There exists an unforgettable dear blogging buddy from my past. Why unforgettable, you might ask? He had gone reading and commenting over many of my oldest posts and subsequently dropped this bomb of an observation, in a friendly manner…maybe:
“geena, you’re a bundle of contradictions.”
Hmm.
My preliminary internal reaction was like “oh okay.” But after a day or two of deep cogitation, it was: “wait, I am a … whaaat?”
Listen, bundle sounds like bungle. So how can this turn good.
It was the first time somebody made such an assessment of me – considering my more than 40 long years of existence on our planet. He’s introspective and a blogging icon so his every input had been meaningful for me. I wanted to knock-knock on his blog and politely question him as to what he meant exactly by his remark. Of course I chickened out because he’d be then quite convinced how lacking I am in comprehension. I couldn’t risk losing the camaraderie.
I tried googling it. Not much luck. The precise meaning of “a bundle of contradictions” and its aptness to my essence as a living entity remains nebulous. Diaphonous. Amorphous.
It’s been three years. The ex-buddy had since dropped off from the face of blogearth when he found a job and got busier. Yet I’m still wondering and scratching my head as to how many or which of my posts led him to believe I’m a “wad of mismatch and variance” (Darn, I really should stop using this lousy thesaurus of mine).
To be continued……. (don’t ask me when)
*************************
Bohemian Sentiments 
I like that Shakespeare passage although I wouldn’t want to be so critical of people. Bundle of contradictions..hmmm. I never got that impression from your posts but maybe I missed something.
I like the rain because it gives me a good excuse to stay home.
Oh don’t believe his evaluation of me 🙂 . Not sure if he did hit the nail on the head because women are, you know, generally like that — a bundle of contradictions. It was amusing, though.
You love the rain. So do I — with the winds. It’s predominantly hot in the Philippines.
I would take “bundle of contradictions” as a compliment. 🙂
“Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.”
– Walt Whitman
Ha ha! We ladies are entitled to keep on changing our minds. All men say women are that crazy. No doubt you’d agree; you’re so much an expert when it comes to women, ahem. 😉
Thank you for the comment, John. Btw, I kept on clicking and looking for Prince of Tides excerpts but the best I’ve got is The Prince of Tides Quotes from Google. If you have a better link, I’d appreciate it very much.
http://www.amazon.com/Prince-Tides-Novel-Pat-Conroy/dp/0553381547/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1247708119&sr=1-1
http://patconroy.com/the-prince-of-tides.php
I just thought of another relevant quote to bolster the idea that you are NOT crazy.
“A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — ‘Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.’ — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
So, rejoice in your alleged “contradictions.” And yes, all men are “experts” on women, eh? At least many like to think they are.
Although, you may cringe at the following sentence from my forthcoming Ch 5: “I fretted about downsizing prior to leaving the South but swapping my wife for a dog was not a difficult decision.”
🙂 🙂 🙂
If those great men were a bundle of contradictions too, then I’m in good company. 😉
Wifi signal has been terrible for a couple of days now the lovely images on your oopsjohn site wouldn’t come out. I’ll keep on trying.
Wait, about that sentence from your forthcoming ch 5, you never had a wife. 🙂
Yes, I was married for two years but didn’t feel the urge to write about it. 😀
Hope your internet connection resolves itself.
Oh I see. It said in ch 1, none of the boys in your family ever got married. Hmm… interesting. Your ex-wife must have been the love of your life. Can’t wait to read ch 5.
I see now that what I wrote was confusing: ” None of the boys ever married and successfully
established a family and all have had significant relationship problems with women.” Two of were married but not “successfully,” and I need to make that clearer in a revision. Thanks for pointing it out to me.
No, ex-wife was not a “true love.” That happens in Los Angeles (Ch 5). Thanks for helping me get my own disheveled life straight. 🙂
Yeah, I just looked it up again to make sure I read things right.
You didn’t come across as a romanticist when it came to your relationships with women yet I’m still hoping to read a few mushy sentiments about an unforgettable love from your past. 🙂
Hi, John. The last post before today’s entry I managed to read although I’ll be honest in saying it wasn’t easy for me. But I’ll have to pass on your most recent one because of the subject. Please pardon me for being weird. 🙂
I beg for your understanding this time. Definitely looking forward to reading the next ones, though.
Have a good week ahead. Take good care. Warmest Regards.
Thank you for letting me know, as I was worried that I had upset you somehow and that you had abandoned me for good. 😦
I am now working on my “falling in love” with Donna episode, although an affair so special is extremely difficult to put into words.
You yourself write beautifully and I can’t wait for the next installment.
😀
Me, abandon someone like you? Impossible. 🙂
I know where you’re coming from as you had held the job of a veterinary assistant in the past. It’s just that my sensitivity to animal sufferings or death will always be tied to who I substantially am. It’s always been a regular sight and awareness and heartbreak for me here where I live. So I try to avoid reading about it when I transport myself to this virtual realm.
I am quite happy you fully get and understand me on this issue.
I am so looking forward to your Donna episode, John. The other sections of your entire life story I’ve been anticipating to read as well.
Thank you for your kind words. You’ve been a major inspiration to me for the magnificent writer that you are. Aah, I can’t help repeating what you already know. 🙂
There exists an unforgettable blogging buddy from my past. Why unforgettable, you might ask? He had gone reading and commenting over several of my oldest posts and subsequently dropped this bomb of an observation, in a (maybe) friendly manner:
“geena, you’re a bundle of contradictions.”
Hmm. My preliminary internal reaction was “oh okay.” But after a day or two of deep cogitation, it was: “wait a sec, I’m a whaaat?”
Listen, bundle sounds like bungle. So how can this turn good.
It was the first time somebody made such an assessment of me – considering my more than 40 long years of existence on this planet. He’s introspective and a blogging icon so his every input was both meaningful and precious. I wanted to knock-knock on his blog and politely question him as to what he meant exactly by his remark. Of course I chickened out because he’d be then quite convinced how lacking I am in comprehension. I couldn’t risk losing the camaraderie.
I tried googling it. Not much luck. The precise meaning of “a bundle of contradictions” and its aptness to my essence as a living entity remains nebulous. Diaphonous. Amorphous.
It’s been three years. The ex-buddy had since dropped off from the face of blogearth when he found a job and got busier. Yet I’m still wondering and scratching my head as to how many or which of my posts led him to believe I’m a “wad of mismatch and variance” (Darn, I really should stop using this lousy thesaurus of mine).