Sophia Someday (sophiasomeday) wrote, @ 2004-04-19 11:44:00

Talking
I was down all weekend and very frustrated with myself, because I cannot for love, money, or the Great State of Texas, talk to people.

It's shameful that I should be able to express myself when I write, but flail around like a circus geek with an amputated tounge when it comes to actually talking to people. A writer who can't talk; such a cliche. Frankly, I find it very off-putting.

The only people who should have that sort of crippling inability to speak should be those whose literary or artistic genius is so profound that to funnel any bit of expression through any means but their particular talent would be a crime against humanity.

This is probably why Michelangelo didn't tap dance.

But I am not one of those talents. I am a good writer, not a profound one. Not once have I been confused with John Donne or Soren Keirkegaard in a dark alley, not even with my hair is up. So I think one's social disability should be proportionate to one's talent. If DaVinci, the master of all masters, was a social cripple; then the guy who painted Dogs Playing Poker probably just stuttered.

Following this reason, since I do not have a huge talent, my social malfunction should be limited. I should stand too close to everyone, use "good" where "well" ought to go and "axe" in place of "ask." That's it. No ridiculous babbling followed by a dead fish-eyed stare. Oof.

It's a pain to suffer for an art I'll never master.

sina 2004-04-19 15:34 (link)

i can't imagine you not being able to talk. you're brilliant on paper (well, on the screen). the most recent proof of this being my favorite line of the week: "...If DaVinci, the master of all masters, was a social cripple; then the guy who painted Dogs Playing Poker probably just stuttered...". as i read your entry, i was reminded of a scene from a movie. it was on the tip of my tounge but i couldn't quite remember what it was. then it hit me, i don't know if you read ecogaladrien but from a post of hers i was reminded of the angsty, cheesy, teen rebel classic pump up the volume. it twas the scene where he can't talk. that's what i was trying to remember. incidentally, i'm not at all sure why i felt the need to tell you this. (Reply to this) (Thread)

monkey_knight 2004-04-19 19:38 (link)

People/talking skills is a thing unto itself, independent of any of the talents I think. For instance, I think that Michelangelo had great people skills, and wonderfully average people have good people skills. You also have the absolutely talent-challenged (thank you very much!) who also have terrible social skills (again, thank you very much!). By the way, anent your writing, are you developing a product, such as a novel, or a collection of short stories, or even essays or more elaborate renderings of your blog writing? One would hope so, as you certainly do possess a certain literary verve, and one would think that you could produce a successful product with the effort. Making the money involves a certain luck factor, I think, but having some crystalization of your efforts should be worth while. (Reply to this) (Thread)