A License

[gurdonark]

By this instrument, you, my LiveJournal friends, are hereby empowered and LICENSED to live your lives in the quirky, cool ways I read each day, without fear of being eccentric, inappropriate, or just plain odd. Your quirks and blind alleys are hereby designated critical path roadways in the great race you're running, cordoned off for your personal use. You may present this license to any uncomprehending passersby, to prove that you have been officially licensed to live in such curious and yet redeeming ways. This license carries with it privileges too numerous to list, but include the right to feel as though your lives have meaning, because they do, even when everyone tells you they are silly or pointless; the right to be kinder to yourself than you've ever managed to be in your previous, unlicensed state; the right to accept your angers and griefs as crucial cement in pouring the concrete of your soul, from which foundation glorious spires will arise; and the right to look in the mirror and like what you see, and often smile shyly about it. This license permits you to live your life gently, with as much kindness to yourself and to others as possible. This license will permit your inner great worth to appear to your off-line people, and further will, with a personal motivation seminar magic usually costing 300 dollars and a boring day in a Holiday Inn conference room to achieve, allow you to bring new people into your life who bring you joy, not pain (and who do not wish to convince you to invest your money in their "no money down" schemes). This license permits you to leave behind your vices (except for the delicious ones you wish to retain) and focus on your virtues.

This license is irrevocable, and may be presented to any inquisitor,
beloved but clueless family member, sneering critic, puzzled employer, deeply puzzled employee, or employee at any coffee shop. This license entitles you to a world of gurdonark concessions, including an appreciative read, regular comments ranging from "wow, cool post" to in-depth paragraphs sounding like a self-help book on tape being run through a shredder; lunch with gurdonark whenever you visit the DFW area and schedules permit; a free poem about you or your favorite obsession, requested by e-mail; and the assurance that someday, if you requested a Hagerman photo, and are on the second half of that list of luminaries, gurdonark will mail it to you (the trouble with hiring someone to clean house is that they tend to clean house).

This license is non-transferable, because it is issued to you in light of who you are. This license has no cash value, but there is more to life than cash value. This license is void where prohibited by law, but in my experience, quirkiness is tolerated throughout the democratic societies. This license allows you the option, but does not impose upon you the obligation, of forgiving yourself and life in general once in a while, and perhaps buying yourself flowers when you pass a street stand and have an extra couple of dollars. This license endures all things, hopes all things, forgives all things, other than possibly your lapses into self-hatred or despair. But this license gives you express permission to just be who you are, and may the chips fall, cattle-field like, where they may.

Although this license works intangibly, feel free to print it out, place it in a manilla folder, and forget about it, like any other important document in your life. This license is HEREBY ISSUED without cost or detriment to you, as a sort of personal medal for your role in keeping me interested in LJ each and every day.

Issued this 21st day of June, 2003,

gurdonark

Comments

[blue-by-you.livejournal.com]

I like. And I would love a Gurdonark poem about me and my favorite, and very serious, obsession: sensuality and/or sexuality (if you get your LJ comments via email, I'm hoping this will count as mine).

First thing read upon opening my LJ this a.m. was this....

[niyabinghi.livejournal.com]

...BEAUTIFUL gift. What a blessing you are! Thank you, thank you!

[daisydumont.livejournal.com]

god bless you, mr. rosewater. not only am i going to print it out, i'm going to read it every morning until it sinks in. i've never seen a happier exhortation to be free, and i'm gonna make use of it.

thank you!

[corivax.livejournal.com]

Cool! Beautifully writting, amusing, and inspiring.

[mattcallow.livejournal.com]

thank you! i shall use it wisely... :)

[nacowafer.livejournal.com]

*zoink*

Thank you, Sir. I might even wear a barrette in my hair today!

[sandstar.livejournal.com]

This makes me happy!

I'm printing it out too...

[deb-artist.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I will forthwith print it out and show it to dissenting family members.

Just wondering what a Hagerman photo is?

[ziactrice.livejournal.com]

Way cool post.

How about lunch next weekend sometime, with you and the missus? I am starting the new job, so I can't manage a weekday.

[schpahky.livejournal.com]

Oh, wow. Thank you. This was just the right thing for me to read half an hour before leaving for my train.

A very, very happy and bright midsummer to you, sir.

[poetbear.livejournal.com]

a lovely midsummer thought
and great wake-up call
thanks
~paul

[minuet1264.livejournal.com]

That was lovely!! I am taking this to heart.

good idea

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Next weekend is not a good one for us, as we are travelling. But perhaps the weekend after next? I know you live just one city down from us, so we can perhaps find a nice lunch place in our region and meet up! I'll check with my wife on her schedule.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I hope that this reaches you when you are in the midst of having or have just had an incredible writing seminar, filled with fun and meaning.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Thanks! and welcome!

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Quell their dissent, and issue them licenses, too!

Some weeks ago, I took pictures (low quality, high fun) of a Texas wildlife park, the Hagerman. Nothing whooping crane ish, just trees and grass. I ran a poll to send people here a single picture on a corrugated plastic (corruplast) card. I got a dozen or so takers, and got the first half out in good shape. Then I went out of town on business, and the person who comes every several weeks or so put the list I know not where. I must just go back and try to figure it out from memory, as I like to get these things done!

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

You are most welcome. Barrette or no barrette, I'm sure you'll look fetching.

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

This license has been personally tested in Michigan, and found to work, particularly at sign on computers at local suburban libraries!

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Thank you! I appreciate that.

Re: First thing read upon opening my LJ this a.m. was this....

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Very kind of you to comment, and kind of you to mention it in your own journal :)

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

It has been a long time since I tried something really sensual or sexual in my poetry writing. As you may know, I tend to write about pretty much nothing at all. But the call has gone out, and a sensual/sexual poem will result!

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Good. A little freedom might be fun!

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

Thanks, and enjoy your license!

[gurdonark.livejournal.com]

I have the impression that you already live this way, but please accept this license as a personal imprimatur of approval anyway :).

[http://users.livejournal.com/_riomaggiore/]

thank you for the formality of now having another license. it's printed and in the drawer. curiously though, i didn't know i needed (to use one of my favorite clint eastwood phrases): "license? me? i don't need no stinking license!"
i do understand and totally agree with the truth of your post.
you are always thinking and spiking the thought process of others.
thanks.