OK. where do i start?
oh yes, preface: im drunk -- managed to have 5 glasses of wine in 3 hours. i went to a reading series in town, that primarily focused on writers who were involved with the local music scene. tonight they were reading under a specific subject, "retail experiences."
anyway, this one reader took way too long. every other writer was alotted 10-20 minutes to read their story. this writer took 45 minutes. it was in three parts and half of it didnt even specifically discuss the subject at hand. in the end, his story took over 45 minutes to read. people around me were whispering to each other about pulling out the proverbial cane and yanking him offstage.
regardless, i like his piece. then again, im familiar with his david foster-wallace worship. afterwards, he approached me and asked how i liked it. i started to tell him that i thought it was inexplicably long but he walked away before i said i enjoyed it.
i hate overly sensitive, pretentious writers. i mean, if you come up to me and ask your opinion, you should know by now that i, out of anyone in this city, am not goiing to sugarcoat it.
agh, the nerve!
[sorry, i just want to share. im drunk. im sharing and friendly when im drunk. plus i feel ive been neglecting ILE for the last couple of weeks.]
― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 02:19 (twenty-one years ago)
i would like to add that i spent 5 years in art school and consider myself VERY sensitive. so this person's reaction is triple-extra WTF?!?!?!?! to me.
― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 02:26 (twenty-one years ago)
how long did he actually talk to you?
he owes you at least 20 minutes, imo. ;)
― experimental grandma (deangulberry), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 02:30 (twenty-one years ago)
he talked to me for at least 1.5 seconds. i want 20$ or 20 minutes of my life back.
― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 02:44 (twenty-one years ago)
Well, maybe it's always better to open with a complement.
― Hurting (Hurting), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 02:58 (twenty-one years ago)
definately better to open with a compliment thats what taggs the 'constructive' onto criticism
― lukey (Lukey G), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 10:26 (twenty-one years ago)
youre right, i should have reversed the phrases. though ive never head a problem with offering criticism/compliments in this manner -- say what you think but always follow it up with what you like -- as it seems to work with every other person ive dealt with on the planet. nor did i offer him a scathing opinion. i did not say, "gee, three parts? who the fuck do you think you are? david foster wallce?" or some of the nastier comments overheard in my immediate area. telling someone "that was long but very good" is quite kind, i think.
another friend of my read at this series and had me over to time her piece this past weekend. the organizer made it very clear that everyone had a time limit, especially when there were 7 readers. for lack of a more eloquent phrase, it just wasnt very cool of him to do so.
― maria tessa sciarrino (theoreticalgirl), Wednesday, 20 October 2004 11:56 (twenty-one years ago)