Do you hear it? Pffft … Pffft. That’s the sound of my hands as they brush together, signifying the completion of my illustrious career as a journalist. It’s been a great gig! Thanks, HuffingtonPost for kindly publishing my humble submissions. If you want to get all political and read my opinion pieces, you can go Here. (There’s actually one more to be printed, but it’s a collaborative effort so I won’t claim ownership.) A week ago I attended a telephone conference with the nice HuffPo folks. When Arianna Huffington came on the line to thank us for our hard work as election correspondents, I had to clamp my hand over my mouth to keep from screaming into the phone … ARRIANNNNNA!!! I LOVE YOU, ARIANNA!
In a way, it’s comforting to return to obscurity. To once more engage in the business of all things make-believe. The reality of the world is hard for we sensitives at this time. Politics is tough! It’s easier to be that pasty curmudgeon, languidly pouring over a new writing of poetry or fleshing out a particularly complicated character description. It’s like tasting the first spoonful of a giant scoop of mashed potatoes to return to my beloved fiction. To agonize over plot, pace, structure and premise. Better to find scorn within the character of my antagonist rather than locate the weaknesses of those who would have blind ambition to lead us.
So I’m thankfully now complete as a human being by having gained a teensy weensy bit of notoriety as a political writer. But as someone most famously said, “Thanks but no thanks for that bridge to [political] nowhere.” As Ms. Palin has perhaps discovered (even while wrapped in $150,000 worth of make-up and clothes) I’ve also discovered that politics is fun … but you have to know something.
And what I know? I know I don’t love journalism.
I love fiction. I love poetry. I love words, but not so much the must-be-meticulously-quoted words of others.
So once more, listen closely … Pffft. Pffft. Ahhhhh.
P.S. Please see reader, Dave McChesney’s excellent article here. He stepped away from his comfort zone and wrote this at my wheedling urging. Thank you, Dave. You should be very proud for speaking your opinion.
I may be repeating myself, as I added a comment to your previous post stating that I had posted my Presidential Election piece on my Live Journal.
Just finished a quick read of what you had written for HuffingtonPost. Even though I stand a bit to the right of the centerline, I thought your comments, opinions, and quotes of others to be straight forward and well stated. If there was any issue where I would move to the “left” it would be with regards to voting rights for the homeless, etc. If the Republicans are truly trying to “disqualify voters” as you said, I hope they soon see the error of their ways.
Dave
Thank you, Dave. I especially respect and appreciate your comments. Yes, it is unfortunately true that homeless voters are often disqualified because they don’t have a fixed residence or appropriate identification — two hurdles that are much too high for many thousands to jump over.
Thank you for caring for people who have no voice. That speaks volumes for your character.
Auburn
Did you major in English? I have really come to appreciate your imaginative posts. I