From the Aquarian Journal - A Whiney-ass Expose'

From the Aquarian Journal - A Whiney-ass Expose

*** Content Warning: Contains Whining, Self-pity and Explicit Language***

There are moments, as part of the human condition, when I just want to give it all up - throw in the towel - bury my head in the sand - blame everything or everyone else. Well, I guess it’s just one of those days (don’t listen to this song, which contains very vulgar language and references, if you are offended by such things). But, in the end, I just can’t, or won’t. Guess I’m stubborn like that. What I have learned over decades is that, once I spend a short time whining and berating myself, I like to take a deep-dive into my own reality, burst the delusions, and improve where I need to improve. The “fault” is rarely external. It’s not - Poor me - nobody likes me or my writing - they just don’t understand.

Who cares?

Instead, shouldn’t it be fun watching the way your voice develops, and finding the people who appreciate it?

OK, I’m going off on a tangent again, here. I’ll try to keep this more contained. I actually have a couple of points I’d like to address, regarding participation on the Vocal platform.

Vocal Top Story Choices

I think I was one of those constant Top Story earners for a while that were being referred to as participating in a “popularity contest.” (Thanks for demeaning my writing efforts, by the way.) Now my work is rarely featured, making room for new “populars.” Yes, I see new names, but I also see a new cycle of repetitive authors being featured. Most likely, it is because they are talented writers, and their stories deserve to be featured. Is it because they have found popularity and/or reached a certain level of engagement? I don’t think so. Many of my pieces chosen as Top Story had zero to no engagement before being chosen. Now they’re not being chosen, regardless. I have had my whine about it. Now it’s time to get to work. Not to whine louder, but to work harder. Time to step up my game. There are a lot of creators on this platform - not everyone can stand out. That takes skill and consistency. I'll work on that.

The Vocal Platform, Facebook Groups and Cliques

Having never been a member of a clique as I understand it, I’m tired of hearing about how the platform and groups focused around Vocal are encouraging cliques. I disagree strongly and am offended by the insinuation! I have found peers here through engagement. I have found friends through the sharing of common ground. Everyone in the world is not going to like me, nor am I going to like everyone, nor are we all going to get along swimmingly, because we are different - in goals, writing preferences, and communication styles. Being part of a circle of friends and peers is not a clique - it’s a circle of friends and peers. If you’re feeling as though you’re not “one of the crowd” then maybe a particular circle is not your crowd. Keep trying, create your own circle, do something proactive to create the world you want besides whining about other peoples choices.

Why do I even care?

It bothers me that I care so much - about Top Stories, or about being referred to as part of a clique. Damn! I should be working on honing my skills. I should be writing instead of obsessing over highschool-type antics and drama. I’ve aged way past that time of my life. So let’s just get on with the business of writing, shall we? Well, at least I am.