Superhero? Or Villain? March 18, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Humor, Spirit & Ego, Writing & Writers.comments closed
Some time ago, Mandy Ward invited writers on WEbook to create either a Superhero or a Villain for her project.
My immediate reaction . . . why create one or the other?
Why not create a character who is both superhero and villain ~ depending upon the reader’s perspective.
After all, we have as many reputations as we have acquaintances . . . and none is accurate. With that thought in mind, I created Relentless Reviewer:
Have no fear, Relentless Reviewer is here! Armed solely with a red pen, oops, fast forward . . .
Armed only with the keys on her keyboard, our Superhero/Villain roams the WEbook site, day and night, night and day, policing entries for punctuation, syntax, grammatic correctness, and general readability.
Many contributors are delighted with the editorial suggestions offered by our fearless feedbacker, realizing that her constructive criticism is aimed at helping them develop their writing muscles.
These writers view Relentless Reviewer as superhero, not villain.
Other WEbookers view posted feedback, other than a “LOL” or a smiley face, as an unwarranted intrusion into their vast creative genius. These “writers” view rules of sentence construction as mere suggestions, and are averse to making revisions, even when obvious mistakes are pointed out. They aren’t trying to improve their writing skills, or hone the craft of story-telling. Instead, like magpies, happy to hear themselves cawing, they post first-draft submissions, and allow unwary readers to stumble repeatedly over glaring errors, claiming to be too busy and/or important to proofread their work.
These WEbookers view Relentless Reviewer as villain, not superhero.
Relentless Reviewer accepts that her reputation will vary from person to person, project to project, and even day to day. She acknowledges that she has as many reputations as she has readers, and none is correct.
Even with immense super powers, she cannot please ALL of the people ALL of the time.
Rather than getting caught up in the opinions of others (which are based more on who they are, than on who she is), Relentless Reviewer focuses on the reputation that matters most . . . the one she has with the relentless reviewer in her mirror.
Be authentic. Discard your masks.
No rules. Just write!
I think . . . therefore, I am March 18, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Mindfulness, People, Word Play.comments closed
Descartes stated, with certainty, “Cogito, ergo sum” (English translation: “I think, therefore I am“).
When his oft-quoted remark popped into my head one morning, it served as a reminder that:
* if I do not think for myself
* then I do not truly exist
* because I am just a conglomerate of other people’s thoughts and opinions rather than a unique entity unto myself.
I think (for myself), therefore I am.
Quote: Don’t worry about what the world wants from you, worry about what makes you come more fully alive. Because what the world really needs are people who are fully alive. ~ Lawrence Le Shan
No rules. Just write!
Life Is Not One-Size-Fits-All March 18, 2010
Posted by nrhatch in Happiness, Mindfulness, People.comments closed
Many people go through life without making conscious choices.
They grow up, get married (sometimes to the wrong person), and start cranking out babies without first determining whether they have the necessary resources and temperament to care for offspring.
Others work at jobs they hate, and attempt to negate their workplace unhappiness by spending each paycheck as quickly as possible on materialistic clutter that they don’t even take time to enjoy.
Why do so many people work at jobs they hate to earn money to buy things they don’t even need?
I suspect it’s because they are playing follow the leader ~ they’ve bought into the notion that happiness is out there somewhere and they are determined to find it through purchase and acquisition.
Instead of looking within and making conscious decisions for themselves about what they need to be happy, they use an external reference point as a benchmark . . . I’ll have what she’s having.
Rather than empowering themselves to live autonomously, they obligingly conform to societal and familial expectations.
Rather than thinking things through for themselves, they live life by general consensus ~ relying on others (including the media and advertisers) to tell them what to do, wear, be, say, watch, eat, buy, etc.
Those who live life by consensus tend to ridicule and bully peers who choose to step out of the mainstream by walking to the beat of a different drummer.
Rather than applauding uniqueness and individuality, they look askance at anyone exercising personal autonomy ~ voluntarily assuming the role of Border Collies, yipping at the heels of miscreant sheep who stray from the fold, urging the wayward sheep to get back in line.
Reclaiming our freedom, to live life fully, requires that we tune out societal messages urging conformity . . . to listen to own inner wisdom.
Be an artist, live by your own rules.
Quote: Always remember that you don’t have to be what they want you to be. ~ Mohammad Ali
No rules. Just write!
Spirit Lights The Way 