Hello!
I'm Melinda. I'm in the middle of crafting a first draft of my first-ever urban fantasy. It's about a middle-aged Atheist who develops the ability to hear other people's prayers. I'm hoping the Litreactor community will help me grow my story and develop my talents. I'm also looking for the good company of like-minded, writerly souls.
In my free time I love to: travel 3rd class to exotic locales*; make photos; write fantastical stories with strong female protagonists; create tasty vegetarian feasts for loved ones; paint images celebrating the divine feminine; go on long rambling walks; calm my mind, spirit, and body with Yoga; and laze about and read with my kitty Captain Wentworth.
*In addition to my day job in the corporate world, I am a freelance travel writer and photographer, hopeful romantic, and daydream believer. When I'm not busy exploring the world with my camera, I'm busy planning and imagining my next trip. I write a travel-photography blog called Global Snapshots on the Wanderlust and Lipstick website: http://wanderlustandlipstick.com/blogs/globalsnapshots/.
I'm glad to be here! I look forward to getting to know you all.
In joy,
Melinda Eliza
Welcome!
Welcome. I found out this past summer that I can hoola hoop. It's kind of like Bruce Willis in Unbreakable finding out he was a super hero.
Don't be afraid to occasionally post up some recipes, I'm always looking for something new.
So you're one of these 'don't call me a chick' chicks. Welcome to LitReactor!
Welcome! What's hoop dancing?!
Welcome.
Welcome! We take all third-classers and worse.
Hi.
It's about a middle-aged Atheist who develops the ability to hear other people's prayers.
Love it.
Welcome Melinda,
I can't Hoop-Dance but my profile says I love scuba-knitting so I guess I'm like the Aqua-man/woman of the group. That kind of sucks.
Hi Melinda,
Welcome to litreactor. Nice to see another vegetarian around, not many of us here ;)
Enjoy!
Jess
I find it surprising that more writers aren't vegetarians, given the empathetic nature of the art.
Not a dig at you Check, but find it odd that people still expect writers to be a fairly homogeneous group.
Hi Melinda!
I'm an aspiring vegetarian. (meaning, I eat as little meat as I possibly can, but still eat sea food and I wish I didn't eat that either but some health concerns require me to eat "good fats"). Ok, now I realize, that's TMI for an introduction. But I was inspired to say that.
Dwayne:
That was a bit of a straw man argument, especially considering there is no debate to the statement I made. Fiction writers are, by trade, empathetic beings; otherwise, the art is shit. This is the basis of strong characters. If we truly empathize, this should extend beyond our own species. At a very basic level, we can empathize pain. Squish an ant between your fingers. It squirms. It writhes. Cut a worm in half. Watch it spasm as shit, blood, guts ooze from all ends.
Or in other words, we all understand that life is suffering, something no one should ever wish upon anyone or any other animal.
Perhaps Vonnegut said it best: “Life is no way to treat an animal.”
I would never suggest homogeneity. I would, however, suggest empathy.
Pass the bacon!
Anyway. Welcome, Melinda.
Although empathy is required, it does not in and of itself mean the artiest cares.
Well, Dwayne, then that is not empathy you are speaking of. Or if it is, such a person/artist claiming to be an empathist but also claiming "not to care" seems contradictory--or, at the very least, guilty of bad faith. Empathy, so long as we're speaking of the same term, is closely aligned with vicariousness and sympathy.
Empathy, so long as we're speaking of the same term, is closely aligned with vicariousness and sympathy.
I have suspicions regarding use of adverbs to prove the proximity of one emotion to another.
@Check - I'm using the dictionary definitions of the words, which has 'empathy' as a morally neutral word similar to 'notice'. Empathy means understanding and being aware of another's emotions. Sympathy means to share another's emotions. It is a important and needed distinction, since it is possible for exploitative people to understand emotions so they can take advantage of them.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/empathy
Kudos to locating a dictionary. I particularly enjoyed this portion: "the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another ..."
So? How can one be sensitive to the feelings, thoughts, experiences of another being yet still not care? Especially regarding something like pain. It seems a bit strange to say, "So long as it's not my taxidermied head mounted over a fireplace. Skull fuck Bambi's stupid eye socket for all I care. But that's not to say I don't totally empathize with the little fellow. I just don't care."
That's a possibility, I suppose. Like Patrick Bateman stroking a dog before snapping its neck.
EDIT: What it ultimately comes down to is not something as innocent as "not caring," as you've suggested. It's a bit more nuanced, a bit more willful than that. It has to do with sacrifice. People find comfort in food and likewise don't want to give up eating meat, fish, what have you.
Alas, Dwayne, we've hijacked Melinda's introduction thread. By all means, respond, but I will thus restrain myself from further debate on the matter. Perhaps create a new thread. Call it something clever like Pass the bacon, or Why double cheeseburgers rule, et cetera, et cetera, ad nauseum.
I love strong female protagonists. Have you read Winter's Bone?
Oh I am going to have to try hoop dancing!!
@Check - I think that hijacking a intro thread is a great way to show the new guy what's up, but sure I'll play along.
http://litreactor.com/discuss/empathy-vs-sympathy-mean-of-words
I thought 'hoop dancing' was what my gay mate Sam does when at a club trying to get lucky!
Only if you typed that through tears of frustration. Till then you're a FNG.
I assumed it was a hulahoop.