RAT RACE

“It’s time to get outta ‘da rat race! Go West young man, like Horace Greenberg once said. Get out to the range. Where the deer and the antelope play. Where seldom is heard, a discouraging word, and the skies…somethin’ somethin’ all day…” Archie Bunker, circa 1974

Over at the Greek Tragedy, World War III is going on. My pal is under siege. Bullets flyin’ evrawheres (southern accent applied). 45 comments* (*note to readers, post has subsequently been removed for reasons pretty much described below. Although the 'rat pack' post has been removed, the pattern remains the same in terms of her readers arguing and fighting over Greek's dating posts; her post JAPS, is a typical example; therefore, I am leaving this post and my opinion open for discussion). I decided to get outta the crosshairs, come back to my peaceful blog, and watch A Charlie Brown Christmas, Now’s not the time for me to anguish in negativity. You’ve seen I’ve got enough to deal with here.

But I worry about my friend. If you check out her blog, which most of you I’m sure have already, you can quickly get the gist of it. Divorced, wanting kids, frustrated, too hard on herself, lonely, wanting THE MAN too desperately. Her writing is, of course, subject to interpretation and opinion. Is there a ‘right’ answer? No, but people think there is. And they’ll argue amongst each other until the cows come home. Cursing, name calling, insults, the whole nine yards. Nothing wrong with that, I guess. I just fail to understand why everyone thinks they need to be right. I just stay out of the way for the most part. I don’t like arguing with the readers, and I don’t really like to interpret the diva’s writing.

I’m not a milquetoast. I’ll blow the whistle and yell ‘time out’ but I’m letting this one go. Our heroine is being accused of writing that post to illicit a two-sided argument full of controversy and gain publicity. Some accuse her of being a Carrie Bradshaw wannabe. On the surface, that might appear to be true, but I don’t think I buy it. Maybe I’m naïve. Sure she wants to sell lots of books and truly ‘make it’ as a writer like we all do. But I think deep down, her stories reflect her reality, and she writes them with the utmost passion just like she lives her life. It’s funny. People don’ t rag on her when she writes emotional and passionate stories about her childhood or her love for food. But when it comes to her aggressive dating style and her affinity toward men, people swarm at her like flies on shite. To me, the posts are brilliantly expressive and wrought with emotion. Same brilliant writer, same brilliant style whether it’s about dating, or childhood memories, or food. After all, it says so in her blog title, “Stories of My Life.” You watch. The next non-dating post won’t even generate 20 comments.

I just scratch my head and wonder why people get so bitter toward each other and toward SK over a dating article? And you know what? So what IF, and I say IF, she’s writing with a slant or bias toward publicity. What is so wrong with that? It’s called selling. It’s called marketing. Gee, what strange concepts! I’m sure those same people will accuse me of the same for this post. That’s false, but who cares once again? No wonder we live in a damn rat race. I happen to be rooting for my friend SK. I hope she makes it. I think her quest parallels mine. Seems we’re all out here chasing the dream. And what, my friends, is so wrong with that?