A Twit and Mental Health
http://www.writerspodium.org/articles/40681/1/A-Twit-and-Mental-Health/Page1.html
Norman Honer
I'm a man from the Great Plains of Canada, who had never written any fiction in his youth. Now, I write eccentric dialogue for some reason--perhaps to relieve stress; I'm not sure.
I write mostly short stories, but I have also accumulated quite a body of fake words and alternative meanings for existing words. I wouldn't mind completing a fake dictionary, but I'm fairly certain I couldn't possibly live long enough. I'd probably be murdered by a gang of lexicographers anyway. By Norman Honer
Published on 07/19/2008
An airheaded recommendation about a mental-health problem is not appreciated.
A Twit and Mental Health
"Do you still have your fear of open spaces?"
"Yes, Merv," said Barb, already annoyed.
"Listen. I have a great suggestion."
"Oh, alright. Go ahead."
"Well, like," Merv began, not really expecting Barb to be willing to listen, "if you're in a big open space, it's not so empty then because you're in it."
"So? Is that supposed to change everything?"
"Can't you see? You fill it."
"No, I don't fill it. I'm very small in a big open space."
"Use your imagination: your essence or ego growing and growing until you're bigger than all outdoors."
"How? Like a big balloon inflating?"
"Yeah, sure. You could do that, but I was thinking more along the lines of a big intelligent gas."
"No," said Barb, feeling totally misunderstood. "I can't trick myself out of a serious phobia that easily. Besides, I'm in a cognitive therapy group right now, and it seems to be helping me a little."
"A little? Think big. Use your mind to fill up those empty spaces."
"Look," began Barb with some anger, "if I think of myself as huge, then I'd have to be more diffuse, which is sort of like being more trivial. And, I don't want to think of myself as this 'big intelligent gas.'"
"So, forget the gas then."
"I will. That's why I'm walking away from you right now, Merv." And she did.
<end>
"Yes, Merv," said Barb, already annoyed.
"Listen. I have a great suggestion."
"Oh, alright. Go ahead."
"Well, like," Merv began, not really expecting Barb to be willing to listen, "if you're in a big open space, it's not so empty then because you're in it."
"So? Is that supposed to change everything?"
"Can't you see? You fill it."
"No, I don't fill it. I'm very small in a big open space."
"Use your imagination: your essence or ego growing and growing until you're bigger than all outdoors."
"How? Like a big balloon inflating?"
"Yeah, sure. You could do that, but I was thinking more along the lines of a big intelligent gas."
"No," said Barb, feeling totally misunderstood. "I can't trick myself out of a serious phobia that easily. Besides, I'm in a cognitive therapy group right now, and it seems to be helping me a little."
"A little? Think big. Use your mind to fill up those empty spaces."
"Look," began Barb with some anger, "if I think of myself as huge, then I'd have to be more diffuse, which is sort of like being more trivial. And, I don't want to think of myself as this 'big intelligent gas.'"
"So, forget the gas then."
"I will. That's why I'm walking away from you right now, Merv." And she did.
<end>