Thursday, February 22, 2007
(3:30 PM) | Claire:
A Special Request From Winston
Recently my dearest friend and trusted companion, F. Winston Codpiece III, or Winston, as I call him, presented me with a special request. He asked that I write a piece from the perspective of his favorite cuddly marine mammal: the sea otter. Many of you are unfamiliar with the more sensitive, sentimental side of this mysterious man. Let me take a minute to introduce you to the Winston I know.Yesterday, Winston invited me over to trade Lisa Frank stickers and Beanie Babies. I always love visiting him because his house reminds me of the most tender moments of my childhood. His pastel pink walls are are lined with shelves and display cases of Precious Moments dolls. He has a collection of vintage, framed 1980's "Hang In There" kitten posters hung throughout the living room. His bedroom is filled with cute pictures of cuddly animals that you just can't find in stores today. When I arrived yesterday, he had a Debbie Gibson record softly playing and had placed two mugs of Swiss Miss hot chocolate and a plate of Keebler Elves on the table.
Winston is probably the best listener I have ever met-- he listens with his heart as well as his ears. I often bounce ideas off of Winston because I know he will be supportive and encouraging of anything I say. I've told him of the trials of being the only regular female poster on the Weblog, of how I sometimes tire of maintaining the hard, Mistress of the Weblog persona. It's a man's blogosphere, so I've had to mostly dispense with my feminine charms and adopt this bristly careerist exterior. I've realized that I've adopted an almost militaristic style of interaction with people who should be my blog allies. For instance, I communicate with Kotsko by barking commands that are met more and more with resigned, but begrudging silence. Winston has suggested that I open up to Kotsko about my anxieties about being a female poster at the Weblog. But, I told him I'm not ready to make myself that vulnerable, at least not until I have administrator privileges. We did agree on a compromise, though. I will reconnect with my more tender, softer side by posting from the perspective of a sea otter. This will only further serve to file off the hard edges of the exterior animus that I have so carefully built. I know that Winston's top priority is my personal growth, and it will be a privilege to share will all of you as I embark on this journey of self-rediscovery.
