The Slap
Hello Bumby here.
Yesterday was not a great day for me. I received a scathing comment on my last post, I was cursed at by another commenter on someone else’s blog. I started a new chapter in my life with a company that I believe in.
Now, the last part should have made me happy. However, as I was sitting there listening to the four-hour orientation, I started to feel a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information that I must to commit to memory. And we all know… The memory is not the same as it once was.
My thoughts ran amok, causing all sorts of destruction. I thought…
- Well, I could give up on this blog.
- I should not comment on anyone else’s blog ever again.
- That I am not up to this challenge…. so, just quit.
Now, after some consideration, a good meal and pardon the bluntness, a good crap… WOW, low an behold… A changed outlook.
This morning, I have looked at the Guy In The Glass ,( see the post entitled such) I looked him straight in the eye… and he winked back.
It has taken my many years to break the habit of always using “Proper grammar and perfect punctuation” To free my mind.
Maybe… I am toooo free and loose in my constructions. Maybe…It is time to bring back a little “Proper”. What I struggle with is striking a balance, one that I am comfortable with. My thoughts tend toward… What if I have proper construction, but lose my passion or having so much passion that my writing is unreadable.
For me, it is not a matter of writing for technical correctness, but rather one of thought , feeling, and voice. For so many years, I wrote only technical papers, conveying only dry facts with my recommendations. I wrote so many, that I began to think only in those terms. One day I awoke or maybe I came too, can’t remember… (The memory, you know) what I realized was, I had no passion in my life. I was dead inside. So, I did what all Great WASPS and Preppies have always done… I got drunk and changed my entire life.
Well, it is time to change again, this time without the booze in the mix.
I do understand and do appreciate, that I and I alone, can find the Voice that goes with my brand. My struggle thus far, has been finding a consistent voice. To that end, from this post going forward, my voice… the voice of The Preppy Chronicles will be of a southern man in his forties. If you will formulate an image of Hal Holbrook, as Mark Twain. Bumbys voice This is how my thoughts sound in my head and this will now be my voice on paper.
Always Bumby
Bad mean or nasty comments simply mean you have made it as a blogger. Sorry ’bout that. I don’t like them either.
Never apologize for perfect grammar punctuation. There is not enough of it these days. When I was young my mother would circle all my spelling and grammar mistakes on the letters I had written to her from camp. Lovely…
Congratulations on life changes. They are good.
Excuse the poor grammar above… a comma is missing! LOL
I get really upset when someone blasts me on my blog, but it happens. It will pass and you’ll move on. oxox
SC
Thank y’all for your support.
If nothing else, know you have made someone think. Even if it’s a negative comment, they have responded. You have reached them on some level. Keep up the good work!
Sadly, it is rather a rite of passage to have someone do the nasty comment thing, but that knowledge does nothing to ease the sting.
We’re with The Hostess on the grammar/punctuation front, although it is your preference, it *is* your blog!
Good for you on the new endeavor Bumby, may it be all you hope!
tp
Princess, thank you for your thoughts. The longer that I do this, blog that is, I more I am finding that …It is progress and not perfection that I strive for. It was just 11 months ago that I began this journey (That is when I purchased my domain name.) It has and persists in being my delight, thanks to all of you.
Always, Bumby
Write what makes you happy and don’t worry about what other people think or say or do. You write for you. If other’s like it, icing on the cake. When I was working for a daily newspaper, I learned to stop looking at the comments. Clearly you don’t have that luxury with your own blog, but go read the comments of your fave newspaper and you’ll quickly start to feel better about your own commenters, blog, ability to spell and write in complete sentences when needed and life in general.
I meant if others like it, not other’s. Ha! See, we all get carried away and forget our correct grammer and punctuation.
Thank you Melanie.
Grammar is grammar, and rules are rules, but overkill strips creativity. During law school, legal writing stripped me of so much, and it sounds as if your background/career/projects have done something similar. I’m not a WASP so perhaps I’m missing the point entirely, but regardless of our backgrounds you’re seemingly interesting. This is YOUR blog. No one can take that from you (unless you give up) Remember, people can be toxic – Wendy
Thank You Wendy.