Shanon Norman
Bio
Stories (130/0)
Isolation, Neglect, and Apathy in Society
I haven't wanted to leave the house lately. I think about reclusive personalities that I've read about (like Emily Dickinson) and seen in movies (like Helen Hudson played by Sigourney Weaver in Copycat) and I wonder if my attitude is "normal" or "crazy" or "typical" considering what everybody has seen and heard this past decade. I don't believe that isolation is a "normal" human behavior or that it is good for us, yet it seems to me that the whole construct of the city (not saying that rural areas are any better) is set up to promote isolation, neglect, and apathy. I find it distressing as I approach my elder years having already qualified for retirment a bit early, knowing that the "good times" or "glory days" of my past are extinct. The young people today have a totally different attitude and outlook on what fun is, what success is, and what family is. The old values have been replaced by new technology, new ideology, and new ethics. Sociology was supposed to teach me and citizens how to get along with others in various settings, but even with my age, experience, and education, I'm discovering over and over again that there is no way to learn what Sociology promised to teach. It makes me refer to a character in the movie "Shawshank Redemption" ---- Brooks. He had been "institutionalized" meaning after he received his life sentence to prison, he never considered that he would be set free. So when they released him as a very old man, and he saw the world again after all those years away from it, it was not only shocking, but too "fast" and too "different" for him to adapt to. This is happening to me and others, not because we don't know what adapting is and not because we are lazy or unable to try something new, but simply because the skills required (like cell phones, apps, gps, etcetera) are not created with elders in mind. These new modern inventions were created soley for the next generation --- those who have perfect vision, perfect hearing, and perfect health. So the rest of us who have survived the "wars" of life and have any disabilities not only have to endure the civilization with our handicaps, but we also have to tolerate the fact that the younger and healthier folks get additional benefits simply because technology is on their side, invented for them, not for the elders who need help more than they do.
By Shanon Norman10 months ago in The Swamp
The Age of the Voyeur
I don't hate society and civilization as much as I gripe like I do. It's just that I had hoped that after 2023 years of biblical studies and holy wars and 200 years of American indoctrination, humans would have evolved enough to be honest with themselves and others. I know we all lie sometimes to makes things easier or kinder, but some of the bologna sandwiches that the media serves are just plain rotten and I'm not talking about Rotten Tomatoes.
By Shanon Norman10 months ago in Geeks
How to Save Hollywood and the World
Free Your Mind and be prepared for an essay editorial that will not follow any rules of grammar, spelling, form, or style. This random rant about Woke Culture, Current Affairs, and the rise or fall of Hollywood is exactly the way we need to be in order to make things better instead of worse. I say this with confidence after having graduated from 13 years of public school with a diploma, four years of college with a very expensive degree, and 8 months of Jail (or Yale) having survived wearing my orange robes and graduating to the toughest school -- the streets. There isn't a school I'm afraid to try and one of the best scholars or teachers I knew imprinted a quote that still echoes in my mind that I'll repeat for you: "The business of education is serious business."
By Shanon Norman11 months ago in Humans
Don't Underestimate a Star
So if you know me you know that I was a big fan of the Netflix show "Stranger Things" and I had wanted to see Hopper in the Santa Claus comedy movie, but I didn't get to the theater in time to do so. I didn't even check how many rotten tomatoes it got, but the trailers made me laugh and I still want to see it. Maybe next Christmas.
By Shanon Norman11 months ago in Geeks
Thinking about Roles I've played
I was thinking about all the characters I've seen in shows or read about in books and how archtypes do define us whether we know about them or not. There are many roles for us to play in a lifetime. We begin as someone's child, then when we are considered "grown up" or "adult" we take on other roles, sometimes big and sometimes small. Like a bagger in a grocery store is a small role, yet that doesn't mean the bagger is not an adult. Just not a super powered Boss in a stressful management position. I think the bagger role, even if it's considered small, is more like what I want to be about in this phase or stage of my life. I'm 52 and big responsibility seems to me too much stress that I don't want to spend whatever energy I have on. I'm usually good at coming up with ideas for businesses or those with money and ambition. I wish I could just be an advisor that could sell my ideas instead of being envious about not making money because I can't lead or create the enterprise. Regardless, I know that there have been many archtypes that have not only influenced my life, but that my life has emulated.
By Shanon Norman11 months ago in Journal
Violence in Theater
I remember watching "A Clockwork Orange" for the first time when I was about 15 years old. Because of the naked female statues at the bar, I thought it was some kind of porno. Makes me laugh now, knowing more about Anthony's great piece of literature and the theater group that depicted it. However, this piece was only the beginning to many viewings of violence in theater. I moved on to slasher/horror movies, but after Jason and Freddie had their duke out and made the 100th sequel, I started finding it hilarious instead of disturbing. Aliens became more interesting especially because Sigourney Weaver is such a great actress and so good at playing a fierce badass.
By Shanon Norman11 months ago in Geeks
The Road to Therapy
Forrest Gump said, "Stupid is as stupid does." which was a great retelling of his mama's quote. They always called him stupid, so he needed that comeback line. I call myself stupid when I have a month as bad as the May that we just finished. May 2023 was definitely on the top ten list of stupidest months I've ever done. Yikes, I had forgotten I could be that stupid.
By Shanon Norman11 months ago in Psyche
Kansas City Shooting stirs thoughts
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/84-year-old-missouri-man-accused-of-shooting-ralph-yarl-has-surrendered-to-police/ar-AA1a13YG?bncnt=BroadcastNews_TopStories&ocid=msedgntp&FORM=BNC001&cvid=3bc445c6c46d473084f7728585639f40&ei=37
By Shanon Normanabout a year ago in Criminal
The Second Roaring 20s are Pragmatic
It's a re-do. It took me 20 years to understand, but these first few decades of the new millenium are a re-do of the 20th century. (For those of you who don't know what that means, the 1900s.) Face it, the 20th century was all industry and commercialism. The Rockerfellers and Carnegies and Trumps made their fortunes jumping on that train. Good for them and their minions. The rest of us were lucky to get a tent at Homeless Camp and an EBT card.
By Shanon Normanabout a year ago in FYI
Jennifer Lawrence makes an impression
I had written in another article that Jennifer Lawrence did not win an Oscar, but came to discover that I was wrong. She did win an Oscar at the age of 22 for her role as Tiffany in Silver Linings Playbook. That is my favorite performance from her and I'm glad she won, but I did not know that until recently. I decided to write about Jennifer Lawrence, as a fan and admirer, and also to mention the five characters she has played in the films I have seen her in. These five roles are iconic in my opinion.
By Shanon Normanabout a year ago in Geeks
Life as a Zombie
I used to tell my son that I though Vampires were better than Zombies. He was obsessed about the show "The Walking Dead" and at the time I was mostly just watching "Game of Thrones" and "The Big Bang Theory" so I wasn't sure if I could get into a show about life with Zombies. I said, "Vampires are better looking monsters." I suppose that was my way of being "snobby" or my pride and vanity talking. If I had to be a monster, I thought being a beautiful monster would be better.
By Shanon Normanabout a year ago in Confessions
Life not according to plan
Prepare yourself for a woe is me rant. I complain a lot about a lot of stupid things. I do consider myself a grateful and tolerant person (most of the time) but I think most people think that I complain too much. I can't help myself. I'm not really the type of person to whine or cry about pain or hardship on a daily basis. I usually suck it up, sweat or bleed, and complain about it harshly as I try to get through it.
By Shanon Normanabout a year ago in Journal