Re: Hold Contempt in your hand and examine it

[Rehotshots@xxxxxxx]

Larry, 

I am not.  I find Simon and Amanda very colorful and powerful and I would not 
change a thing about them.  I am only trying to understand why they 
cannot exist on the same canvas.  Simon, I simply intended to paint a picture 
of what I perceived to be happening here.  The confusion was here 
when I arrived and I stood outside for a long time just watching it.  What 
has happened is that Clayton and Amanda have perceived your contempt 
for their jackets and camera as contempt for them personally.  I doubt that 
that is the case. For some time I felt contempt for what I perceived to be
people sucking up to you, Simon, catering to you, encouraging your 
callusness.  I am beginning to understand that that is not exactly what is 
going on here.  These people have a great and reverent respect for what 
you have accomplished and contributed to their art form and they simply 
choose to be quiet and listen to you and ignore the noise. (Is that closer to 
the truth, guys?)  For a time, I felt like Mitch was standing idly by and 
letting
God take care of the whole thing and felt contempt for that inaction on his 
part.  Then I realized from reading his posts and emails to me that he was 
not doing that, that he had tried to stop this spinnin of this anti-matrix of 
contempt.  If we are to have colorfulness and not be robots, it seems to me
that we must be able to identify the cause of contempt and realize that 
the contempt is not for our person, but for an idea, or value that we hold. 
and that we are separate from that and that if you have contempt for an idea 
or value that I hold, please make it clear that you contempt is for that
thing, not me. (I don't mean me personally, because I have felt no contempt 
here for my ideas or person....so far, and invite none).  This reminds me of 
one of those old cartoons where two characters start fighting and everyone 
jumps in and all you see is the whirling and a few fists and words 
flying out of it occaisionally.  Remember those?   My humble advise:  when 
someone expresses contempt for you or your ideas, imagine yourselves
holding it out in your hand and examining it.  Sometimes it comes from 
the contemptor not really seeing you or hearing you , as was the case with
my contempt for some of your relationships in this drama, or it could be 
because the contemptee's ideas or values are just contemptuous.  If Simon
told me that my camera was a piece of crap, knowing who he is now, I would 
listen to him and then ask why and discover the reason.  If he attacked my 
L.L. Bean jacket, however, hey.... them's fightin' words.  Just 
kidding.  Can't afford an L.L. Bean jacket.  Love you guys.  

                                                              teri 
                                                               rambling muse

I'm going to show you Amanda and how beautiful she is by quoting her ,Simon, 
from a private post she sent me.  You are going to fall in love with this 
woman.  Promise.  I have.  (not literally, you perverts :) .