Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Think! Before You Speak!

This doesn't have anything to do with why I came here tonight, but it's a thought I had and would like to share. I have two ideas floating around between my ears in the muscle that resembles a brain. Two ideas that I would like to commit to paper. In my minds eye these two ideas translate into pretty good stories, something I would like to read if it were written by someone else (that's the way it should go, right?). Well, I shared them with my co-worker the other day, and this isn't her fault because she was as gracious and receptive as any audience should be, but the magic is gone. I feel like I did something wrong. The stories sounded silly out loud. Perhaps they are, maybe I am not meant to write a single fiction that will be enjoyed by others and that's OK, but the proof is in the puddin' right? I can't get past myself to find out what anyone else thinks. I shut myself down before I've even begun. My imagination is wonderfully overactive, I could churn out stories left and right (I'm not suggesting they would all be quality) but I don't. Why? The answer differs everyday. I've got a dozen of 'em. Sucks. I'm sick of it, I want that freakin' turtle back. I want to believe in myself.

Moving on.....

I'm currently debating whether or not I should take part in a flame war of sorts on Facebook.

Oh, Facebook, how I love your ability to start all kinds of trouble. Just this weekend, I was checking the statuses of various family member's (and how you nurture the voyeur in me, Facebook). My cousin's status says she "feels bad for So 'n' So's family, RIP, So'n'So will be dearly missed" Just so happens So'n'So in my Grandfather's name. I call my Grandparents house. My Nan answers and sounds perfectly OK. Feeling a little silly, I explain why I've called. She assures me that no, it wasn't my So'n'So, but someone of the same name. Then she curses Facebook because several times over the past year or so, loved ones who are away from home have found out that a loved one has died before they have been properly informed. When did it become Ok to announce your condolences on Facebook? One of the many grievances I have with social networking sites.

Back to tonight. A friend's (loosely used term) status said he thought having an aerobatic flight show above the town was dangerous. The performance was given by the Military Snowbirds. The town, Gander, is home to an international airport. Is, in fact, the first stop for many transatlantic flights. Do you see my problem with his status? To live in a town that hosts an airport and complain about air traffic is ridiculous.

I realize now that I shouldn't have, but I commented. I tried to point out that the Military would hardly put the lives of civilians in danger for the sake of entertainment. That I had lived on an air base for years where the Snowbirds practiced regularly (I didn't mention the countless aircraft that had flown overhead everyday) without incident. Granted, the Snowbirds have a less than stellar track record. I've done some research, though, and while the Snowbirds are the worst, their counterparts in the US and the UK have spots on their records as well. As does Nascar, Monster Trucks, drag racing. I haven't actually checked any of those facts (for Nascar, etc.), but it would stand to reason that once in awhile things go wrong. If I'm wrong, fine. Correct me. If all of these spectacles have impeccable records then I will shut up. But I doubt that they do, because you are dealing with machines and humans and both are prone to error, regardless of the best of intentions.

If safety is your number one concern then you should be railing against the dangers of all of the events listed. But he wouldn't. Why? Because he takes part in a demolition derby every year. Yes, the man who cried unsafe to the Facebook world, gets into a car at least once a year (sometimes more) and intentionally collides with other cars. Sure, they take precautions. But accidents happen. Just last year a car caught fire (I can't find the YouTube video of it now!).

Let's just pretend he's not that kind of hypocrite. Really, there is only one argument to be made here; you live in close proximity to an airport. Planes fly overhead everyday. Period. They could fall out of the sky, overshoot the runway, run off the end of the runway, hell, they can even catch fire while grounded. They do. But rarely. If you still fear for the lives of your family, move.
Otherwise, quit your bitchin'.

Yeah. I'm not going to continue debating with him. He's going to think he said something brilliant that made me see the error of my ways, I'm sure. I don't care. Let him. I don't have the energy to argue when there is no hope in hell of getting through.

8 comments:

  1. Ahhhh. Its how I got the "brawler" ending to my name. Arguing with people online. Its great. Plus even if you get pissed off enough to want to hit the other person you can't do it...so you don't have to worry about jail. That's a plus too.

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  2. You can argue with the meathead until hell has glaciers and never change his mind.
    More importantly?
    You want to write.
    So, write. Write every damned day and don't stop writing until you have a pice that you have loved and nurtured and raised to adulthood.
    Never be afraid to put thoughts on paper (or, word processors) because the harsest critic will always be YOU and you don't know how good you are.
    The post up there?
    It kept me entertained from start to finish.
    Good work.
    Keep writing.
    Please.

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  3. I hate my tiny, temporary lappy's tiny little keyboard. I also hate typos.
    I like you, though.

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  4. Wowzers! Gettin' it all out before NWW were we???
    I reject your comments regarding your stories... flat out reject them as total bull. If you are going to hide behind your insecurity, then you are completely correct - you will never publish anything. End of story. You damn well know you are braver than that and I flat out reject that statement. (Says the kettle)
    As to Facebook, I have never been a big fan ... I think it is about a zillion divorces, break ups and family feuds waiting to happen.

    Please don't give in, Eyvi.

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  5. Write 'em. Write write write. Even if you don't show them to anyone right now, write them. Maybe they are silly... so what? Some of my favorite stories are silly. Write them! Once they're written, you may be able to look at them more objectively.

    It's hard for people to know how to react to personal things like that. I had a friend who, when we were around 19 or 20, told me she wanted to do stand up comedy. She wanted to test out her routine on me. I had no idea how to be. I didn't want to criticize, but I didn't know how to tell her if I thought something wasn't going to work, so my solution was, essentially, to not really react at all. She never really talked about it after that, and I can't help but feel that I discouraged her from pursuing her dream any further.

    Don't let it stop you, is what I'm saying. I know you said it's not because of your co-worker's reaction, but don't let putting something personal out there and then feeling weird about it stop you. You likely feel weird because it's personal. That's what good writers do!

    Well, this whole comment is a jumbled mess. Sorry about that. Anyway, what it means is do it. Write.

    Also, I tend to ignore people on FB who say stupid shit. I had some people from high school friend me, and it turns out one is a super conservative, Fox-news-watching, far-right loon. So I pretty much ignore everything he says. I'm not gonna get in a fight about it. (But, just... because I have to cause trouble sometimes... didn't a little kid get killed at a demolition derby last year sometime? By a flying piece of car? So, yeah... there's pretty much no arguing with people like that.)

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  6. FB bad. Stupid people bad. Writing good. Smart people good.

    Therefore I'd have to speculate that you, ma'am, are good. And I agree with Danica on both FB and writing. My wife likes to go through my friends list and quiz me on all the girls listed. Fun, that. Also, she's a writer who struggles with insecurities similar to yours. You're as good at it as you allow yourself to be.

    And yes, that's a compliment.

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  7. Deist, you know, I never would've guessed that about you ;)

    Spender, I like you, too! Even your typos are endearing. Thanks again for your kind words (I promise to stop unintentionally fishing for compliments.....one day)

    Danica, Don't hold back! Seriously, just go ahead.....You're awesome. Thank you (see Spender's parantheses)

    AvB, I am always so worried about hurting anothers feelings I have a hard time being honest with them too. Rather than not react though, I usually over do the reaction I think is expected. Not. Good.

    Xtreme, Welcome! Thank you as well for your words of encouragement. Both you and AvB need to see Spender's parantheses as well.

    And to everyone; *whew* you're all right, FB is an evil website run by a souless group intent on wreaking havoc one status update at a time!

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  8. I echo everything AvB said, because we are the same person. Seriously, she writes everything I'm thinking.

    WRITE! Write until your little fingers cramp. If it makes you happy, do it. Save the stories and keep them to read when you're old. Or for your kids to read one day. Or to just go nuts and publish on a blog for other people to read. But write.

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