There is some fun in a fight especially when we agree before not to use any serious weapons, no blood and no name calling. I wish our government would understand this. I love showing on my blogs the current project that I am working on, how I shape the metal or splash paint but when I do this I only get three or so comments: "good job Jerry, nice work, beautiful" I know that! Those kinds of comments don't tell me anything about you! I want to know what you are doing on this planet. Just visiting?
Now when I get a fight going, state some kind of position, argue with my Art History friend (I hope), or just come off the wall entirely and say something crazy, Then I get a response! A conversation. Your ideas, and I know we are alive! I mean, really, who in the heck would buy a butterfly covered in oil??? That would be pretty stupid. On the other hand...and there are two sides to every argument, what can artists do to help the world right itself? Is it enough to paint pretty pictures? Maybe we are that tired.
I have been pretty convinced most of my life that it is difficult enough to control myself, and sometimes, just making me better is all I can do. Of course I try to persuade my close by circle of friends. We influence each other. But this NET thing, the Internet is making our circles larger. I am now aware of things going on in South Africa, or Australia, or Iceland or India, and all over the world. These are more than news stories.
They are the result of having conversations with you! They are personal stories about your life, your art, your struggles and when you succeed I get that too!
The function of any good fight is to make friends. Well, it should be. Find out who is on your side and maybe shake hands with the others and apologize. I just wanted to know who you really are. And maybe solve that problem that all writers face, what the heck should I talk about anyway? AND I have maybe a fun idea!!! It would require a little bit of honesty on our parts because it wouldn't be so much fun if we cheated
and compared blogs before we wrote our own. What might it be like if we all wrote on the same topic on the same day? This could get a conversation going because we would have to talk. To each other! In order to "play" this game we would have to come up with a topic and a time, say a month from now? It doesn't have to be political at all, even though you know I am a far left of center extremely conservative independent businessman, self employed for the last 40 years, with a Cadillac Health Insurance policy who just got cured from cancer at a cost of over $130,000 which cost me only $1,000, who is very in favor of National Health care (NOT insurance) kind of guy! Whew! It doesn't have to be about my distaste for academics, my cynicism or anything controversial. We could talk about anything! from the best restaurant ever, saddest day of your life, happiest!, fear of failure, mile high club for those who are members, to anything! Let's pick a topic. If you encourage this on your blogs we might get a hundred essays all on the same thing. A hundred points of view! That would be some horizon!
That is the whole point of a party. The dullest parties in the world are when everyone is in agreement, and they are always short with everyone going home before ten pm. It is winter now anyway and we are struggling with new thoughts and ideas, some kind of energy. Although maybe it is summer in Australia?
I just discovered they are a whole day ahead of us! That's right. They already know what will happen tomorrow!
If you are really bored, THIS will get you into all my websites.
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15 comments:
Why???? I've spent a lifetime of fighting, and all I really know is that I never know If I am on the right or wrong side. What may be right for you may not be right for your neighbor.Is the loudest right? or is the best debator right? Does my opinion count?? or is it stupid thinking if it is not the same as yours ? I have fought in wars, was that right? Why? Was that wrong? Why? and what makes it so? and again back to an opinion, whose? yours? Mine? whose counts?
Hmmm another normal day. I would like to go fishing, but I am not sure it is Politically correct. For 40 years now I have only wanted to be friends,not another opinion. let me know if that is possible. would you?
Thomas, you are my friend! I have posted over 100 blogs and this is the first time I have awakened you. I am so happy you are coming to my party. Please leave the guns at the front door. We can talk quietly and maybe discover something more to each other!
Jerry, I have found it much easier to enter anothers house than to have them enter mine. this has included friends,family,and loves.
I don't know how not to die this way. This is the envy of my life.
I am glad you are here Thomas, please stay late, it will be a good party and sooner or later it will all come out and we will discover everything, and then we will have to figure out where to go? Yes, maybe even your house!
When I say 'beautiful, or a great job only u can do it', I really mean it, and I am not the type to write comments just to be nice to someone. When I have nothing particular to comment or not in tune with a blog, or not able to relate to it, I never comment at all.
One can make out by the comments whether, it is genuine or not.
Mmmm....
I am wondering what has happened to 'MY' opinions over the past 15 years Jerry. Have I lost sight, albeit temporarily, of who I am?
OK you can count me in, although I am not sure just how far out of my 'comfort zone' I will be. I did not intentionally set out to become a 'people pleaser' afraid to have an opinion of my own.
I think I see a white flag out there somewhere....
This is going to be a great party, we will stay here for awhile! We want opinions and Ideas! The difference being that "ideas" are people neutral whereas opinions might be what we really think. Clipped Wings, I am sorry if I disturbed your sleep, I was bored on a Sunday afternoon. Rama, you are a gem and we need some positive energy here, and thank you! Chez, you are awakening from a long rest and I suspect you will be the giant here!
If we are not visitors are we spectators?, just part of the audience? or can we play? get up on the stage sort of speak.
If I don't have anything good to say, I tend to say nothing at all (well, most of the time). Still and yet, I believe I am diametrically opposed on political and undoubtedly religious issues, methinks. And never the twain shall meet??? And sadly, I go on gut and emotion so much of the time that I can't always put logic to my arguments, probably another reason whey I tend to avoid 'em. Still, Jer...I'm willing to give it a go...
Wonderful idea Jerry. You suggest a topic and let's set this idea adrift!
Yes, it is winter, here anyway; and unless you are an avid winter sportsperson...it seems to be some sort of 'down time'. Time to remember, to huddle together on blustery evenings and discuss whatever topic comes to mind.
Parties are only parties when everyone 'shreds' a topic and leaves with new ideas and insights ... a smile and a healthy feeling of having 'shared' a good time. No arguments....no fights....just healthy discussions. And, yes, I think we could have such a 'party' on your blog.
So......let's have a topic!
Autumn Leaves, political views are fascinating! Why in the world I should be a "Democrat" is beyond me? I have been a businessman all my life, ran a small company with 10 - 15 employees, paid hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxes, have a firm belief in the value of hard work, and yet I am a Democrat!
Personally I think Jesus would have been a Democrat. What was that about? Kicking the money changers out? He didn't preach to the wealthy and successful, but to the downtrodden and poor. I wonder? I think it comes down to this: I am after equal chance. Equal opportunity. and then there is just the plain Businessman about me: National Health is less expensive and I don't think we are getting our moneys' worth now. The bottom line for me would be I get tired of always asking God for more when He has given us so much already! And even though I am a Democrat, in a bar fight or when we need help, we don't ask for identity papers of those who might help us!
Ruby, it is the hardest job to pick a topic. We don't want one where we all agree, that would be a pretty quick party! We can't even talk about the weather anymore and that has always been such a safe neutral topic. With global warming and crazy weather all over the world, humans have entered the picture and we can NEVER admit any kind of guilt!
Reminiscing is good, maybe. How about "The Happiest Person" you have ever met?
I CAN'T criticize your art, your craftsmanship - I can only wonder!
So: a topic to post? Let us know if you choose one.
I'll suggest something lessee: How about 'Why we tolerate politicians at all?'.
'My nocturnal behaviors' might be more interesting though...
I'm sorry about my last comment. Thought I was being funny, but wasn't. I'm going to refrain from commenting for a while, as my mouth is getting tired of accommodating my foot. Very bad night for me, but that is no excuse. Take care.
This posting was meant to be only a little bit uncomfortable not to solve the major controversies of our times. I see now why our polititians have such a difficult time. I mentioned some concepts in passing, just sort of throwing a ball out there, like are we guardians of this planet or consumers of it? I also hit upon the idea that our circle of friends is increasing because of the internet, and then I really thought it might be fun to interact more than we do and maybe get to know each other more in the process. It is not intended to be political or religious and I thought the ideas I threw forward were light and not too serious, some kind of fun party ideas! Serious is of course o'k but I wasn't going to begin that way! I even suggest who was the "happiest person" you know in hopes of defining "happiness". "Nocturnal behaviors" could be fun too, although at my age I find myself going to bed when the chickens do!
Some of us go weeks without blogging simply because we run out of ideas; all I am doing is throwing them out there. Yes, I think the pirhanas are eating me!
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