Motley Moose – Archive

Since 2008 – Progress Through Politics

Jumping In

I am having mild withdrawal symptoms. I need to write and don’t know where to put it anymore. Don’t know where the kind of things I write will be welcome and where they won’t be welcome. Fact is I usually not sure of what I want to write till I’m done writing it.  But you all strike me as a pretty friendly bunch, even if I am pretty scared of that moose on the rules page.

I’ve been writing since the early 40’s, when I’d hide under the cellar door with my Red Chief writing tablet and a pencil stub sharpened with a knife. Writing has been my survival tool, my best and most faithful companion, and the main joy of these 71 years. My idea of a delightful death is to simply conk out with my head resting on this keyboard.

I used to write a about lot of things I was sure I knew more about than anyone else. I was so very smart: surely it was my duty to share my awesome insights and wisdom with the world. Then I finally sobered up.

It was a harsh awakening. Made only worse by the passing of years. Then more years. And somehow I ended up 70 years old, in solid possession of enough hard earned, healthy humility to realize I really don’t “know” a hell of a lot about anything for sure.  

I can only know what small portion of reality I’ve seen so far with these limited eyes, have experienced from within this skin, and have perceived with a mind that is constantly evolving.

Which means I am a rotten political analyst, and the worst debater on earth. I’m way past being able to see things simply as black and white, right or wrong, good and bad, higher or lower or better or worse.

So I exchanged my white horse for a three wheeled electric scooter, and  my armor for a set of comfy sweats. I still have my lance sitting by the door, in case I get invaded by any of the super holy republicans in this place that really REALLY want to save my sorry ass.

I guess I’m just more of a storyteller type now. I love surfing the web till something grabs the hungry muse, then I let her have her way with it. Sometimes it’s a story, or a memory, or some poetry, or just the observations of a wondering mind.

There. I feel better now for having written something in fresher air!  


Categories: Uncategorized.

/ 33 Comments

33 comments

  2. Kysen

    Very good to see ya here on zee Moose.

    Feel free to write to your heart’s content.

    While we are by function a ‘political blog’, at our core we are so much more than that.

    My favorite Moose diaries, to a one, have been personal and non-political.

    Here is a diary that might give you a bit more insight as to how the Moose rolls:

    Insider’s Guide to Motley Moose

    Make yourself at home, scribe.

    Welcome to the conversation.

    Photobucket

  3. John Allen

    I guess I’m just more of a storyteller type now. I love surfing the web till something grabs the hungry muse, then I let her have her way with it. Sometimes it’s a story, or a memory, or some poetry, or just the observations of a wondering mind.

    Quite a few Moosers fit that description.

  4. fogiv

    …and by all means, write whatever you like, whenever you like.  A grocery list can turn into a profound 200 comment thread around here — you just never know.

    Glad to have ya!

  5. janicket

    Or a beer, take your pick.

    You can go as political as you wish, or as far afield as your muse takes you, and we’ll happily read it.  And then:  Comment?  Argue?  Nod agreement?  Expand upon? Go off on our own tangents?  All of the above!

    This is a wicked fine place to hang out.

  6. Chris Blask

    I can only know what small portion of reality I’ve seen so far with these limited eyes, have experienced from within this skin, and have perceived with a mind that is constantly evolving.

    Which means I am a rotten political analyst, and the worst debater on earth. I’m way past being able to see things simply as black and white, right or wrong, good and bad, higher or lower or better or worse.

    A well-filled yet open mind. Very nicely said.

    The more experience I compile the less certainty I often have. And I’m OK with that. The responsibility for making decisions should be hard, because none of them are guaranteed to be correct. Anyone who thinks otherwise is being reckless with reality.

  7. Cedwyn

    I can only know what small portion of reality I’ve seen so far with these limited eyes, have experienced from within this skin, and have perceived with a mind that is constantly evolving.

    if you’ve not read stranger in a strange land, everyone ought:

    Fair Witness is a fictional profession invented for the novel. A Fair Witness is an individual trained to observe events and report exactly what he or she sees and hears, making no extrapolations or assumptions. An eidetic memory is a prerequisite for the job, although this may be attainable with suitable training.

    …Fair Witnesses are prohibited from drawing conclusions about what they observe. As a demonstration, Harshaw asks Anne to describe the color of a house in the distance. She responds, “It’s white on this side”. Harshaw explains that she would not assume knowledge of the color of the other sides of the house without being able to see them. Furthermore, after observing another side of the house would not then assume that any previously seen side was still the same color as last reported, even if only minutes before.

    i want to be fair witness when i grow up!

  8. Peter Jukes

    I guess I’m just more of a storyteller type now. I love surfing the web till something grabs the hungry muse, then I let her have her way with it. Sometimes it’s a story, or a memory, or some poetry, or just the observations of a wondering mind.

    I think that’s going to make you particularly welcome here. Though Meese are clearly interested in politics, politic isn’t always interesting.

    There are plenty of times the debate goes to theology, cooking, tattoos, history, psychology, music, or indeed anything that just fascinates people (check out fogiv’s array of unpalatable images). John Allen is a great storyteller here, and though it’s difficult to comment always on stories (how do ‘debate’ fiction) these pages are treasured and read and appreciated, especially when the hair setting alight moments get tedious in the (inter)national political discourse.

    So now apologies, dude! Be yourself. In fact, there are no cliques here, no real need for moderation, no spelling Nazis, or need for self-censorship.

    Welcome

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