Observations From This Side of the New Year

Well then.

All plans to work on a specific WIP---the trilogy series I started to write, um, last year (okay, at the END of last year, so it's not been that long since I started. LOL.) have gone by the wayside. Why? Well, because the Fickle Muse, being in an obviously fickle and playful mood, said, "Gee, it's the holiday season, why not do THIS, instead?"

And so I did.

And the Muse said, "Eh. You're doing it wrong. Fix it."

So I fixed it by starting over again.

Then the New Year happened, and thinking I'd get to work on the WIP of my choice, I geared up.

The Muse said, "Nope, you're still doing that one wrong, fix it right, then you can work on the one you want."

There are those who would say, "Control your Muse. Who's in charge here? You or this invisible, not real being?"

Um.

Gee.

Yes, my Muse is real and she resents being called imaginary. Obviously, she's in charge.

One thing I've learned along the way about writers is that not a single one of us does it the same way. Such is the nature of creativity. Give 5 writers the same prompt, and you'll get 5 different results. It's glorious! Magnificent the way we think, and what comes out that manner in which we think. So, while I'm Not Best Pleased with The Fickle One at the moment, I'm not about to complain. I'm writing something and that's all that matters. It absolutely counts on my 2011 Goal to WRITE! WRITE! WRITE!

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Another wish I have for 2011, and I think, given recent events, that I'm wishing in vain, is for peace.

I wish we, as a nation, could focus on our similarities, that which we have in common, find our pride to be Americans again, rather than focusing on our differences, what we hate about how the "Liberal Lunatics" or "Conservative Drones" think and how they are wrong.

The state of our nation can't be blamed entirely on the Democrats, the Republicans, President Obama, President GW Bush, the Tea Partiers, Sarah Palin, Glen Beck or the extra-terrestrial aliens that may be living among us. (That last one isn't really a serious contender, which I'm sure most everyone will get, I threw that one in for effect, so hopefully we can see how ridiculously out of hand it's gotten, this nifty Blame Game.) Our anger about this mess our country is in isn't solving a damned thing! HELLO? Our anger just KILLED six people, six innocent people, in Arizona, wounded a Congresswoman grievously.

Getting angry isn't solving a single gosh darn thing. It's only fueling the flames for the unstable in our midst.

I don't believe it's possible or wise to point fingers at the liberals or Palin/Beck-eseque conservatives for this tragedy. This is a very troubled young man whom, as far as I can tell, didn't fit either the liberal or tea party/conservative mold. To insist the blame must lay with one or the other entirely is incorrect. We ALL, whether we're a "Liberal Lunatic" or a "Tea Party Lunatic" have contributed to this tragedy. We've forgotten how to hold a respectful, sane discourse. Our thinking has changed: "You disagree with me? You're a lunatic, obviously, of some ilk, and EVERYONE with a brain knows it's the fault of Palin/Beck/Liberal Loonies." Step up and take responsibility. Rein in the anger, take a deep breath and remember that we all have one thing in common whether our politics agree: We are Americans and this is NOT acceptable behavior in our country. Sadly, I think we'll see more and more of it unless we learn to see past our differences and focus on what we have in common.

That said, I would like to say I was horrified to read in one of the many articles about Congresswoman Giffords' shooting that on one of Sarah Palin's websites, there was a map of sorts posted, with certain areas marked in gun sights. One of these sights? Congresswoman Giffords'. You do that kind of shit (yes, I said the 's' word on my blog because that's what it is) in SCHOOL and you get yourself suspended if not expelled! Am certainly NOT pointing a finger at Mrs. Palin and saying this Arizona tragedy is all her fault, I'm just sayin' that she didn't help it be avoided. None of us did.

The answer isn't violence. The answer isn't anger. The answer isn't a temper tantrum because, golly gee whiz, (fill in the blank) passed in Congress, and we don't like it.

We need to heal our own family/friend breaches. Forgive, move on or the bitterness and poison takes over and spreads. We all have things in our personal lives that we need healing time for---divorces, job losses, foreclosures... We need to forgive the dog for being a dog and move on--- it needs to go onward to the next level beyond family/friends. It needs to encompass our neighbors, our neighborhoods, our towns, cities, counties, states, region until it's nationwide. Ripples.

Let peace be the answer. Let adult discourse be the answer. Let positive things be the answer. Let sanity be the answer.

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So, from this side of the advent of the New Year, there are positives---personal ones, and, regrettably, negatives. I hope with all my heart and soul that this negative is NOT an indication of things to come. I hope that it is the beginning of a change here in the United States of America---that we, despite which side of the aisle we'd sit in should we all be Congressmen/women---can work together in a spirit of positive, adult cooperation for the betterment of our nation. Because clearly at this moment, none of us have a clue what's best because we're all convinced our personal views are The Only Right Ones. I suspect the answer to what's best lays on both sides and darn it, we're going to have to communicate like adults in order to find what it is. I have hope. May be naive and unrealistic, but hope is what's indicated in these troubled times.


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