Okay--in the previous comments thread, I promised a post when I'd recovered from spending the last three days piloting a truck and horse trailer across the Pacific Northwest. In the rain. (I went to eastern Oregon to fetch a friend's pregnant broodmare...but that's a whole other story.)
I've fed the dog, consoled the cat, put the horses to bed, poured myself three fingers of top-shelf bourbon over ice, and checked my email.
You can imagine my consternation to return from three days out of town to discover the inestimable and effervescent Miss Snark posted a link here while I was gone. Even if it was to...errrr...gently chide me for not posting my email within plain sight, at the same time she said kind things about the blog. My email is available in my blogger profile--should anyone else be wondering.
I couldn't help but notice another Mac commented on the Joke post--causing a bit of confusion. At least, it caused some confusion for me. I had a weird moment during which I had to consider seriously whether or not it might be possible that I'd posted something quite intelligent, but utterly not in my own voice. That possibility brought up all kinds of unpleasant and self-reflexive questions about multiple personalities, checkbook balances, future therapy bills, and just how much time it's okay to be missing. Then I clicked on the link in the user name, and it took me to some complete other "Mac". At least, I'm pretty sure.
For my beloved regulars--that actually wasn't me. Welcome, other Mac--nice to see you here. Welcome to Fran and the others who found their way here from Miss Snark, as well. Pull up an opinion and stay for a while.
I was surprised to see that the joke issue seemed to hit a chord with many of you--and pleased, too. Jokes are strange things. I loved the splendid deconstruction that Lisa did. I was thinking I'd need to pester Ms. M to talk about jokes and cultural status issues, too.
Don't go all paranoid on me, folks. It's interesting that the funniest jokes often have a bit of an edge to them. Which, I imagine, makes them intrinsically unfunny for the object, at least in some cases--the lesbian joke that I started the post with, for example. That joke has always seemed even funnier to me than to any of the straight folks I know--who "get it" but don't internalize it the same way.
Of course, that might just say something unflattering about my sense of humor, too.
7 comments:
I'm very happy you're back. The other Mac had me considerably puzzled!
I almost posted something over at Ms Snark's in response to Mark's comment, you said it better.
So how's Canada? Is your PA book coming along nicely? :-)
No way-Mac has a PA book?? How cool. Did you take option 1? You know, the one w/o editing?? I just gotta know.
I want a horse *sniffle*
I don't, in fact, have a PA book. *grin*
Mark York is badly mistaken as to who or where I am, and pretty much everything else in the world, as far as I can tell. No news there, though--he's managed to get himself banned from just about every board there is.
The first I'd ever heard of PA was a couple of years ago, when I joined AW. Honestly, I thought the folks on the PA thread were a little nuts--it was only after several months of hearing their stories and getting to know the individuals that I began to understand what a bottom-feeder PA is.
Honestly? I could have been a PA author. Almost any writer, still naive about publishing--and terminally hopeful and optimistic--could get sucked into a scam.
Hey Mac, I'm kidding about the PA thing. I'm the JM from AW and by the way, I was nuts before I was snared by PA, now I'm nutsier?
JM--I knew who you were :) And I figured you were kidding, too.
I get kind of cranky with people who want to dismiss other writers as "Oh, she's a PA author" though--which Mark didn't say straight out, but did imply.
Because the fact of the matter is, so what if I was? That doesn't make anyone less a writer. At worst, if perhaps means they were a bit naive.
It mostly means PA conned yet another someone who cared enough about their book to put energy into trying to get it published.
Mark York has a long and ugly history with his attitude toward PA authors--which has a lot to do with why he's been banned from so many places.
Haven't seen the comments you're referring to, but the real irony of the Mark York situation is, he is a PA author.
I don't know about Mark, but, I do know the commentary can be worse than annoying. It would seem I'm still sensitive about having been a PA author. I've been known to cover my lack of comfort w/ subjects by trying to laugh it off.
That being said: I still want a horse *sniffle*
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