Handling criticism

Okay, everyone, I wasn't fishing when I posted on Monday. Well. MAYBE A LITTLE. But I did appreciate your comments about the "Special to the Trib" piece. That particular column pushed a lot of people's hostility buttons--I think I understand why, although frankly I'm still a little surprised--so your kind words buoyed me up yesterday. Which brings me to today's subject.

I'll confess. I did feel a little rattled by some of the feedback I received--it's never fun to be called lame, self-serving, self-indulgent, unfunny and incompetent, although if readers had attacked my cooking I would have REALLY been hurt. I guess what bothers me the most is that I let it . . . bother me. The bad part about letting stuff like that get under your skin is that it makes it so hard to write the next column or story or novel.

So. I want to open this up. How do you handle the unkind remark? Looking forward to your responses.