Using the thought-provoking (tm) device

[saffronhare]

Why do I bother to have a Live Journal? When I started, I told myself it was so I’d remember to chronicle deep thoughts; record my musings on spiritual and intellectual growth; and share provocative opinions about the world in general. Instead, the balance of my entries have been silly and flirtatious . . . thus far not really exceeding a 5th grade reading level. I was starting to feel pretty bad about that –- seeing as how I scorn silliness in general and prefer to think that I’m sort of an intellectual-elitist Yankee snob (and I mean that in a good way).

So today, I logged on with every intention of providing the LJ community with scintillating insight and many big words. But when I checked in with The Pagan Update ™, a most reliable if often kinky source for daily perspective, here’s what I got: “Too Much Drama! . . . get over this need to prove your worth to yourself.”

Ouch. That’s gonna hurt any second now.

I’ve really enjoyed the mischief that’s ensued through LJ so far. Is it really a cop-out to reason that maybe I need that outlet? That perhaps the balance I’m seeking lately isn’t to be found in imposing more intellectualism or logic upon myself . . . but rather in fostering a healthier sense of the ridiculous?

Let’s say that maybe I don’t need to feel guilty about squandering my time on playing games. Let’s go a bit further and say that I can even begin to see it as not so much squandering as taking advantage of opportunities to have some fun, before everything on my list is done. Because I’m never going to get everything done –- and if having fun is always the last priority then it ain’t never gonna happen.

So. I'm initiating a bit of an experiment. For a while, I’m going to explore what happens when I don’t analyze everything that comes out when I start posting and responding.* I say this “out loud” because I want my friends to know what I intend, to encourage your support, your indulgence and your forgiveness. You can go ahead and laugh at me instead of with me if you like . . . but, please...just don’t think I ever mean anything ill toward you. Deal?

*Okay, so maybe I’ll still spell-check. A girl needs to hold onto something.

Comments

::blink, blink::

[zylch.livejournal.com]

Did you really just perform a serious analysis of the role of silliness in your life? Honey, I don't know how that scores on the ridiculous scale, but you could teach Ionesco a few things about absurdity.

::curtsey::

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

Why, thank you. (And now, I'm going to go refresh my knowledge about who the heck Ionesco is.)

[featherynscale.livejournal.com]

OK. I was going to say what Via said, but she gets extra points for Ionesco, who was not going to figure into my response. So I'll let her say it then. And let you know that I support any and all outpourings of the sublime and ridiculous that you happen to feel like creating.

digibri posted a lovely quote the other day -
"Thou shalt love life more than the meaning of life."
-Feodor Dostoyevsky

Anyway, three thumbs up.

crazy spanish playwrights

[zylch.livejournal.com]

Eugene Ionesco, one of the most famous absurdist playwrights. Spanish, I believe. Wrote The Bald Soprano, The Future is in Eggs, The Leader, something about a rhinocerous, and a whole lot of other stuff. I have several of his plays, but alas, they are all in Manhattan.

[diermuid.livejournal.com]

If it helps, I enjoy your uninhibited flirting much more than intellectual hob-knobbing. Being deep is fun from time to time, but being loose keeps us young.

If nothing else, you can mimic whispereddreams's setup and have different journals for different types of posts. Saffron hare for deep thoughts, yellow rabbit for general use, and chartruese bunny for shameless flirting and detailed snarkiness. ;-)

[kcwitch.livejournal.com]

i think your journal is great. it makes you seem more real. i don't know, i was sort of intimidated by you and a few others until i got to "know" y'all through live journal. now i see that although you all are very bright, intelligent, sometimes scary people, you are still very much human. i don't know...maybe it makes me feel less um...ah...(for lack of a better word)...stupid. like maybe we aren't so different after all.

[saffronhare.livejournal.com]

See? Hardly terrifying at all!