“Admit it. You aren’t like them. You’re not even close. You may occasionally dress yourself up as one of them, watch the same mindless television shows as they do, maybe even eat the same fast food sometimes. But it seems that the more you try to fit in, the more you feel like an outsider, watching the “normal people” as they go about their automatic existences. For every time you say club passwords like “Have a nice day” and “Weather’s awful today, eh?”, you yearn inside to say forbidden things like “Tell me something that makes you cry” or “What do you think deja vu is for?”...
Who knows what you might learn from taking a chance on conversation with a stranger? Everyone carries a piece of the puzzle. Nobody comes into your life by mere coincidence.
Trust your instincts. Do the unexpected. Find the others…”
-T. Leary
"Find the others..."
This morning when I awoke, hours before I read the quote above, I decided to spend more time on my blog and less time on FB- it's kind of a New Years thing, except it's a birthday thing. I realized, after reading the quote, that I had ALREADY found the others. Here. In MY blog world.
The funny thing is that I blog weekly for WORK. It's not that what I write isn't interesting, but it's all work related and written to generate content and online traffic. There is no following. No one in their right mind is going to check in with me on a weekly basis to find out what I have to say about vehicle wraps, or window wraps, wall murals, floor graphics, pool art, building wraps, or how best to wrap an elevator. The blog is informational, and if you are a company in need of such things the material is helpful, but it does not attract "others" the way Mayden's Voyage does, or once did. (you are always welcome to leave me a message though :) http://www.capitalwraps.com/blog/ )
FB is an easy thing to default to because I can do it from my phone. I believe it is also possible to BLOG from my phone, but I haven't quite figured it out. I will. I expect no one to get upset if I start using my blog like a fb page...but please don't POKE me :)
I've had some big life changes happen in the last 6 months, which I have not posted on my fb page, but I will write about them here. Obviously there are some stories I'd like to tell, and honestly, some bloggers I simply miss having conversations with. I'll be around to visit soon.
I am so fortunate to have found "you" :)
6 comments:
It would be wonderful to see you blogging again. I took a long break as foam .. For me.. Maybe 6 months..but am back..kind if :-)
I do feel lucky and blessed to have found you here, mayden faire. I'm thinking we found the others here.. Don't you think?
Yes my dear...I totally agree! And what a gift it has been (and is) to know you beyond the borders of the blogosphere :) (or meatspace, as X would say :)
Hugs my dear Foamy ♥
You came into my blogging world some years ago, July 2006 I think (the great poetry challenge with the evil Sir Percy and the triumphant K9) and have been a joy to know ever since.
As have you Dear Mr. Newberry :)
Actually, your reemergence might entice me to become more active again.
I took a look at the wrap page. I can see where it would come in quite handy for someone who needs that sort of thing.
As to what I think about the Leary quotes: Leary had a number of pithy quotes about individuality. But I'd guess he's thinking more along the lines of personal autonomy in a culture that stressed very few models of conformity--a specific historical context where one was indoctrinated from childhood to be a company man, an obedient worker, a housewife, and little else. I don't get the feeling that these relate to the cult of individuality as practice today. Moreover, nowadays there are multiple models of conformity.
The first quote addresses the difficulty of conformity, the loss of identity we have to go through in order to fit in. And some of us (e.g., me) don't really do that well at all. We try our best to be like everyone else because, let's face it, nobody likes to be outside the party. And we secretly envy those who fit in effortlessly.
The second quote could be the theme of my page. Over the years, a number of people (e.g., you, Cosmo and Foam) have helped to fill in the gaps of understanding. And when I look back at the early days of blogging, seeing all the diverse viewpoints and expertise on such subject matters as art, literature, history, classics, music, psychology, neurology, aviation, physics, engineering, nursing, systems analysis, and academia. I've also had the good fortune of receiving comments and correspondence from the people I write about who contribute more information.
Everyone has seen something that someone else has not. Oftentimes we forget that. The blog reminds me of it every time I log in.
X- as for you being "outside" the party, I think those are the kinds of people I find most interesting. (well, if they are stable :) I never really fit in the "in crowd", they were all shallow and wanted the same things- popularity with no substance.
Your perspective, insights, and theorys are fascinating. I am a wiser and richer person for knowing you. (Oh, but to be clear, the X-Spot has always been cool, as well as informative and substantial!)
The second quote is what rung my heart like a bell :)
Thank you for giving me your thoughts on Leary- he was an interesting fellow the older he got.
Hugs and thank you for stopping by :) ♥♥♥
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