

I have no intention of being an advice-giver. Frankly, I have no idea how "Dear Abby" and the like do it. I would find it too much of a responsibility, especially since a paragraph doesn't show the entire picture. Even an innocent comment soliciting assistance with selecting lipstick shades makes me break out into a sweat. I can't handle that sort of accountability. 

Also, I have faith in you guys. Since I try to prattle on about individuality, I certainly don't expect anyone to say, "Well, Princess Lea told me to jump off the Brooklyn Bridge! Sayonara!" I write about my own quest to forge my own path to encourage others to hike their own trail, not because I'm looking for company on my own trek.

The majority of the articles I link are from the NY Times Op-Ed. "Op" meaning "opinion." No "Ad," as in "advice."

I may strongly word it, but an opinion it remains. Not advice.