The pleasures of impotence

[symphony]

The skills of sketching and painting have always managed to escape me somehow. Not that I didn’t try, though my lack of patience is slightly to be blamed. I’ve had ‘drawing’ as a separate subject in junior school. It didn’t do me any good. So it’s not really a matter of practice anyway. I could still convert a man to an ape as I do now. My extraordinary skills in transforming several species to several others could amuse people at times, but never amazed them. And this was a fact I didn’t find very amusing to myself.

One cannot master all the skills, and it’s not like I didn’t know this. But mine was a childhood spent watching my sister create wonders by simple strokes, and people adoring them. And this made me grow up with a sincere admiration for this wonderful art. But that made my incompetence more unendurable. Finally, after a few horrible tryouts, I had to decide that this is not my cup of tea. Though those pangs of jealousies kept springing up often when I watched my sister or my best friend painting, I managed to accept my incompetence.

Today as I was checking all my friends’ blogs on the web and was passing by L_artman’s (http://my.opera.com/I_ArtMan/blog/), the old regrets resurfaced. And I noticed that it wasn’t jealousy or frustration any more. It just brought sighs. Sighs of regret, sighs of powerlessness. Sighs of “if I could only…”.

It was then, as I was sighing and looking at the paintings, that I began to devour each painting, and they took me with an awe, a solemn adoration, and the fact that I’ll never be able to create something like this was suddenly not at all disturbing. True I won’t ever feel the pleasure of being able to create wonders like this, but the pleasure of being overwhelmed by the art was as pleasing!

It felt wonderful to think that way. It made me feel less inferior, and made me feel like I wasn’t, after all, that imcompetent. I can see, if not create. Somehow my imcompetence made it more sublime. If I could paint like this, maybe I would’ve judged these more critically and not with a free will to adore. Robert Lynd (in his The Pleasures of Ignorance) thought it was a delight to learn things particularly when you’re ignorant of them. I was suddenly, perhaps oddly, reminded of him, when I watched and admired those paintings I can’t create.

And what I felt was joy, the joy of being able to look at them and admire them with wide eyes. The pleasure of the Observer is no less than of the Creator. It’s this joy that makes them one.

[Virgil]

Well, the title of this thread certainly caught my attention. :lol: As an aging male, you hit upon a fear. :lol: There is the comfort that viagara is out there. :p Oh Symphony, don't worry yourself. Keep trying or come to the realization that we can't be great at everything. I bet you write better poetry than they do. :)

[mazHur]

create you will

[symphony]

*rolls on the floor laughing*

:lol: Okay i'll change it to "Pleasures of incompetence", will that sound okay? :p

[Virgil]

*rolls on the floor laughing*

:lol: Okay i'll change it to "Pleasures of incompetence", will that sound okay? :p

Well, you might as well leave it. I think it will grap more attention. :D

[symphony]

Well, you might as well leave it. I think it will grap more attention. :D
No no! People will think i'm an attention seeking kid! I want to leave my innocent impression on the people in here. :lol: (at least as long as i can!!)

[symphony]

LOL changed. Dont think it'll change the title leading to it though! Will grab attention anyway! U win, Uncle Virge! :lol:

[mazHur]

*rolls on the floor laughing*

:lol: Okay i'll change it to "Pleasures of incompetence", will that sound okay? :p

symph

this is called 'sportsman spirit'' ,,,,brains, brains, brains, BKJ !
the new title is excellent and appropriately corresponds to the article --KJ

[symphony]

but the damage is done :lol:

[mazHur]

eat lobsters, all would be okay! Specially eating them increases the intellect and --no joke

I wonder if you know shrimp, fish and lobsters contain all the 18 essential amino acids for good health?

[symphony]

yeah and its 6:20 AM in here so i'd better go sleep rather than eat lobsters :p

(u know what? i think its the damned hour that made me think i could use the word impotence only as "lack of powers/skills" :lol: or could be my overtly dense cerebrum too!)

[mazHur]

not your fault ---sometimes thoughts and words get muddled up and even geniuses begin to 'blabber'. don't take it seriously ,,,,bloopers do occur everyday, all places

imp-ortant-ly fine !

6.30 is time to wake up,,,,wash your hands and visage, say your prarthana, eat a lobster cooked American style and have nice dreams!

[Virgil]

The thing about the title is that everyone will wonder what possible pleasure is there in impotence? :lol: It's an interesting thought but I think it will go no where. :D

[mazHur]

forget about impotence. It is masculine. The opposite which relates to women is frigidity. Grow up! *lol)

some good songs to get you out of mess


Love songs and romantic songs find them all here
Tomate Aamate Dekha Joe Chilo --- Asha Bhosle & Rahul Dev Burman

Shou Mon Boli Tomai --- Asha Bhosle & Rahul Dev Burman

Shopno Aamaar --- Asha Bhosle & Rahul Dev Burma

[adampearson]

You're a good writer, I sincerely mean that. Try using words that are more powerful, that command attention. I think they will highlight well your very insightful discoveries.

[blazeofglory]

The skills of sketching and painting have always managed to escape me somehow. Not that I didn’t try, though my lack of patience is slightly to be blamed. I’ve had ‘drawing’ as a separate subject in junior school. It didn’t do me any good. So it’s not really a matter of practice anyway. I could still convert a man to an ape as I do now. My extraordinary skills in transforming several species to several others could amuse people at times, but never amazed them. And this was a fact I didn’t find very amusing to myself.

One cannot master all the skills, and it’s not like I didn’t know this. But mine was a childhood spent watching my sister create wonders by simple strokes, and people adoring them. And this made me grow up with a sincere admiration for this wonderful art. But that made my incompetence more unendurable. Finally, after a few horrible tryouts, I had to decide that this is not my cup of tea. Though those pangs of jealousies kept springing up often when I watched my sister or my best friend painting, I managed to accept my incompetence.

Today as I was checking all my friends’ blogs on the web and was passing by L_artman’s (http://my.opera.com/I_ArtMan/blog/), the old regrets resurfaced. And I noticed that it wasn’t jealousy or frustration any more. It just brought sighs. Sighs of regret, sighs of powerlessness. Sighs of “if I could only…”.

It was then, as I was sighing and looking at the paintings, that I began to devour each painting, and they took me with an awe, a solemn adoration, and the fact that I’ll never be able to create something like this was suddenly not at all disturbing. True I won’t ever feel the pleasure of being able to create wonders like this, but the pleasure of being overwhelmed by the art was as pleasing!

It felt wonderful to think that way. It made me feel less inferior, and made me feel like I wasn’t, after all, that imcompetent. I can see, if not create. Somehow my imcompetence made it more sublime. If I could paint like this, maybe I would’ve judged these more critically and not with a free will to adore. Robert Lynd (in his The Pleasures of Ignorance) thought it was a delight to learn things particularly when you’re ignorant of them. I was suddenly, perhaps oddly, reminded of him, when I watched and admired those paintings I can’t create.

And what I felt was joy, the joy of being able to look at them and admire them with wide eyes. The pleasure of the Observer is no less than of the Creator. It’s this joy that makes them one.

I have no problem with the title and indeed the title is forceful and has vitality . The point is if you can present what you want to say forcedly, spiritedly and
of course illustratively that serves the purpose.

Of course impotence is taken pervertedly these days and has to do with the lack of sexuality or something like that.

[mazHur]

I can never believe 'impotence' could be something joyful either for men or women,,,,,,,,

[symphony]

I can never believe 'impotence' could be something joyful either for men or women,,,,,,,,
:lol: for the umpteenth time, try seeing it in the unabused point of view!

And thanks Blaze, Adam.

[blazeofglory]

:lol: for the umpteenth time, try seeing it in the unabused point of view!

And thanks Blaze, Adam.

The word has little to do when you have already made it clear. Symphony, you have a good way of expressing things, and the word impotence is not bad in itself but the way people use it. Words simply beckon things. They are not things. When people confuse words with things they get lost. Here your intent is very clear, but the judgment people make is unsound. The problem does not lie in what you put forth, but with the people who failed to construe it to themselves. I of course understand your sensibility.

[mazHur]

Glory

your comments remind me of a long-past incident when my Japanese client entered my office, shook hands and said, 'Mr MazHur today you look very funny!"" I was greatly startled at these remarks and just looked at the Japanese guys wit curious anger. At once, that guy spoke up and clarified,,''Oh, I'm sorry,,,I meant you looked so smart today!''

So, you can see what a world of difference words can make if wrong used,,,,,,

[symphony]

u sure they didnt mean 'funny'? :lol:

anyway, yeah i know it was a wrong use of word, but hey i corrected it :flare:

[mazHur]

You won't,,,,

[blazeofglory]

Glory

your comments remind me of a long-past incident when my Japanese client entered my office, shook hands and said, 'Mr MazHur today you look very funny!"" I was greatly startled at these remarks and just looked at the Japanese guys wit curious anger. At once, that guy spoke up and clarified,,''Oh, I'm sorry,,,I meant you looked so smart today!''

So, you can see what a world of difference words can make if wrong used,,,,,,

The context is at work, and if you avert the context you will glean very little from the text, and if you simply run after words, all you arrive at is sheer wordiness.

[xtianfriborg13]

I love this thread, although the title was a little, I don't know, wrong, perhaps?