pretty glow

She's always been a strange child...
...written on 12.29.04, @ 4:29 pm

From time to time I get interesting emails from people that serve to make me think and answer honest questions about myself� and from time to time I like to post the results. Some of the things I say, you (my readers) have heard but others you have not. Today�s email is courtesy of a gentleman named Rich�

Your profile is intriguing, and the world is short of people that my eccentric mind can deal with .. so we need to talk, stat!

okay... now that I'm home from vacation... let's converse!

Ah, the great art of conversing! First, the small talk: what kind of bike do you ride? Where do you live? What do you do?

I can handle small talk. Under warmer and mechanically sound circumstances I ride a 2000 Suzuki SV650. She is blue and I sometimes call her PITA. This could be why she refuses to work. We may have a little come to Jesus meeting in the spring if her attitude doesn�t improve.

I�m a glorified paper pusher for a commercial insurance broker in the Tech Center. I have some sort of title and some business cards but they aren�t fooling me into thinking I�m important.

I live in the Pride of Colorado* aka Highlands Ranch aka Suburban Hell. I have a nice apartment with vaulted ceilings and a deaf lady on oxygen living downstairs. I'm thinking the renters insurance was a really good idea right about now.

Now, the medium talk: what's your favorite book of all time? You're on the Photography group, do you have anything to show off?

Medium talk is a little more difficult since it�s the worst time of year and my brain is a little overtaxed but I�ll take a shot at it.

Asking about a favorite book is like asking what your favorite smell is. You inevitably say something like �fresh cut grass� because it�s pleasant and reminds you how cool spring and summer are� but then an hour later you really like the smell of nutmeg because you long for the holidays. I read a wide range of things at all times and devour books like food. Right this moment I have to say The Isle Witch by Terry Brooks. I�m not a huge fantasy/sci-fi reader but this book introduces Rue Meridian and I read so much of myself in her that I love this book just for that. I�ve read it several times. Right this moment I need to remember who I am. I get lost sometimes feeling like I have to be acceptable to all people at all times. Stupid really.

As far as my photography goes� I have very few things online since I�m very protective of that part of myself and I have deep-seated fears of rejection. If you enjoy narcissistic self-portrait work I do have some of that handy.

And finally, big talk: I see your point about famous people as heroes being kind of an asinine approach to the question, but if the person in question did something amazing to become famous, or if the person used his or her fame towards a greater good, then wouldn't that be a worthy justification for hero status? Take Martin Luther King Jr., for example. Or Bono. Besides, usually our view of someone in the limelight is pretty homologized to emphasize their good points and to downplay their bad points. So hero worship of your typical pop star could also be hero worship of an ideal to live up to, much like idolizing Jesus or Siddhartha. So would considering someone famous as a hero really be that big of a fallacy?

He asks this in response to my profile answer regarding who my hero is. For reference my answer was: There are a lot of people that I respect and that have changed my life in some way but I can�t really pin down anyone as a �hero�. The concept of famous people being heroes is kind of strange to me. Would they be as heroic if they were just ordinary citizens?

Finally� you would ask me something interesting and difficult.

I think you�d have to consider for a second what your own definition of �hero� is. I agree that there are plenty of famous people that have done noble things and deserve the recognition for it. My bigger question would be whether or not those people would have done those things if they were your average citizens. I think �famous� people are in a position to do some very wonderful and meaningful things for the world in general. They have time, money, and resources available to them that we perhaps do not. My own definition of hero really leans more towards someone doing something selfless for someone else because it�s the right thing to do or because something within themselves compels them to. A classic example would be someone that runs into a burning house to save someone else without thought of their own safety or well-being. These people are often overlooked and don�t want recognition for something they would have done regardless of whether or not there was reward or praise. That impresses me more than a famous person using their influence. I also have a different point of view about famous people in general so it may very well be a fallacy in my mind to worship them as heroes.

How did I do?

* Whoever came up with this moniker obviously missed the big mountain things to the west. I�m really rather disgusted that somewhere like Highlands Ranch could be considered the �Pride of Colorado� when all I see is miles upon miles of people striving to be just like everyone else. I guess that�s the native Colorado girl in me speaking. You know how we nickname ethnic areas within a city �little China� and things like that? I believe a better name for the ranch would be �little California�. But I�m not bitter about the population boom here�

Just more insight about me�

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