The View from a Drawbridge

Tag: opinions

  • Being on Their List

    I don’t consider myself a journalist. Nor do I consider myself an influencer. My humble blog is small potatoes, so I’m probably safe, for now. Move along. Nothin’ to read, here. But I must admit, this article in Forbes, entitled Department Of Homeland Security Compiling Database Of Journalists And ‘Media Influencers’ has me clutching my…

  • Having Something to Say

    It occurred to me recently that before you can be a writer, you must first have something to say. You have to have opinions and thoughts and ideas. You have to be good at explaining and/or describing things. You can’t be hesitant to speak your mind. I’ve always had something to say. No doubt about…

  • Standing in My Integrity

    I once stayed in a 16-year relationship because I didn’t want to hurt the guy’s feelings. Like most women, I’ve been trained since childhood to put everyone ahead of myself. And I’m good at it. Too good. Some things never change. I came across this article about a school in Utah where the little girls…

  • Strong Personalities

    Just the other day I got told I have a strong personality. I get that a lot. The observation usually comes from a man, and it’s not intended as a compliment. I’m also often told that I “speak my mind” or am “opinionated”. (Uh, isn’t that an opinion?) I can’t deny any of those descriptions.…

  • Am I Getting Through to You?

    In the extremely polarized world in which we now live, I often suspect that I am preaching to the choir. I write this blog every day, and I’m usually discussing things that I feel very strongly about. Lately I wonder if this is turning into one long political rant. I fear I’m starting to sound…

  • Pick on Someone Your Own Size

    Of all the collateral damage caused by our Grand Poobah, I have to say I feel the most sorry for Barron Trump. If he’s not being criticized about being sleepy at 3 in the morning, he’s being called “Poor Little Rich Boy” or being accused of mental health issues. Childhood is hard enough without being…

  • Don’t Write People Off

    I know a woman who stops speaking to people entirely after one disagreement. It must be awfully stressful to keep track of who are the good guys and who are the bad guys. I wonder if she keeps a sad little list or something. That, and she seems to think that a lack of interaction…

  • Leggo My Ego

    In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve always had piss-poor self-esteem. I’ve always felt kind of weird. Different from everyone else. Like I don’t fit in. Because of that, I leave myself rather vulnerable to criticism. Any hint of censure from someone else causes me to think, “Maybe THAT’S it! That’s what has always been…

  • Hiding Your Light under a Bushel

    I used to be in a relationship with someone who wrote a diary every single solitary day for decades. That’s pretty darned impressive. He wants to donate it to the Smithsonian someday. The thing is (yeah, yeah, there’s always a thing), no one will want to read it except the most steadfast historians. His diary…

  • “American Blogger Killed”

    When I read that headline the other day, my blood ran cold. Because, hey, I’m an American Blogger, so I take stuff like this personally. (Okay, so my notoriety isn’t that overwhelming, but it still strikes a chord.) According to the Reuters article, the blogger in question, Avijit Roy, was based in Bangladesh, which, let’s…