I’m deeply concerned that my blog will become one of those blogs that’s just an amalgamation of other blogs, a vortex of reblogged useless material. Not that I don’t appreciate those blogs, because every time something is pulled together in some new way it does become something new. And I’m not surprised that some of my most popular posts are just funny reposted crap.
Some of that is laziness on my part. Some of it is desire to share the laughs. Some of it is my own insecurity – who the heck wants to read what I write, anyway? That’s part of the reason I often post quotes or passages from books. Sometimes I think I may as well accept now that everything I want to say has already been said by somebody else, and probably in a much better way than I could ever say it.
Having said that, I post what I do because something in those particular words has struck a chord with me. So perhaps my choices reveal more about me than I think. And perhaps I’m hoping that the things that struck me, strike you too.
“ I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they’ve always worked for me. ” – Hunter. S. Thompson.
“ Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it’s cracked up to be. That’s why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don’t risk anything, you risk even more. ” – Erica Jong
“ You can spend minutes, hours, days, weeks, even months over-analyzing a situation; trying to put the pieces together, justifying what could’ve, should’ve, would’ve, happened. Or you can just leave the pieces on the floor and move the fuck on. ” -Tupac Shakur
You’re correct in saying that there is little to be said today that hasn’t already been said by someone. But sometimes things bear repetition and anyway, you can console yourself in the certain knowledge that this quandary has confronted every writer at some time or another. You’ll remember that there are only seven themes ever employed in creative writing throughout history, yet people keep grinding out books anyway. Why not? Even though an issue or theme has been covered a hundred times, you can still put your own unique perspective into writing about it. There’s only one you with your life experience. If you think hard enough about it, it’s not the subject of your writing that distinguishes you or anyone for that matter. It’s the interpretation of the subject through your utterly unique experience that creates the spark. Carry on I say, and damn the torpedoes! (This last remark uttered by Commodore Perry, US Navy at the Battle of Galveston during the US civil war). See? Even I can dredge up something old and put it to some use.