THEMATIC

For some time there's been a thematic underlying this blog which suspect that only one or two people (other than me) in this world is perceptive of.  

The thematic ties into my postings about the art of Andy Warhol (whose studio was called The Factory), my postings about products ("they didn't pay me to say this") and what I perceive as people seeing themselves as defined (and self promoted) by what they buy/own/like.  People reducing themselves to lists as well as advertisements and informational blurbs, in particular to prove they have value beyond their basic humanity (which some of them attempt to deny to others), often defined as having money for Brands ("We only eat Gelsons") - class - superiority through acquisition. People (including authors) turning into BRANDS so now you can sue someone for hurting your Brand/ income potential re defamation of BRAND (object) rather than a human being.  People promoting and marketing themselves for career, for friendship, for love.... but also for survival. (So if you're an author who also writes poetry, or you want to write fiction and non fiction, or more than one genre you may have to have several names of the pen.)  Not wishing to offend anyone with your version of truth - or opinion - we are in an era of self censorship and stifling in order to be liked - or employed.

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In some stories, a character's fashion purchases stand in as character development since these purchases define their sensibilities.

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When I post my (current) "likes" does my reader know me?  (Maybe, slightly.  I recently surprised myself with a "sea change" about something I'd been dedicated to for about 10 months.)

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Though I've taken down or not re-posted dozens of song/music videos that I was in the mood for or hearing in my head at the time I posted them, my personal music inventory is vast but also telling since I'm Old School and not at all into or informed on the hip hop and rap artists. Does that peg me?

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I once had a friend who was uniquely beautiful (and privileged) who was always used the term "Boyfriend" to mean "Date" as in "I have a new Boyfriend" after a couple Dates. She wasn't es[especially promiscuous but she wanted people to think so, that they had a chance with her. She attracted so many men who she enjoyed toying with; even the ones she didn't want. I caught on eventually that she also didn't want to loose any of her entourage to other women and these men let her waste their time. Her phone rang constantly (pre cell) with them just checking in, just telling each other what they were doing with their day, in search of Fame.  Interviews, auditions, practice sessions, and in the evenings the clubs to nurse a beer while showing support for each other. She was years ahead of most of us when it came to thinking of herself as a Brand and Self Promotion and Marketing which actually hid her true self, an unknowable self perhaps, unknowable as a means of self protection. It took me a while to realize I had been "conned by her charisma" and to get over the shock of realization that I'd made a major life decision based on her bullshitting me.

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It's NOT "all good."


C 2019  Christine Trzyna  All Rights Reserved

AUTHOR BIOS ON BOOKS : A PET PEEVE

I used to hate reading author bio on books that basically went like this:

He/She lives in New York and their spouse, two children, and three dogs and a cat.

This person had gone from being a writer to being an AUTHOR.  They had accomplished a BOOK.

They had posed for a picture for the book jacket so we could see what they look like.  (The reader wants to know but they might regret it.)

Was their personal life the most important thing about them?

Did we need assurances that they were married or that they had children?

And mostly, I hated it when unmarried and childless authors had to mention their pets.

I thought, oh, they want their readers to know they are NORMAL, AVERAGE, or that they LOVE someone or something.

Of course, having Gracie, I understand better now.

C 2019 Christine Trzyna