Piece of mind. That is the topic Ramana and I will address this week. No, not the Iron Maiden album - the piece of mind that you give another when they have done something to offend one's (your) sensibilities. Let 'em have it with both barrels so to speak.
Our former LBC compatriot gave us a piece of her mind, telling us the following:
"I listed the three reasons I am leaving the LBC.
1. because the topics are all about death, injury, and aging, which I find morbid, and to me unacceptable.
2. because there is money being made by the consortium and I was disrespected by not being told that
3. And foremost, because you believe in inclusion, and therefore allow
an incredibly aggressive and in my opinion not mentally stable person to
attack one writer after the other."
Number 1 is simply inaccurate - several topics were simply song titles, Shakespearian titles and more.topics chosen simply from life. As topics wee made up by the three active(at the time) members, one must assume she thinks Ramana and I morbid and unacceptable. Fair enough.
Number 2 - money is being made by the consortium and she was disrespected by not being told. Well that is news to me - I have never made a pfennig from these posts - they are simply done for the fun of sharing and comparing opinions. I can say for sure that any lack of respect from me directed toward our former compatriot had/has NOTHING to do with money allegedly earned posting in the LBC and cheating her out of her share.
Number 3 - inclusion. We allow an aggressive, "mentally unstable" person to attack one writer after another. Life's a bitch. Then you die. Clearly despite her protests to the contrary, our former compatriot does not care for disagreement. With her. Her opinions. Fair enough. She is allowed to tiptoe through the tulip patch of life whenever, wherever and however she chooses. Personally I prefer even heated exchanges - they are fun and enlightening IMHO. I have crossed swords/fingers/words with that so-called aggressive, mentally unstable individual over the years. One person's fun is another person's awful experience.
The above represents piece of mind as offered by two individuals. Different strokes for different folks is clearly the order of the day. Time to see what Ramana has to say onthe subject. To do so simply click here. See ya next week, same bat time, same bat channel.
I hope that our erstwhile LBC colleague read this!
ReplyDeleteShackman, your post is what I call "a piece of mind" in the best sense of the expression. Straight to the point, no beating about and around bushes, whilst not discourteous. I am writing this listening to the one you mention, namely Iron Maiden's Piece of Mind on you tube. Yes, my comp's sound intermittently - touch wood - recovered. I do have some mighty catching up to do with months of soundtracks underlining previous posts of yours.
ReplyDeleteI have come here from Ramana whose blog I visited first (age before beauty). I weigh just enough to not make me a lightweight. I won't put anyone in a corner, just as I expect the same courtesy in return. As an aside, that was one of the more corny mutterings of the Patrick Swayze character in "Dirty Dancing", towards the finale of the film. Swayze has since died. What's wrong with people?
Where were we? Piece of mind. Sometimes one needs to serve up not just a piece, but two if not the whole platter. Not that I endorse force feeding. Still, as I said to Ramana, there comes a time in life when you need to weigh cost benefit. By which I mean that I am the eternal optimist, the one who sees the good in people (and myself) and hopes that in frank exchange we can learn from each other. Instead of which with some, at the slightest whiff of perceived criticism, the shutters go down, the draw bridge is pulled up, and silence envelopes like fog does the view across the fields what could have resulted in a fruitful exchange.Try and tell that to the "untouchables" - buried before their time in some cocoon of their own making. As hard as it is for me to concede: Whilst I never mind "cost", if there is no "benefit" to either the other or me even I will, if reluctantly, let it be.
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My favorite Swayze line is from Roadhouse - a fun movie - one of what I call great popcorn movies. After a bar fight he is talking to the singer/guitarist - Jeff Healy after a set. Swayze smiles and says "Not bad for a blind white boy"
DeleteAs to prolonging the agony or getting in the last word, Kenny Rogers had it right - you have to know when to hold ;em and know when to fold 'em. never feed the paranoia.
I am sure the money went to a perfectly good charity.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking on behalf of the mentally unstable, we certainly do appreciate being welcome. The internet can be quite a hostile place for us.
The loonier the better!!!
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