So… I just wanted to quickly show my face on this blog – so you guys know I’m still here and haven’t been swallowed up by a sink-hole.
As many of you already know… my book is now printed (wooo-hoooooo!!!)… and all of my time has been spent on preparing backer’s packs and slowly (but surely) getting copies of the book out to every person who funded my crowdfunding, book-printing campaign.
Preparing the backer’s packs…
If you want to be kept in the loop about how to buy a book (regardless of whether you’re in South Africa or anywhere else in the world)… just drop an e-mail to tracy@themadhat.co.za (she’s my Admin-Queen… she’s good with money… she remembers to post things… she remembers to return phone-calls and e-mails!!).
I’ll do a *proper* book launch thingy (both physically and online)… ONLY after I’ve sent all the bits ‘n pieces to my backer-peeps.
I’m also working like a fiend on getting the new website up… because – it’s kinda silly (and typically shortsighted) of me to be sending out books – which advertise a website – that actually doesn’t EXIST yet!
Once the website is done… I’m going to transfer this blog to that site (it doesn’t really affect you guys – because even if you type in the old “live against the flow” URL – it will automatically plonk you on my new site).
So… *THAT* stuff… (plus renovating our house – again – and preparing it for Air B’nB)… and kids, and life, and birthday parties… is why I’ve been a bit scarce.
Anyhoo… here’s a little cartoon that I scribbled-up a while ago.
I drew it after a conversation with a woman I met in Durban who “heard” something entirely different to what I was actually trying to say. Perhaps – there’s some of you can relate with this?
Anyhoo… there’s a whole LOAD of stuff that the Ranty part of my personality would like to say on the matter… but… I’m not really in the mood for an argument with anybody – so I’ll just leave you with this last little scribble-thought of mine:
Laters…
And remember – if you want to e-mail me for whatever reason… or ask about the book… or what-not – my e-mail is: heather@themadhat.co.za
H x
Living Differently 
Oh Heather, thank you so much, you just made me laugh and cry at the same time! I can so relate to this. There are lots and lots and lots of people out there who will be able to hear you, and understand you and get you–actually a lot more than not. This woman was incapable of hearing you because she has another agenda. Or maybe she is just one of those “let me take what you’ve dared to utter and turn it inside out and upside down, wring all the good intentions out of it, then shove your nose in it like you’ve had a biological accident on the floor in front of hundreds of people, and finish by shaming you into thinking that you have committed an intentional affront to everyone, everywhere who knows anything at all and more specifically a personal slight against me.” Those people come along our path to seriously test us. She doesn’t deserve an explanation or justification. She should get the “art” stake, figuratively speaking of course. Bye-byeee!
Oh I almost forgot this part: “If you try to apologize, explain or back-peddle, I’ll capitalize on your guilt, wollop you again and try to suck your soul out through your tear ducts!”
Bwaaaaa-haa!!!!! I take it that you’re familiar with this type of person, then…..??? *chuckle-of-knowing-glee*….
I have learned over my lifetime that there are some people who WANT to be offended no matter you say. If you say black, they say white, or you agree it is white , they will say gray. Or red, or pink. You are right, we just have to wave and walk away. It is not worth it. Just feel sorry for them, it must be miserable to always be so miserable. That just sucks so much energy out of a person, I could not imagine living that way !!
Sad but oh, so very true!
Yes…. like the penguins of Madagascar… “smile and wave, boys… just smile and wave”. I feel like I really need to practice the art of smiling-and-waving and LETTING IT GO. My *head* understands this. My HEAD knows that it’s impossible to communicate well with everyone – and that – (as you said) some folk just WANT to (and CHOOSE to) be offended – regardless. And my (head) knows that I can’t change this… or *fix* this. But my very idealistic HEART is a lot tougher to reason with! *sigh*…..
My first thought is this: The reason she thinks that you’re trying to say Math and Science is less important than Art and should be replaced with it, is because that’s what’s happened the other way round. If they don’t have power over you, you MUST have power over them. *rolls eyes*
This is literally my most troublesome issue. I pester people re-explaining and apologizing and trying to put it a different way because clearly they just didn’t HEAR me right. When the truth is that they DO NOT CARE, I said it just fine the first time and the kind of communication I want is just NOT going to happen.
Like you, I’m okay with people having a different opinion as long as they disagree respectfully and give my opinion the courtesy I give theirs. Only, I can’t make them be reasonable. When I encounter someone unreasonable, it’s such a challenge for me to think, “Well, *I* know I did not say that. And *I* know this person is being silly and mean,” and walk away, letting it GO. Sometimes I can do it. Sometimes I can’t. It’s a work in progress.
It’s always so nice to read your posts and know I’m not alone. 🙂
Soooooooo true!!! And yes – we can’t *make* anybody do anything. I can’t *make* people be reasonable. I can’t *make* people communicate politely. I can’t *make* anybody do anything that they don’t want to do. As I said to Stephie… my HEAD gets this… knows this… accepts this as one of those “oh-well… it-is-what-it-is” things.
My HEART – on the other hand (my very idealistic heart)… really struggles.
Like you – I’m a work in progress. Sometimes, I’m able to smile and wave and walk away – and LET IT GO. Other times… (and ESPECIALLY if somebody accuses me of something that’s completely *opposite* to what I’m all about)… it has the propensity to frustrate me to such a degree… that I find it hard to even articulate….
Thanks – by the way – for *hearing* me, Giselle! It’s IS nice to be *got*!!! X