Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Yes, Yes, Yes

Some of you might have predicted it. "He's too full of shit opinions," you said to yourselves. "He won't manage to keep it all bottled up for long. He'll be back."

And you were right.

Oh, comments are re-enabled, too. But the moderation scheme will be more draconian than ever. Insult me, or any of my co-contributors, at your extreme peril.

UPDATE: Blogger seems reluctant to re-enable comments. Hang in there; I'm working on it.

FURTHER UPDATE: Comments are now enabled for new posts. I'll be updating the settings on the older ones over time.


Before all else, have a few words about what I've been doing while away.

I didn't expect to feel unending fatigue, ever in my life. When you're used to grueling, grinding physical and mental effort, sixteen-hour days and four-hour nights, year after year after year from your teens to your sixties, you come to believe that you're invincible, unstoppable. But everyone needs something to keep him going, even if it isn't what those around him might think. I discovered what I need in my few weeks away; it wasn't what I'd thought it would be.

(No, I'm not going to tell you what that is. What a man needs is the ultimate weapon against him. Much as I love you all, I'd prefer to withhold the temptation.)

That critical fact about myself came with a corollary: how I could dispel that seemingly permanent state of exhaustion. I did it, and it worked.

My health has returned, apparently in full. I've addressed a great many tasks I'd been putting off for lack of "energy," and completed them all. I've resumed my exercise routines, and have been gratified to discover that I retain very nearly the full strength, speed, and agility of my youth. I've returned to a dormant fiction project, and have brought it nearly to completion. I've picked up my guitar and have ordered a new synthesizer. And I've started a small business to operate alongside my other endeavors.

My people, historically, haven't been long-lived. Perhaps I'll break that mold. At least I won't have wasted what remains of me. For all else, we shall see.


As to why I was away: the fatigue, of course. (I've already said so, kinda-sorta.) Weariness is the enemy of many a virtue. In my case, it sapped my courage and my perseverance; I found that I was unwilling to endure the slings and arrows any further.

So getting back my energy has brought back my courage and perseverance, and has returned me to Liberty's Torch, hopefully not to depart again. But the story doesn't end there.


One of the great mysteries of human nature is why we choose to believe certain things, and adopt certain behaviors, that cannot be explained in terms of self-interest.

Many persons are animated by a desire for the approval of other persons, usually persons they admire. The reason for the admiration can be quite idiosyncratic; consider, for example, the significant number of persons who aspire to emulate this politician or that sports figure. But the consequence is what matters: the admirer will strive for the approval of the admiree, and will be dismayed and discouraged when he fails to get it.

There are only Three Persons whose approval I want or need...but in those three cases, I need it badly.

Those Three are beyond admiration or emulation, of course. That could have been a problem. But They recently reminded me about something I'd forgotten: I have the power to create fictional human figures I can admire and try to emulate. I've done it more than once. And each of those fictional heroes, men so much better than I that I could never reach their stature if I lived to be ten thousand, has inspired me to increased effort, and ultimately to rise above the state I occupied before I created them.

It's been said that God works in mysterious ways. Sometimes, He works on you through your own hands.


Apologies to all those who were saddened by my departure. No promises, but I'll certainly try to resist any such urges in the future. It's not good for me, as I've discovered. And if it pleases you to have me back, blathering a thousand words per minute on every subject under the Sun, so much the better.

Of course, if you were pleased to have me gone, and were enjoying a round of backslapping with other morally-vacuous types -- yo, "ExGeeEye," you know where you can shove it, don't you? -- as the saying goes, I've got two words for you, and they ain't "Happy Birthday."

All my best,
Fran

20 comments:

  1. Glad you're back!

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  2. Fantastic news!

    Glad you're back and, more importantly, feeling better.

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  3. I hadn't been here for a while because your departure had saddened me. I'd gone elsewhere to be offended... as it were.

    Extra glad to see you back.

    And coincidentally, I have just begun rereading On Broken Wings. It's as if some stars were aligning or something.

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  4. Good to have you back. And feeling healthy and energetic again. I missed your commentary.

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  5. I was hoping that your departure was temporary and am grateful that you have returned. Thank you.

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  6. Health is important, keep your's.
    I'll miss your stories until you post some more. I keep checking your blog everyday hoping there are more stories.
    Get well,
    Papa Mike
    III

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  7. Hallelujah! My prayers for your recovery have been answered. And I am very glad to know that I will continue to hear your voice in the future. It was too strong and on point to suffer its silence gladly. Welcome back, Fran.

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  8. I, too, was saddened by your departure from the blogosphere, as I have been enjoying your sites for years now. It pleases me to very much see you back in the traces -- er, back in the saddle, I mean.

    May there be many more years of diatribes!

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  9. A voice like yours can never be wholly silenced.

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  10. Glad to see you back! And best of luck with the Amway products! ;)

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  11. I'll add my happiness for hearing of your recovered health and vitality. Seeing you back in the blogosphere is merely icing on the cake. Best of luck on your new ventures -- business, music, and writing. I'm looking forward to seeing you again on these pages.

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  12. I figured you'd return, and it fills me with relief that you've returned, renewed in body and soul.
    -fenris-

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  13. Happy to see one of , if not the "founding fathers" of the blogosphere , at least one of it's "second cousins", return to the fold.

    May your answer to issues of fatigue and other maladies, be a long term success. All the best from the Peoples Republic of Illinois!

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  14. Glad you're back, Fran! Now if you could just channel some of that energy to me ... ;)

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  15. Wonderful news. It brought a huge smile on what was otherwise a very grim day.

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  16. Hooray! I'll try to keep my comments 90% On-topic and 100% civil.

    Thanks for bringing them back. Your commenters are 90% great.

    Cheers.

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  17. Francis,

    Good to have you back! I never comment, but feel compelled to now. I've read the blog daily for months, and am glad to see your return. Your insights and talent for conveying them in written word is inspiring.

    Chris K

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  18. Nice, glad to see you're back. I just stumbled across Liberty's Torch fairly recently, but was very impressed. When you left, I also found other ways to be "offended", but then that stopped too. I finally checked back here, and was thrilled to see the massive posting that had gone on while I blinked. Long live Liberty's Torch, and long live FWP!

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Comments are moderated. I am entirely arbitrary about what I allow to appear here. Toss me a bomb and I might just toss it back with interest. You have been warned.

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