Comments for The Dogged Pursuit of Happiness

Comment on Who, me?! (Yes… me.) by Louis

Louis — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 15:08:18 +0000

Stasha, I read this article back when you posted it last month. But I did not get the opportunity to comment because 1) I read it at work and was getting really pissed off that people were distrubing me with . . . friggin’ work!! 2) my life has been a whirl-wind of busy-ness for the past few weeks (new job, children issues, etc); and 3) I really wanted to make a comment truly reflectived of the joy that I feel from reading this article. I am soooo glad that you are being YOU! Politically, I am a bit of a moderate liberal — a far cry from my “fight the powers that be” past. So, I believe in the need for the ACLU; but I also believe in the Death Penalty. I believe that life begins at conception; but I do not believe that anyone should tell a woman what to do with her body. I believe that concealing or not adequately expressing yourself is a recipe for “soul-rot”!! And yes, I invented that word (copyright pending). Soul-rot is just what it sounds like — the savage and indescribeably painful deterioration of one’s life force. Psychiatrists, shoe stores and talk-show hosts get rich off of this affliction! There are many catalysts to this heinous death (and yes, it is a MORE REAL “death” than the physical flavor). One of those catalysts is the one that you are banishing with your newly-determined pursuit of YOU-ness! I invented that word, too (patent pending). Supression of one’s gifts, thoughts and feelings heads the list of causes of Soul-rot. So, again I say “DO YOUR THING!” I can’t wait to see it happen!!

Comment on A bigger better deal….. by Louis

Louis — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 14:44:28 +0000

Stasha — that was DEEP! And brilliant, as always!! I love the sense of reality that you brought to this article. I think we all need a little bit of “shock therapy” sometimes in order to realize that, indeed, life does end. So, what are going to do before it does!? Taking stock of one’s past and one’s life experiences is good. It helps us to see the accomplishments and, more often than not, the failures. Failure is not a bad word; for failure is a teacher. We just gotta learn . . . thanks, pal. And oh, yeah — HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY!!

Comment on A bigger better deal….. by Joan

Joan — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 13:13:58 +0000

Happy Birthday, dear Stasha. I like what you said about making your world larger. I want to live that way, too. Thanks for the inspiration. Here’s to greater experiences, not lesser, as we move on to middle age!

Comment on A bigger better deal….. by Bachelor Girl

Bachelor Girl — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 05:01:15 +0000

Happiest birthday, Stasha! Here’s to the best year yet!

Comment on A bigger better deal….. by hubman38

hubman38 — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 01:36:59 +0000

I love that picture of you, you look joyously happy!

Happy Birthday! I have the fortunate timing of a birthday several weeks after Christmas which as a kid allowed me to just ask again for whatever I did not receive then.

BTW, I think that satisfied but not sated by where you are in life is actually a pretty damn good place to be…

Comment on The Hubby Speaks! by carrie

carrie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:11:15 +0000

Barry and I can’t stop laughing over your 2farty joke. It’s been brought up at least once a day. I asked Barry if he could come up with a clever saying like yours…….hmmmm still waiting. As for Mike asnd his writing abilities, uh you are a pretty darn good writer. I enjoyed your thoughts!!!

Comment on Who, me?! (Yes… me.) by carrie

carrie — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:03:39 +0000

Considering the only blog I read are folks engaging in the fiber arts. I am enjoying your thought process on your blog. It has inspired me to stop slapping my blog together just to get something out. I don’t put much time into my posts, and you have inspired me to take the time. Thanks!!!

Comment on Who, me?! (Yes… me.) by Dharma

Dharma — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 06:22:42 +0000

The names I use in my blog, to include mine and Greg’s, are (obviously) not real names. I do this more, though, to protect the people around me, rather than provide myself with any degree of anonymity.

Anyone who has cruised through my blog has seen pretty much all of me there is to see. I’ve posted pictures of my kids (briefly, and then taken them down) because I wanted to share other parts of my life with the blogging community, not just the naughty, explicit, raunchy parts.

I’ll never run for public office. It is very unlikely that I will ever work in the corporate setting again. I am my own boss. The people closest to me, those whose opinions truly count, already know the intimate details of my life. Whether those details are displayed online or not is of no consequence to them. The hand full of people I’d rather not share the contents of my blog with, well, they’re really unlikely to ever stumble upon it on their own. If they *did* find it on their own, it would be because they were searching for something…and if, in their searching for some kind of dirt on me, they found my blog, I would be inclined to say, “Hey, you weren’t invited. If you don’t like what I’m doing here, don’t come back. Don’t read. Mind your own business.”

But again — I’m not a business professional with my face in public every day. I’m not beholden to anyone who isn’t fully aware of my blog. I try to be discrete, but anonymity is too much like keeping a secret, and keeping secrets is too much work, frankly, and I’ve got other things to expend my energies upon.

Thanks for this post. Very thought-full and thought-provoking.

Comment on Who, me?! (Yes… me.) by Todd

Todd — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 00:20:54 +0000

Hey Stasha – I don’t have a blog (how weird, right? I thought everyone did) and I only read… somehow it seems so passive, though… almost a bit unfair. You step out and open your flashers coat of honesty (writing the blog) and those who choose to come back each time to become a “voyeur” take in what you are showing. But, you put it out there and in doing so, you help move your soul along, at least that’s what I think.

It is here that I then tell you how cool it is that you choose to write this blog – because a few of us readers out there choose to grow with you.

Thanks again for helping others by choosing to put yourself in the “light” of being “authentic Stasha”. (… my inner voice thanks you too!)

Comment on Who, me?! (Yes… me.) by Brad

Brad — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 20:05:23 +0000

Let me first apologize for the whole “Treehouse Tossing” incident. Passions of youth and all that. I’m sure I eventually got my just reward. (A pound of flesh, taken from the arm perhaps.)
For what it’s worth. I love your writing and your blog. Being that I’m your brother aside, I think you’re truly gifted.
I find your blog enjoyable to read and highly thought provoking. I read each blog with the full knowledge that you’re going to call it like you see it. (Friends and family be warned.) But I also know that your thoughts and opinions are well thought out, based in facts and sound observations. Not some fly-by-night belief system or a set of well established talking points.
Your unflinching look at a variety of issues regarding family, friends, love, loss and humanity in general in your dogged pursuit of happiness have been a help to me as I navigate some rather convoluted personal issues of my own. Your writing has been the catalyst for many a (sometimes heated) conversation between myself, my wife and others who are with me on this journey through life. That said, all of these discussions have ended on a positive note and with a deeper understanding for each other. We may not always agree with one another, but we are forced to communicate on a level beyond the talking points that so many in society rely upon. And in this holiday season, for this I am thankful.
So you keep right on pointing out that the emperor has no clothes. Dig deep and cast some light on all you may observe. Let those cucarachas run for cover.
I. for one, can’t wait to read what’s next in your dogged pursuit of happiness.