Turning Point?

You know how sometimes you hear or see something that immediately riles you up? You know the feeling that sometimes you just have to jump in with both feet and say what you feel? For me, it’s just my way of applying my version of common sense to an increasingly and maddeningly frustrating world of overbearing political correctness, acts of outright evil and the growing culture of the Nanny State. So yesterday in yet another day of stultifying boredom at work I did the usual blog round. I ended up at the site of Blue Witch. I can’t say I’m an avid reader, and I’m sure she thinks the same of me. However, I found myself both laughing at her recent musings, agreeing with some and hating others. Grist to the Mill one might say. A recent post was a little tale of an encounter she had with someone she knows who has draped her house in masses of Christmas Lights (that’s Christmas, not Festive or Holiday lights).

Basically Blue Witch is somewhat anti on this subject, mainly on environmental grounds but also on the rather vague “light pollution” issue as well. All well and good and each to their own would be my normal attitude. However, my mood being what it was yesterday caused me to write some comments along the lines of “Why oh why do some people have to be such bloody killjoys…..live and let live…..who are the real culprits……kids love sparkly lights displays….get a life etc etc” – it just seemed to be yet another sanctimonious piece of preaching the moral high ground.

To which Blue Witch replied, assertively but very kindly putting me in my place. So I replied again and await the next answer. Because I love an argument (as opposed to a row! So, this post was destined to be about me finally losing my rag with the sanctimonious and pious goody two shoes culture that seemed to be afflicting blogging. Then I realised that Blue Witch pissing on my fireworks had jolted me somehow. It’s HER opinion and as such if I want to live by a maxim of “live and let live” under the JS Mill “principle of greatest utility” then she has done me no personal harm. I might not agree, but then I should argue my case clearly and cohesively if I disagree with an opinion. I am asking myself if the dark thoughts pervading my mind of “tory-fication” under the influence of Romanced Diva are leading me to become intolerant of others views if I don’t like them. Of course it’s her blog, and if I don’t like what is said then I can say so (without being rude or personal). If it gets too much, then like my view of The Daily Fascist then I simply don’t read it (although for the most part her site is good fun).

It’s a timely lesson for me in occasionally dragging yourself out of the environment that can take your mood and demeanour to an abnormal place and warp your view of normality, giving people the wrong impression of you. And making you feel twisted. Add to this the interview I have just attended (more later) which even if i don't get the job, went well and reminded me of just how fucking good I am sometimes (cue sound of mini-jacks blowing trumpets!). I just need to remember to stop, take stock, give myself the once over check and remember who I am.

So blog on Blue Witch and everyone else. Be pious, be sanctimonious, be controversial , be irritating, be hateful, be spiteful, be kind, be respectful. It’s the variety of life’s rich tapestry, and maybe just maybe a little event like a wrist slap from another blogger is the catalyst to getting Jack back to the lesser, but ostensibly still Grumpy Bloke. Things look brighter already. And it might just start with an environmentally unfriendly display of some new tacky Xmas lights on the front of GrocerJack Palace.

Later, GrocerJack

PS – the picture is just something nice to look at and to remind me of where I want to be, and where I WILL be again!