From Tony Burgess on Tumblr: Being The Black Sheep, It Takes Courage

Being The Black Sheep, It Takes Courage - Its tough being a black sheep in ones family. However if you don’t stand for something you will fall for anything. ...

I particularly like his term marching "to the beat of a different drummer" because it is true for me. There is a recognizable zeitgeist propelling most of the populace in a certain direction. And then there are those like me...like us...who just seem to think and feel differently.

Fence-sitting

On the same vein as unclear thinking, I have been, several times over, accused of having no opinion not just for my common practice of neglecting to express it, but also for the fact that I will readily bat for either team provided I have sufficient knowledge and information for the defence.

Thinking unclearly

I just realised I'm not the most opinionated person in the world.

Okay, this would probably fall under the category of misnomers or something.

Work Pride

There is nothing wrong in having it, only in having excessive amounts of it.

I bring this up because I am reminded, randomly, of the time when even servants--y'know, usually of a non-Caucasian ethnicity and often just barely speaking their master's language--took great pride in their work. Those who watch Downton Abbey may notice this of the servants--this time of similar ethnicity but often of lower educational and social background--in the series.

(Please note that I haven't actually watched full episodes of Downton Abbey, I am merely familiar with the period.)

Getting into Character

Let's open with the statement that I am not yet a proper actor. Not yet.

I've been told, however, that I can create very convincing characters.

Princess Fantasies

First let me make it clear that I've never wanted to become a princess, exactly. I only ever wanted their clothes and perhaps that handsome prince who always seems to be part of the package.

My princess (wardrobe) fantasies began very early in my life owing, perhaps, to the fact that most books I read were of princesses and fairy tale adventures. I can't say I fancied the idea of having to go through running through a dark forest to escape my wicked stepmother, or sleeping for a hundred years, but if you're not into the whole damsel in distress drama, I'm quite sure you would understand the separation between wanting the material bits (have I stressed the clothes enough times yet?) but not the work part (really now, running a kingdom?).

Truth really is stranger

I saw this on my Twitter feed this morning and it just made complete sense.

I believe I've mentioned before that I'm a Creative Writing major. If there's one thing that our professors ever so determinedly pounded into our heads it was for us to write so that everything would fit and flow logically.

Shelter Volunteering #1: Don't just say it--do it!

NOTE: The opinions expressed in this entry are purely my own and do not reflect those of other volunteers or the organization. Just so we're clear on that.

I spent last Saturday at a local animal shelter where I have been volunteering for the past year now and the kinds of people we encounter daily continue to amaze me.

I honestly think that one way to gauge the kind of person you're dealing with is how they deal with and/or react to animals. Not everyone likes animals, I know, but you don't have to like animals to treat them well as fellow creations of God.

Just typing that made me feel rather wishy-washy, I'll be honest. But I have seen people express concern over the situation of "poor animals on the street" and in the same breath go "why don't you do something about it?"