Maybe I can’t handle criticism.

This is dizzying.

Hey, remind me to tell you about the time I talked to Howard Jones on the phone…and, even though I’ve talked to much bigger stars, he was my college crush (yes, that’s humiliating) and I completely made a fool of myself, but I didn’t care. Remind me to tell you about that.

That was a reeeeaallly friggin good entry. rilly-rilly. friggin. good. And, I might add… poignant.

The thing is, if you write for any legth of time, you develop a criticism-absorption muscle. I have finally gotten to the point where I can totally remove my ego from the revision process. I embrace criticism of all kinds because it’s humbling, it forces one to justify creative choices, and because often times the bastards are right.

However, I will say that the worst is when your own fans are working against you. Sometimes a disconnect occurs when a person thinks they “get” your work and runs around acting as your cheerleader, hyping your stuff, heaping praise upon you; and only later do you find out, when you overhear them talking you up at a party: they do not “get” a damn thing about your work. In fact, they’ve got it all wrong. And then you wish you could somehow get them to just un-like it. And you want to run up on them at the party and scream, “Shut up! The Fat Penguin represents America, not a ‘well-endowed ethnic man!’ It’s about Global Corporatism, NOT ‘the magic of interracial friendship!’ Jeez, just shut-up! Just shut-up you stinky little midget!”

BTW, it’s worth noting here that none of the above has ever actually happened - I’ve never had a “fan,” “hype,” or an allegorical fable involving a Fat Penguin and a Saucy Sardine. Point of fact: I have never once been “talked up” at a party - by a stinky little midget or otherwise. I was just using that as a ‘for instance’ because… you know… I’m sure that kind of stuff actually happens to people out there right? Like to Stephen King or something. Can someone help me out here?

Anyhoo, great post, Pauly. Keep up the good work.

I can usually handle criticism, if it’s given at the right time–after I’ve finished a project, not along the way. It also has to be from someone who knows what they’re talking about.

I will probably join the group. I need the camaraderie.