Mo's Manic Monday - Wind

Posted: Monday, July 23, 2007 by Travis Cody in
25



Welcome to another Manic Monday with Morgen. Today's theme is Wind. Don't forget to visit MM HQ at It's A Blog Eat Blog World. And big thanks to Mo and Janna for their work on the varied Manic Monday banners.

I'm inspired by the word Wind, and I'm inspired by this Archive Meme with which I was tagged.

In service to both MM and Meme, I'm reaching back to November 2006 when I was an infant blogger. I published this poem in my fifth post. A friend of mine had been ripped and ridiculed for putting forth an unpopular opinion, and she had convinced herself that she had made a mistake not only in voicing the opinion, but in having it in the first place.

So I wrote about mistakes because we all make them. And I wrote about forgiving yourself, because sometimes we forget to tell ourselves it's ok.

It's too bad sometimes that the wind of popular opinion often blows so strongly in our faces that we feel the safer course is to bolt up the storm shutters and hunker down in the cellar.

So I posted this poem. As I wrote back when I first published the post, I guess the point or meaning of the poem is to act on life rather than waiting to let life act on you, because no matter what you do, life is gonna happen. Why not get out in front of it?


INDISCRIMINATE WINDS

When I move I lose focus
And the vision of who I am
Shimmers and blows away
Like a hot breeze whips desert sands

If I don't move at all
My life is a dune
Shapeless and insubstantial
Subject to the indiscriminate
Winds of change



Happy MM y'all!

25 comments:

  1. Anonymous says:
    22 July, 2007 22:37

    what a great poem!! My first post wasn't half as good as that poem!! Great MM.

  1. Desert Songbird says:
    22 July, 2007 23:07

    Act, or be acted up. Good philosophy, I think.

  1. Janna says:
    23 July, 2007 00:11

    It's too early in the morning to think, but I'm still pretty sure that was a really cool poem. :)

  1. Terra Shield says:
    23 July, 2007 02:24

    Nice poem... winds are awfully lovely, by the way... until they get scary

  1. Anonymous says:
    23 July, 2007 05:10

    nice poem. happy monday and the rest of the week!

  1. Nancy Lindquist-Liedel says:
    23 July, 2007 05:20

    I think sometimes people forget that unpopular opinions have been responsible for great good in this world.

  1. Vinny "Bond" Marini says:
    23 July, 2007 05:31

    Loved this one the first time Travis.... still do

    WOOOOOOOOOOO

    :::tosses flaming walnuts::::TRAV IS A RISING BLOGGER!!!!!!

    Congrats dude..well earned...

  1. Schmoop says:
    23 July, 2007 07:21

    Winds of Change by The Scorpions rocked. Cheers Travis.

  1. the Book of Keira says:
    23 July, 2007 07:57

    Oh, yes. I'm totally feelin' this :-)

  1. Julie says:
    23 July, 2007 08:13

    Wooo....I like this post....I've always been a take charge gal so I suppose that makes me proactive rather then reactive, right?

    I usually stir up the wind and sometimes suffer the consequences.

    Oh well!

  1. Durward Discussion says:
    23 July, 2007 08:26

    Now that is an interesting meme ... a chance to be lazy and go grab something you already wrote. Fortunately, it is an interesting poem.

  1. Bobby Griffin says:
    23 July, 2007 10:50

    Hey there Trav,

    I'd like to take this time and congratulation you on your awesome blog and inform you that you are in the running for Bestest Blog of the Year. You are up against 104 other excellent blogs that have all qualified by being "Bestest Blog of the Day" in the past 12 months. Voting starts TODAY (July 23rd) and will end in 2 weeks (August 6th). Winners will be announced on August 7th!

    The winner will be receiving (at least) a $50 prize and a ton of new visitors I'm sure. Other blogs that finish in the top 10 will also be getting a few new links and extra exposure. Full details of the contest can be found here. So what can you do to increase your chances of winning?

    1. Go vote for yourself (duh!)
    2. Encourage others to vote for you. Here is the URL: http://www.blankestblank.com/bestest/blog-of-the-year/. You can also find a nifty little graphic to include on your blog here.
    3. Encourage others to register before voting. Registered users votes count 3 times more than guests.
    4. Keep up the great blogging that got you here in the first place. People are going to be stopping by your blog before voting, and if you have some great, new content, that'll surely increase your vote.

    Again, congratulations and good luck! And if you're interested in winning another "blog of the day" award and get in the running for next year's award, check out the new "Blankest Blank Blog Directory." Questions? Please feel free to email me or drop by the forum.

  1. Mo and The Purries says:
    23 July, 2007 11:55

    I love the phrase "indiscriminate winds"
    cheers!
    windbag mo

  1. Travis Cody says:
    23 July, 2007 12:00

    Bridget: Thanks! One of the original reasons for starting this blog was to have a place to share my work. It's evolved into a little more than that, but it's still one of the main parts.

    Songbird: Agreed.

    Janna: Check again when both eyes are open and your brain has been engaged. LOL!

    Terra: Wind isn't my favorite weather phenomenon. I have respect but no love for it.

    Mousey: Thanks and right back atcha!

    Nancy: Good point.

    V: Woooooooooo!! **swings and hits a deep fly ball, way back, this one's outta here**

    Matt: I believe you are correct. Cheers back atcha!

    108: Cool beans!

    Julie: But a life spent doing nothing for fear of error is no life at all, right?

    Jamie: That's one way to look at it. Hopefully when I post the meme tomorrow, the older posts will be worth seeing again.

    Bobby: Thank you for the note.

  1. Unknown says:
    23 July, 2007 14:00

    Beautiful poem, Trav! I LOVE when you post your work - it´s always a pleasure for me to read and think about it. Please NEVER stop =)

  1. Sandee says:
    23 July, 2007 14:53

    You are so talented Travis, you really are. Have a great MM. :)

  1. Tammie Jean says:
    23 July, 2007 17:29

    You crafted a great image with the wind of popular opinion blowing in our faces - very nice! Love the poem too :)

  1. Travis Cody says:
    23 July, 2007 18:19

    Mo: Catchy ain't it?

    Sanni: Thank you sweetie!

    Comedy: Awwww shucks!

    TJ: I appreciate that!

  1. Mary says:
    23 July, 2007 22:16

    Beautiful poem! Loved it :) Happy MM!

  1. Anonymous says:
    23 July, 2007 22:29

    Great writing, Trav. I always enjoy reading what you write.

    I didn't get a MM up today... life got in the way, lol.

  1. Travis Cody says:
    24 July, 2007 06:23

    Mert: Thanks!

    Alice: It happens sometimes.

  1. Anonymous says:
    24 July, 2007 06:28

    Love the poem!

  1. Anonymous says:
    24 July, 2007 13:46

    wow that is an excellant poem!!

    i know that feeling;0

  1. Linda says:
    24 July, 2007 14:55

    An excellent poem and I'm glad you reposted it as I most definitely missed it the first time around.

    I think that oftentimes, whether we mean to or not, we all post something that rubs someone else the wrong way as we are all individuals and hold individual opinions. Some things inflame more passion than others but if we are going to be honest with ourselves and with the rest of the people in the Blogosphere, we have to be able to speak our minds and then stand by our convictions.

    I think that's what you meant by this poem, I hope I'm not too far off.

  1. Travis Cody says:
    25 July, 2007 06:28

    Lois & Wolfbaby: Thanks!

    Linda: One of the things I love about poetry is that we can often find things in it for ourselves that the writer may or may not have intended. And I agree with you that we must be free to express our opinions, and indeed to have opinions. I would hope that when we express them, the response is respectful and we can refrain from name-calling and abusive behavior. To say "I disagree with you and this is why" seems more effective than "Shut up you're an idiot for thinking that way".

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