AI art by me from long, long ago, but she’s still…who she is. 😉

“Why can’t you just do all this normally?” He was asked.

Hmm.  Why can’t I just do all this normally?

Well, we could begin by arguing over whose definition of “normal” is correct.  Isn’t it just a setting on the washing machine?  New normal here, new normal there.  It’s reality you’re asking about.  Again, whose definition of it?

Yeah, that might be too esoteric a discussion.  Something more concrete to explain it.  Okay, why not just eat food without really tasting or enjoying it?  Why not just listen to music without being inspired by it?  Enthralled by it?  Why not do away with the billions of shades of color in the world and stick with red, green, and blue?  Why?  Because it would be boring, boring, boring, and, yes, boring.  It would be less of a life.

Not everyone is a foodie or a music person, but most can appreciate the love for their chosen medium.  Why not take that love away?  Let everyone just be mediocre.  Trophies for everybody!  Just need to be drawing breath.  Oh, am I being too extreme?  We can go old-school then and just take salt away from being used in food.  Just one ingredient.  No big deal!  The difference would be terrifyingly apparent in no time.

Wait.

Now, you’re saying the way I want to live is a sin?  Heh.  Again, definitions are important here, and who gets to assign them.  Is being more honest about what and who I am wrong?  How?  Honesty is supposed to be a key element of being good, isn’t it?  No?  There are some things we need not be honest about because we are lying to ourselves.  It’s bad for us, but we think it is good.  I see.  Who is redefining reality now?

In a civilized world, when someone wants to smoke or curse or do several other things, they will ask those around them if they mind.  If someone says, yes, I do mind then you don’t force your pleasures on someone else.  Easey-peasey.  The more modern version of this is don’t yuck someone’s yum.  

If they’re doing something they think is yummy and you think it is yucky, then go somewhere else, look away, disengage.  Most of us yumsters try very hard not to do our yum in front of those who did not consent to see it.  Yet, that doesn’t seem to be enough for a few yucksters who can’t stand knowing it is going on… somewhere…somehow.

Yes, we are getting a bit off-track.  

Look, I can’t just do these things in a normal or vanilla way because it would be pounding a wrong-sized peg into an opening the wrong size.  I do not fit in the normal category.  I really never did.  I did try.  I tried to mix them, but that didn’t work either.  

So take me as I am…or don’t.