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Sometimes I get tired of all the positivity on social media. It’s not that I’m looking for misery; to find that I can just turn on the news. What I’m searching for is real. Don’t get me wrong…I love seeing posts of my friends trips and their children’s successes, and yes, that happiness, joy, and pride is very real. But it’s all one sided and I know people are multifaceted. While I don’t expect people to hang their dirty laundry out on the internet, I do sometimes wish there were more people like Seinfeld‘s Elaine when she sees The English Patient. She was the only person in NYC who would admit that the movie sucked. Was it really that good and she was really that different? Or, was she the only one brave enough to admit it? Not liking it did cost her both her boyfriend and her job, and most people aren’t willing to be honest if it means consequences. It’s like what a friend of mine (who is bold enough) says about Hemingway: his books, like cigars and whiskey, are awful but nobody wants to admit it because of the elitism associated with them.

I secretly harbor the fear that I must be a complete idiot because I just don’t get why he’s considered such a great writer. It’s the same feeling I have when I hear filmmakers I respect talk about Citizen Kane, a movie that is constantly in the top five greatest films of all time, and in my top five WORST films I’ve ever seen. I just don’t get it. One friend of mine saw it in a film class at university where it was dissected, thus he appreciates the movie. How is art that is only understood by those ‘in the know’ categorized as great? Masterpieces, IMO, are like Lord of the Flies or Wizard of Oz which are great books on their own that get even better when you understand all the symbolism woven into them. Or like To Kill a Mockingbird which used realism to make a deep and lasting impression on all who’ve read it. So, the sense of relief that flooded me when my friend said that was similar to how I felt when I heard a rock star on a radio interview say how he wasn’t a fan of Queen. Wow!! I thought everyone but me was an adoring fan. I’m not denying the talent of the band. I have respect for them and I do really like a few of their songs, and I loved the movie, but to me they’re, well, meh. I can take ’em or leave ’em. But I’d never heard anyone else, much less another musician, someone who had much better insight and knowledge about music than I, say as much. It was nice to know I wasn’t alone. As long as I’m being so brave and brazen, I’ll dare say, though I’m sure I stand alone here, I feel the same way about the Beatles as a band. I much prefer their work as solo artists.

I hope I haven’t lost any readers with those statements. I believe it’s important to voice independent opinions, not of malice for the sake of being mean, but to give fair representation to the whole picture, not just the good parts. The media has brainwashed us to believe that only nice things, pretty things, are allowed to be acknowledged; the ugly truth must be hidden. Delicate feelings must be protected. However, as illustrated above, giving the whole picture creates a sense of inclusion. Everyone doesn’t have to agree on an opinion but giving yours helps others to feel less isolated.

I created this blog to have a platform to share my varied thoughts and ramblings. In one place you can find honest, thought-provoking writing on any topic. Here, though my musings may not be technically perfect, you are invited to reflect on my thinking, examine my experiences, and participate in causes that impassion me. Hopefully this blog will entertain, challenge, and inspire you. This is the real me, me in the raw, vulnerable and exposed.

To quote the Skin Horse about becoming real, “It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.” ~The Velveteen Rabbit

If you would like to be a guest blogger and share a piece you’ve written, or have a topic that you’d like to see addressed, feel free to send me a message. It is my goal to do whatever I can to keep it real with the raw truth. Namaste.