Thursday 26 May 2011

Out dammed spot!


I like Pirates; I think I could be one if things were different.

Well, ok, I like a romanticised image of Pirates – I couldn’t actually bring myself to do any of the killing bit, so I guess what I really mean is that I would like to be free on a boat in the middle of the ocean but fairly near some beautiful tropical islands where I had hidden some treasure under a coconut tree.

If things were different.

Like me being a bit frightened of drowning for example.

Or someone giving me The Black Spot.

A little while ago this month, someone left a comment on this blog congratulating me, I think, for the best post of the year “so far”.

Since then have I been able to write anything of any interest?

Not a word.

Critics can do that to you – doubts, impossible challenges, that sort of thing.

Look at it this way – if that was the best why were the other posts that preceded such rubbish?

Or – how can I possibly do anything better if I was unaware that the rest had been rubbish?

Yeah, yeah, I’ve tried to analyse it – what did they see in it?

Texture apparently!

Damm, I thought that was something you found in dress making, which I’m not.

Apparently - according to an interview I recently watched about Bob Dylan - one can be instinctive when one creates, rather than in control so I guess texture, if it exists outside of the hosiery industry, could happen by chance.

Maybe it will again?

Today?

I doubt it – not until I find a way to wash of this Black Spot.

2 comments:

Mary said...

NOTE from 'critic' who recently praised one of your posts as the best of the year thus far.

Just to be clear -- nowhere did I say or suggest or imply that all the other posts were "rubbish". I did not praise the Picasso post in order to cast a negative light on the rest of your labours.

I tried to explain in a couple of sentences why I thought the Picasso piece stood out from the other very fine posts that you gift to us everyday.

Maybe it equires a conversation under the shade of a tree enjoying some wonderful cherries, or a cappuccino at the local cafe to take it apart a bit. And yes, we'll figure out its texture. It's like art, or beauty, or a favourite song where the music and lyrics come together just right. It happens when your heart, mind and soul work in harmony. Perhaps someday we will have that opportunity. Till then ...

Forget the Black Spot, stop thinking that praise of one thing is implicit criticism of everything else.

This is your work -- I, for one, appreciate it. Thanks for sharing it with us.

Mx :-)

popps said...

I'm ok Mary, i understand you, i was trying to return to the theme of how one deals with critics and the emotions it puts you through, or me anyway, that i've had a go at writing about before.
This time though i tried a different angle.
But the best angle sounds like that coffee tree cherry thing.
And i think you articulated what i tried to articulate with "instinctive", much better.