My older son likes to say that opinions are like assholes; everyone has one, and they all stink.
So, I’m thinkin’: HEY! I’ve got opinions—and an asshole! Hell—some even say I am an asshole! There you have it!
Seriously, folks. As the links on my Stuff page represent, I’m almost as big a fan of essays as I am of short fiction and my biases are similar. Some of the blogs I frequent approach essay quality; not coincidentally, it’s usually where frequent posts are short or longer ones are not. A little reflection goes a long way, as far as I’m concerned. (Besides, the point of this exercise is to focus on fiction and I may already be too lazy and undisciplined to compete with younger bloggers, anyway. The “of the Week” part is more of a guideline than a rule. We’ll see, won’t we?)
Two guiding principles here: This is intended to be catharsis for me and rescue for the wife and kids. Red and I are empty-nesters and they’re full-grown, so she bears the brunt of my curmudgeonly household wrath. Judging by the amount of sighing and eye-rolling I detect whilst opening my mouth in their company any more, my continued health may be riding on it.
Ground Rules: These are (1) opinions that are (2) mine alone and (3) freely given; as such they are worth every penny invested. Any implication that they are superior in any way to yours, if different, is unintentional. If my logic is flawed, my syllogism incomplete, or I otherwise err, please feel free to write. If we merely disagree—and especially if yours is the personality type that requires that miscreants like me be brought to heel with harsh words—please don’t waste your time. Just write me off as another waste of a carbon-based life form that, if you’re lucky, you’ll never have to meet.
Next week: Let us begin…