Has a book ever come into your orbit at just the right time? There have been a few of those for me over my life. But this one, Dederer’s Monsters, was exactly what I needed right now. You see, I too struggle with being an authority and make pronouncements. I don’t like it. I don’t do it. I speak from my experience. I speak subjectively. She calls herself a memoirist, and I realized that’s what I am. That’s what I do! I mean, this was the whole reason I called myself the NakedPastor… because I was just going to blog and cartoon and make art that expresses me… my thoughts and feelings… as honestly and transparently as possible. I often wondered why I’m like this. Perhaps it’s because my Dad was such a tyrannical authority in my life, and I made a vow to myself that I would never be like that. And maybe that spills over into my deep suspicion of power and authority. And maybe that spills over into my desire to not be your typical male. Yes, I think this is true. Which very much explains my Sophia series. When asked, I try to explain to people that I don’t expect anyone to be taught by what I do. I’m just expressing myself. If it helps you in some way, good. If it doesn’t, also good. Because its main purpose was achieved: self-expression. This is why I’m “all over the map”, and why I lost as many followers as I gain. Because I refuse to fit in, fulfill one agenda, get on the bandwagon, go with the flow, or behave. |