[stylist] Some parting thoughts

Sun Apr 1 03:49:10 UTC 2012

Donna,
I just came back home from being away all day. My daughter has ovarian 
cancer and we were doing a fund raiser to raise money for the National 
Ovarian Cancer Coalition today.  She is now four years into her recovery, 
yet the kind of cancer she has is untreatable and the survivor rate for it 
is only 15 percent live for five years following diagnosis. She was at the 
3C level when diagnosed. We are believing she is in the 15 percent group. 
With all this on my mind, I really did not think much about any other 
situations today.

I was very thankful when I read this note from you. As you know, I hope you 
know, I respect you so much. You are one of the wisest women I have ever 
been in contact with, if even in this way through the computer.

I thought when I posed a question or two that it might spark some thought 
conversations and never ever expected it to be explosive. I had been toying 
with the notion of pet peeves because my gallery had posed a question like 
this to those of us who are represented by them. It was something that was 
for fun because I was thinking about pet peeves in regards to writing.  I 
thought others might have some fun with it.

I believe my contributions here will be to occasionally pose a question that 
would lead to some sort of introspection or examining of what we do or how 
we do it.  I am interested in ideas - in turning over ideas and examining 
myself and why I do things and how I form my own thinking and how it 
changes. I thought there might be others here who would enjoy having some 
discussions about ideas, too.  I am all about ideas and investigating where 
ideas come from and how they are relevant to those of us living today. How 
does something that we believe or engage in today come to us?  Where can we 
trace this idea back to historically?
This is what interests me and what I enjoy talking about with others.

My contribution will not be to correct anything anyone writes. That is not 
what I am about. I leave those things to others who have that insight in 
passion. Though I am a teacher by profession, that is not what I am bringing 
to this list. I am not an editor, nor a grammarian. We each have our 
passions and our personal niche. Mine is contemporary poetry, and post 
modern literature. That is what I have to offer and look forward to being a 
part of future discussions as they arise, if I can do that.

Initially, this situation started, for me, because I used a word that 
someone had problems with. The word was "lie." It is not an immoral word, 
nor a curse word, nor a word to cause anyone to become so irate. From there 
on, whatever I said brought down rath and condemnation. I have no idea why 
and I know it really has nothing at all to do with me personally. I am here 
on the list. I enjoy being on the list. And, I am grateful for the feedback 
others have given me. I am a student, too.

Lynda
Lynda Lambert
104 River Road
Ellwood City, PA 16117

724 758 4979

My Blog:  http://www.walkingbyinnervision.blogspot.com
My Website:  http://lyndalambert.com

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Donna Hill" <penatwork at epix.net>
To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>; "Writer's 
Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2012 2:37 PM
Subject: [stylist] Some parting thoughts

> Hi All,
>
> I have a few things to say about the current issues on this list.
>
>
>
> First, I want to apologize to Eve (and I'll try to find your personal
> e-mail, in case you're no longer with us). I got in-between whatever was
> going on with you and Bridgit and may have unwittingly added fuel to the
> fire.
>
>
>
> Bridgit, you are a bright and talented young woman and have much to offer.
> Nevertheless, your language of late has been a bit inflammatory and seems 
> to
> violate your rule about criticism needing to be done with kindness. Your
> comments to Eve that this list might not be the place for her and your
> recent post to Lynda in which you talk about the contributions you hoped 
> she
> would make or could have made (I paraphrase), are examples of what I am
> talking about. In the case of the latter, it suggests that your heart is
> already closed to Lynda. In the case of your comments to Eve, it would 
> have
> been sufficient to say what your understanding of the list was and the 
> value
> of that. Going any further is hurtful and judgmental. Frankly, when I read
> it, I regretted ever responding in support of your initial comments on the
> pet peeves thread in the first place.
>
>
>
> I challenge you to examine your use of language more closely and develop 
> an
> appreciation for the power of subtleties to engender negative reactions. 
> Try
> to edit them out of your posts and include them in fiction to strengthen 
> the
> development of tension and characters.
>
>
>
> Lynda, I'm sorry you are being subjected to this unpleasantness. I'm happy
> that you've had such a wonderful experience on the other NFB list, but 
> this
> sort of thing is an unfortunate occurrence that occasionally troubles all
> lists, sighted or blind. In fact, if my guess is correct about the list to
> which you referred, I can assure you that there have been incidents there 
> as
> well. When you first posted your pet peeves question, I had a nasty 
> feeling
> that it was in itself an inflammatory subject. Since you obviously weren't
> expecting any feuding on the list, you wouldn't have known this.  Everyone
> loves to complain, myself included, and vent about their dislikes, but it
> can easily get out of hand when it is taken or meant personally.
>
>
>
> I think that we, as members of a population which is below par in the 
> areas
> of income, employment, opportunity and social acceptance, are closer to 
> the
> ragged edge than the general public - and they are pretty close 
> themselves.
> This doesn't excuse unkindness and it can be argued that it ought to give 
> us
> a better understanding of how words and attitudes can hurt. Nonetheless, 
> we
> don't live in an ideal world, and people occasionally lash out.
>
>
>
> The NFB is a wonderful organization with many great programs, ideas and
> people, but to suspect that there isn't any politics, back-stabbing or
> inconsideration of any type is a bit pie-in-the-sky, in my opinion. That's
> human nature, and we are not immune to it.
>
>
>
> I was surprised to hear that some feel we aren't doing much sharing of 
> work
> on this list. It comes and goes, but I thought a few months ago, we were
> going hot and heavy for a time. Anyway, I'm at my own ragged edge, and I
> need to take a break from the list for a little while to get my own house 
> in
> order. No, Robert, I'm not leaving the division and will get my dues paid
> soon. Be gentle with one another and keep writing.
>
> Blessings,
>
> Donna
>
>
>
>
>
> Some thoughts  Read Donna's articles on
> Suite 101:
> http://donna-w-hill.suite101.com/
>
>
>
> Connect with Donna on
> Twitter:
> www.twitter.com/dewhill
> LinkedIn:
> www.linkedin.com/in/dwh99
> FaceBook:
> www.facebook.com/donna.w.hill.
>
>
>
> Knitters, join Donna on Ravelry:
> www.ravelry.com/people/DonnaWHill
>
>
>
> Hear clips from "The Last Straw" at:
> cdbaby.com/cd/donnahill
>
>
>
> Apple I-Tunes
> phobos.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?playListId=259244374
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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