Alastor's Reflection

If the You Fits, Wear It

Ξ May 6th, 2008 | → 2 Comments | ∇ Uncategorized |

Greetings from wherever I am to wherever you are. I’ve been somewhat “inconvenienced” with a severe pinched nerve in my neck which has muted my enthusiasm and mood considerably. I think three weeks is long enough to deal with it, so I’m not anymore. Time to try the “mind over matter” theory; namely, “if I don’t mind, it won’t matter.” In theory. We’ll see about that…

In what passes for ”news” hereabouts, I FINALLY heard back from Llewellyn Publishing about Unbound (after four months), and what I heard was: Rejection. It was in a roundabout way, as I didn’t hear that directly from them, but a subsidiary of theirs called “Midnight Ink” which I hadn’t even considered let alone know about. It’s actually a mystery-genre company, and nothing like the New Age-y/Spirituality publisher that Llewellyn is. HOW they got my query I’ll never know, but no matter; a rejection is a rejection (even though very polite), and will likely be one of a continuing series if the business is any indication of what it is, and what an aspiring author needs to deal with. So *shrug* -on to the next…

A friend passed by the Blog and indicated that my “You” generalities might be being taken as personally-directed towards those that don’t deserve it, so this bit of an explanation: They only pertain to those to whom the “You” may pertain to. In other words, with respect to anime and life-sized dolls, for instance: If I say something directed to “those who have hate-filled hearts” it only means those kinds of persons specifically, and not to those visitors who might be either merely curious, uninterested, or non-malicious. I’m surprised that I have to spell that out for (you) but… there (you) go LOL If it seems defensive then it probably is, and for good reason. The best defense is a good offense, actually…

Look: I’ve put up with snotty, dismissive, derisive, and yes, hateful people ever since I “dropped out” at 15, and personally dealt with their utter ugliness on Haight Street (how almost-appropriately ironic!) and ever since then, whenever I took to anything unusual or considered “weird” by these idiots. Whether it be social companions (“hippies”), music (“Pink Floyd”), collecting (“comic books”), art-works (“dolls”), entertainment (“anime”) or WHATEVER, I’ve also had to deal with those fools who insist that their way of thinking, believing, and acceptability is all that counts, and what I (and everyone else) should be following to the letter. I don’t see any need for sugar-coating: These people are dim-witted conformists, plain and simple, and there is nothing good or admirable about it. Or them.

So there. 

In other words, gentle reader, when going on about Them, I mean in no way You, who I’m sure is a person much more tolerant, open-minded, forgiving, and wise than those Others. Unless you’re not, in which case I’m sure you’ll get The Message. Conformity is the death of individuality, and this round peg will not be pounded into any square holes, or square’s holes for that matter. Your mileage and comfort-zones will vary, of course, and that’s fine. I don’t judge anyone… except those who judge me. And yes, they will be pounded until it hurts Them, for a change. Not You

Don’t get me wrong: I tried tolerating Them, laughing at their mean-spirited jokes, looking the other way, and turning the other cheek for years. What that got me was TWO aching cheeks, and a lot of pent-up hatred of my own. It’s contagious, y’see… and poisonous. So I decided to adopt another long-hair’s converted attitude in response: One day in these recent cynical times he (my neighbor) was walking his little dog down the street and some straight guy who’d safely passed him by was giving him some shit along with a typically dim-witted and unimaginative “fucking hippie” remark. Neighbor yelled back, “I’m a hippie with a goddamn red-neck, asshole, come back here and say that to my face!” Well, the chicken-shit must have kept walking because Neighbor was able to continue on in peace.

What price peace? Indeed…

Nowadays we tolerate fools too gladly. And bullies. And tyrants. And assholes-in-general. God, aren’t you tired of these useless human beings yet? Let’s put them out of our misery, why don’t we? Unless “you”’re all too scared of them? You shouldn’t be… because You are better than Them

Anyway, enough of that. As for Alastor, a few things will be upcoming in the next week… I finally saw “Lars and the Real Girl” and will post a review of it; I’m celebrating my discovery of anime one year ago today and will comment on that; a somewhat-related music entry having to do with an album by Deep Forest; and a follow-up to Haibane Renmei along with a Kanon figure I ordered around Christmastime, assuming that it gets here. Posting these will be incumbent upon my busy-ness regarding survivability issue which are coming to a head very soon with regard to generating an income; a small publisher is short a copy-editor and I’ve been awaiting a response to my query for both that position along with the possibility that he might publish Unbound as well. But it’s already been over two weeks; you can see how glacially these things “move”… and bills need paying. Or, I may need to move. So truthfully I don’t know how things are going to hold out. Bear with me please while all this gets sorted out…

And hang in there, You! Er, Us! Make it W(h)eeee….