Anything but myself. Unfortunately, that seems to be the main mode of social discourse in the world. People mostly want to hear enough about me that they feel justified in telling me more about them. I’m an ideas guy: philosophy, science, literature, technology, economy, international affairs, etc. (Also, travel, but that only works with travelers — a tiny segment of the population.)
Like everyone, with a great deal less civility.
Also, with the recognition that no one is trapped by societal convention, so one must be concise, or no one will take it in.
Also, I end sentences with prepositions more.
Performed? Not yet. (Unless you count “Crowd Member Milling About [with No Lines] – #7” in an Elementary School Christmas Pageant.) Given a speech? Yes. Unless it is completely impromptu, it is nowhere near the top of my list of horrifying life events.
A thing is mighty big when time
Zora Neale hurston; Tell my horse
and distance cannot shrink it.
…if you want to be elected, it is better
hunter s. thompson; Better than sex
to be Mean than to be Funny.
And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile,
jesus; Matthew 5:38-40
go with him twain.
The only gamblers who will talk openly
Kit chellel; lucky devils
are the ones who don’t make money.
The successful ones keep their mouths shut.
To live a creative life,
joseph chilton pearce
we must lose our fear of being wrong.
What quality do you value most in a friend?
The ability to converse intelligently on a wide range of subjects.
As might be expected of a device that only exists to facilitate lazy, I don’t have impassioned feelings about any emoji, but I do use the “thumbs up” more than all others combined, so I guess it would be fair to say that’s it. “Thumbs up” is very versatile, and if one is being so lazy as to use an emoji for communication, one might as well go all out an add ambiguity to the mix. “Thumbs up” just says, I have some kind of feeling between indifferent and ecstatic about what you’ve just said.
Yes, I have a thousand tongues,
And nine and ninety-nine lie.
Though I strive to use the one,
It will make no melody at my will,
But is dead in my mouth.
I see the writing on the wall,
and find it untrustworthy
because of all the stories
of valiant warriors
framed for treason
with forged poems
scrawled on tavern walls.
And of the virtuous men
who did write rancorous poems,
but did so while blackout drunk.
And I wonder whether the words
I am seeing are forged or written
under the influence
of intoxicants,
or -- possibly -- they are the truth.
But I cannot read them,
so I find them irrelevant,
though they may convey
crucial information,
such as:
- the existence of a vampire infestation, or
- the presence of cholera in the town well.
So, I can see the writing on the wall,
but I find it neither trustworthy
nor relevant --
(though my life may depend
on its contents.)
Snarkily, sincerely… all sorts of ways, really.
With respect to giving a performance, not since elementary school plays, and I was not good. As for speeches, yes, a number of them.
Tiger Riding for Beginners 