A new post - sometime later this afternoon. Right now, I'm getting ready to run my Mom Taxi Service for Blondster. It's just gotta be done. According to Blondster, anyway.
Meanwhile, I found some pictures from my forays in Germany in the 80s. Put two border pics on the pic list on the right - in the Hartz (sp?) Mountains area - and one of a German village that I can't remember, but I must have seen, since I took the pictures.
Here's a quote from my novel - and this is what I'd like to talk about:
"It's not like vaginal activity and cussing have anything to do with who is or isn't good. What's good mean, anyway? I mean, what's good?"
I've been thinking about how to talk about the next topic for a while, in a way that isn't offensive, but says what I want to say.
So - should I just 'say it'? Or couch it in polite terms? What do you think?
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Coming soon...
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11 comments:
Say it the way that you want to say it in the way that's you. If you say it like someone else, you've already lost the argument, as it were. You're only being offensive if you set out to offend.
Say it some way that I can understand what you're talking about cause I'm lost. But I don't do hints and innuendo well. I tell people that if they want me to know something, they need to whack me upside the head with a 2x4.
Anyway, I'm not sure what you're referring to here. Is it the vaginal activity? Haven't seen you shirk from writing about that before.
Hi, ril.
All right, that's what I'll do. Thanks. (P.S. It's great when you're on Eastern time.)
Hi Sarah,
It's about being a good girl, and what I think about the usually given definition.
Oh, and talking of German borders. I remember the first time I drove in mainland Europe, I went from France to Germany, and this was post Schengen. It was the coolest feeling to cross the border and not have to stop; and seeing the watchtowers as I crossed was just amazing.
Spit it out woman! Honestly straight talkin' suits most people I think! I'm intrigued.....
I spent the summers of '86, '87 and '88 in a little village called Breuberg Neustadt near Aschaffenberg. I was working in a fruit canning factory during the summer break from college. It's a big blur so I think I had fun.
Tricky, because I have no idea what's coming.
But as long as I've seen you au blog, you've been frank without being offensive, so I'm not sure how 'couching' would work.
Sounds like it's going to be said, anyhow, and of course, you'll 'edit', but if you're about to unleash a truly ghastly stimulus, I'm with Ril in the sense that if you say it in good heart, it's less likely we'll be offended — by you and for ourselves.
Hi ril,
That would've been a cool feeling. I wonder if they've kept any of these still, as objects of history, essentially?
Hi Janey,
What is it about Germany in the
80s? So many of us went there in the 80s (two decently long summer trips for me) - it makes me wonder what that was about.
as long as I've seen you au blog, you've been frank without being offensive Thanks, WO.
That was really nice to 'hear'.
Ril's right, Robin. Say it your way.
I'd amend ril's excellent advice with the qualification of context. If it's in dialog in a novel, then the it has to be said the character's way, not necessarily Robin's way. Robin might or might not use the term "vaginal activity," but the character may be more the type to whisper, "what goes on down there."
Example: Many years ago I wrote a scene involving an angry racist. My writing group got very angry at the language I used and demanded I tone it down so I don't offend readers, until one person remarked that the words were authentic for the character and needed to be left as they were. They were supposed to offend the reader.
Yeah, what PJD said.
If I can't offend you, then I'm wasting my time.
Jesus offended most people of his day. So did Copernicus, Martin Luther, Martin Luther King jr, and Elvis Presley.
If you write or speak to not offend, then you have already lost the ability to make people think.
Hey you guys. Glad you're here.
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