I have to say that I haven’t really read Andy’s blog since we had our head to head at the beginning of the year, which despite some people thinking otherwise, I found quite fun. However as a serial lurker on UKC i was lead back to his blog today, from a thread about a thread. I eventually found the thread that the thread referred to, so managed to find thread of the topic on his post! Anyway Andy had a bee in his bonnet about UKC, which is interesting, as the UKC collective, has probably been sending him on holiday by buying his book and coming to his stand up shows for the last year or more.
However I can’t disagree with him that you need thick skin if you are to be attacked by the collective ‘intelligence’ that is the typical UKC poster. In particular this gem of an observation from Andy, “UKC has a tendency to dredge up the types of people who can only vent bile and negativity, peddling their opinion to anyone who’ll listen, generally no hopers with axes to grind” – Absolute genius, I couldn’t have found better words.
Things said online do hurt, and people do sit up mulling over them. I have said my fair share of acid tongue comments on this blog and UKC over the years, and Andy has been at the receiving end of them, however I believe that there is a major difference between UKC and a Blog. A blog like Andy’s or mine are very much our opinions and at times opinions will rub people up the wrong way, but unlike a forum we aren’t hiding behind a fake user name.
I find myself very much like Andy caught often between a juxtaposition between being nice and nasty, and like my granny used to say if you can’t think of anything nice to say, say something nasty instead! A short scroll through Andy’s blog quickly finds him slagging off Arctic Explorer for selling out. Then three post later has a go at someone who thought his writing was worse than his climbing ability, which is doubtful! 😉 The good thing about a blog though is the ability to contradict yourself at will.
Anyway Andy I have to agree he was a cock, however at the same time I remember being told something about a glass house and a stone and throwing it (the stone, not the glass house, although?). What I would say is take the knowledge that you have the Boardman-Tasker Award, and he has appeared to have wasted £15 of his money by giving you £5, which really makes him a TC.
I would love to be able to comment on Andy’s literary ability , however I have yet to make it through his book. Which is no indication of its quality more of my reading age, i have never manage to read Lord of the ring or Harry Potter (If HP survived the last book {is that a spolier?} would he eventually look like Andy K?). I did once read The Hobbit, and I am a big fan of the mifi collection, especially mifi goes to the Zoo. I am hoping that it will come out on video soon!
Oh and I am glad to hear Andy’s training, its the future. If he’d like some tips I have a coaching blog!
Anyway I would say read Andy’s blog as it good, but my guess is that anybody reading this blog must read Andy K’s blog first!