Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Your questions -- answered by Will!
"Do you really keep a list of people you hate?"
It's a spreadsheet, really. With all sorts of columns and intricate formulas. For readers like this one, I feel I have to add the annoying "sarcasm begins here" tag. Not many people like the concept of hate. When they're forced to address it, they usually bring up the Nazis, as if extermination was the only horror one could visit upon another. As if hatred were such a small emotion, really. As if it were not worth anything slightly more banal. So no, no one runs around screaming how they hate Mr. X or Ms. Y. But face it. Face it. Face it. There are people you hate. Face it. I know you don't want to, but I know you can. Go ahead. Think about it. There. See? I knew you could do it. You've just created a list. Maybe it's a short one, maybe it's not written out. Maybe you don't think about it as much as, say, I do. Maybe you should.
"Why don't you have pictures?"
You assume I'm technically proficient enough to post pictures? Thanks. You think I'd pay the monthly fee that would allow me to do that? Ha! Besides, there's a beauty to something completely nonvisual. That's not to say that I think I'm a decent writer. But if you've come here on any sort of basis, it's either curiosity or something non-visual that's drawn you here. So thanks.
"Why do you post drafts of poems?"
In the case of a first draft, to let you know that it's a work in progress that I'm not sure or confident about. In the case of a later draft, to let you know that something's changed or progressed in the poem. I usually won't post the same poem twice unless major changes have occurred.
"Why do you sometimes post so often . . . and then so rarely?"
Sometimes I sit down at the keyboard, and I have a lot to say. Some days I have nothing. Other days I don't make it to the keyboard.
"Why do you go to a women's college?"
Because I (mistakenly) thought that entering their licensure program (to teach secondary English) would get me a teaching license faster. This program is open to men. Otherwise, it's a women's college.
"Why is some of your writing so angry/profanity-laced?"
It's not that easy to write when things are going great. And I think I've been pretty restrained on the profanity front lately. I haven't even posted on my job woes yet. Ho! Just you wait. No -- just you fuckin' wait!
"Why don't you talk like this?"
Written communication is so much more different than verbal. I just retyped that sentence (and this one) twice. Speech is faster, less thoughtful, and I frequently find myself just trying to keep up.
"So how do I know what is true and what is not?"
Shit. Well, everyone's gonna say I'm "getting all philosophical" on them now, but what is truth? Everything here is from my perspective, and one perspective -- as much as I know what I saw/experience happened -- isn't necessarily truth. I'm probably beating around the bush. Here it is: most of it happened, most of the names have been changed (for reasons I've discussed), any alteration is for better prose. Here's the key: my point is more important to me. Any writer will indict me on this, as I'm supposed to believe character to be the ultimate creation. And that's right. But for me, I have a point and the characters -- while still needing depth -- come along right afterward. I guess, the best way is to ask me.
"Why do you write in a web log? Who cares what you think? And why don't you call it a 'blog'?"
Who does care what I think? I just care about how I write differently for an audience. Blog? Do we really have to go into this? No.
"Can I tell other people about your site?"
Actually, Blogger has sent me a warning about all the potentially dangerous activity wrfarah.blogspot.com has drawn to the site, so . . . . It's a website! You don't need my permission! All blame lies with me!
It's a spreadsheet, really. With all sorts of columns and intricate formulas. For readers like this one, I feel I have to add the annoying "sarcasm begins here" tag. Not many people like the concept of hate. When they're forced to address it, they usually bring up the Nazis, as if extermination was the only horror one could visit upon another. As if hatred were such a small emotion, really. As if it were not worth anything slightly more banal. So no, no one runs around screaming how they hate Mr. X or Ms. Y. But face it. Face it. Face it. There are people you hate. Face it. I know you don't want to, but I know you can. Go ahead. Think about it. There. See? I knew you could do it. You've just created a list. Maybe it's a short one, maybe it's not written out. Maybe you don't think about it as much as, say, I do. Maybe you should.
"Why don't you have pictures?"
You assume I'm technically proficient enough to post pictures? Thanks. You think I'd pay the monthly fee that would allow me to do that? Ha! Besides, there's a beauty to something completely nonvisual. That's not to say that I think I'm a decent writer. But if you've come here on any sort of basis, it's either curiosity or something non-visual that's drawn you here. So thanks.
"Why do you post drafts of poems?"
In the case of a first draft, to let you know that it's a work in progress that I'm not sure or confident about. In the case of a later draft, to let you know that something's changed or progressed in the poem. I usually won't post the same poem twice unless major changes have occurred.
"Why do you sometimes post so often . . . and then so rarely?"
Sometimes I sit down at the keyboard, and I have a lot to say. Some days I have nothing. Other days I don't make it to the keyboard.
"Why do you go to a women's college?"
Because I (mistakenly) thought that entering their licensure program (to teach secondary English) would get me a teaching license faster. This program is open to men. Otherwise, it's a women's college.
"Why is some of your writing so angry/profanity-laced?"
It's not that easy to write when things are going great. And I think I've been pretty restrained on the profanity front lately. I haven't even posted on my job woes yet. Ho! Just you wait. No -- just you fuckin' wait!
"Why don't you talk like this?"
Written communication is so much more different than verbal. I just retyped that sentence (and this one) twice. Speech is faster, less thoughtful, and I frequently find myself just trying to keep up.
"So how do I know what is true and what is not?"
Shit. Well, everyone's gonna say I'm "getting all philosophical" on them now, but what is truth? Everything here is from my perspective, and one perspective -- as much as I know what I saw/experience happened -- isn't necessarily truth. I'm probably beating around the bush. Here it is: most of it happened, most of the names have been changed (for reasons I've discussed), any alteration is for better prose. Here's the key: my point is more important to me. Any writer will indict me on this, as I'm supposed to believe character to be the ultimate creation. And that's right. But for me, I have a point and the characters -- while still needing depth -- come along right afterward. I guess, the best way is to ask me.
"Why do you write in a web log? Who cares what you think? And why don't you call it a 'blog'?"
Who does care what I think? I just care about how I write differently for an audience. Blog? Do we really have to go into this? No.
"Can I tell other people about your site?"
Actually, Blogger has sent me a warning about all the potentially dangerous activity wrfarah.blogspot.com has drawn to the site, so . . . . It's a website! You don't need my permission! All blame lies with me!
