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Feeling like Samson
Hot on the heels of my other entry comes this one. I have not exhausted my need to rant yet, obviously.
I just got more comments on my mini-rant about sex changes and my novel (two entries back). Everyone agrees but me. The problem is that I think the character IS shown going through a certain amount of angst and suffering - as much as I feel is justified. She goes a week without making contact with her friends (who are worried sick) because she is lying awake nights, thinking about how they won't speak to her anymore when they find out. Her body is rebelling against her hormonally, up and down and nauseous and hot and cold flashes and mood swings. And blood. She loses her job and finds out they're not interested in hiring women, only men. All of this happens and more. And yet I'm told she doesn't suffer enough.
I think maybe the problem is that she doesn't seem emotionally caught up in the changes. And here we go to Aedie, in the other novel. Both characters - Aedie and Robin - sort of let the events wash over them. They don't show that they're being affected by events, don't admit it if they are.
Well, now you know why I am not described as a warm person. The one piece of these novels that IS indisputably autobiographical - the one piece I won't fight and kick and scream about when someone says "Hey, that's you, isn't it?" - and no one wants it.
To Iain and Patrick especially, thank you for your patience. I realize perfectly well that you've tried to tell me the same things about fifty times and I just keep deliberately missing the point. That's because, like it or not, this is a referendum on my personality. I believe that Robin and Aedie's lack of reaction is a virtue. Everyone else seems to consider it a fault.
Oddly enough, I also consider that lack of emotional involvement a male trait, which is why (for example) most of the born-female characters in the novel react more volubly to events than Robin does.
Arrgh. Enough of this; combined with the news reports today, it'll drive me into a tailspin.
I'm feeling like Samson. I want to push down the pillars and not give a damn, for once, how many people might be caught inside the temple when it crumbles. To hell with the consequences.
If I were Queen of the Universe:
- Gasoline would be $3 a gallon. Invest in some public transportation, folks. Quickly.
- The public would realize that the boring guy is the best candidate eight times out of ten. Having a policy and being intelligent enough to make it a good one is far more important than having a personality.
- As a corollary, the public would suddenly wake up and realize that Shrub is not just an idiot, he's a menace to the country should he happen to get into the hot seat.
- Pete Knight would be involved in a sex scandal and Proposition 22 would be declared invalid retroactively. He'd then make peace with his son and admit he was wrong.
- We'd stop putting people in jail for the wrong things. Minor drug use might call for counselling; it doesn't call for jail. The marijuana penalties in this country alone are Draconian and far out of proportion to the offense. And Prop 21 (speaking of California) is an abomination. That's right, let's put the kids in jail and teach them the wrong habits instead of trying to fix the root causes. We're big on treating the symptoms in this country, or had you noticed?
You can probably tell that I'm not real thrilled at the results from the Super Tuesday voting, can't you? Don't worry about it. It's the lack of sleep talking.
I'll be better tomorrow. Maybe.
© Columbine
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