NOTE FROM THE EDITOR…
TO SUGGEST OR TO COMPLAIN?
“If you have time to whine and complain about something, then you have the time to do something about it.“ ~Anthony J. D’Angelo, The College Blue Book
Living by the old adage of “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all” is a nice thought however, if we all abide by that what kind of world will we live in? Perhaps a Pleasantville, settled in uniformity and no fear of the unknown—I’m sure it’d be nice for a day or two of a week to live in a world where everything just fell into place at all times not having to worry about what tomorrow held. Yes, a perfect existence, perfect that is until the misery of the well-known and the same day in and day out routine caught up to us. I much prefer the one that starts with, “If you don’t have anything constructive to say…”
Fortunately for us, we don’t live in a world where what we can do is limited (so long as it is on the right side of the law of course), and we live in a city that more than most facilitates and encourages the left brain thinking as much as that of the right and time and time again presents us with the opportunity to put that thinking into action. So those of us that are creative create and present it to the subjectivity of those that may or may not appreciate it. I have been lucky with many of my endeavors and have a great support system and I give thanks for that, but in turn I am also supportive of those around me not in return or because I feel like I have to as much as because I want to.
I rarely write pieces of this nature. Not because of any uncertainty in where I stand on issues, nor fear of backlash, not even due to my well known diplomatic clear thinking disposition. If I had to pick a reason or two, for the most part it would come down to the fact that I can usually understand and justify the viewpoints and actions of most (so long as they are not being harmful to others in the process) even more often, though it comes down to the fact that I don’t feel compelled enough to voice any opinion at all, at least not via a public platform. Aside from all of that, I am usually too busy with my own projects.
This weekend’s FYF Fest is the cause for this moment of reflection. While there are many who will be quick to point out that it was a disorganized disaster in the operations department and be even quicker to express their disgust at where this event fell short, there are just as many who will be quick to express how blown away by some of the performances by the artists who took the stage in the sweltering downtown heat. (more…)