If it makes you happy, I will refuse to look up to you. Heck, I don’t even know how tall you are. You might have to look up to me.

It ain’t that. Lord knows I’m not built for reverence. I’ve been around too many blocks. I surround myself with smart folks where ever possible. The web just makes it delightfully possible.

I presume you put on your pants one leg at a time, like everyone else does, and “so you’re Brad Pitt? That don’t impress me much,” as your countrywoman sings.

Geez, Harry, let him look at those RSS numbers too much and he gets all burdened-with-the-fame and stuff. I’m just a little ol’ email reader from back when you were Men Without Pens, and you’re the same dudes.

Not that I wouldn’t be glad of the burden. It’s a nice burden to have.

Later…

Sometimes I come close. There are a handful of posts I write that remind me of Charlie’s windstorm, where I know I’ve got it and the words are whipping about me like a hurricane while I spread my arms wide and laugh.

There are others where I know – very consciously – that I’m rocking the boat. That I want to ROCK the boat, but have to settle for rocking gently.

Because the aftereffect of a shakedown isn’t pleasant.

On the other hand, I’m often surprised at how accepting my opinions are on my blog. I’ve said some controversial (I think) stuff, and no one even batted an eye. There were days where Harry battened down the hatches, ready for an onslaught of hatred, and…

Nothing. Acceptance.

It boggles me, this acceptance. At the same time, I sit back and think, “Well, well… So the people say red but they truly want blue like I offer… how interesting.”

Sometimes, I just get scared at being someone others look up to or look towards. That’s a very powerful position to be in, and I know I should be very careful how I wield that power. And I also know that there are many times when it’s not my place to wield.

A time and a place for everything.

Then again, my time is now.

*clink* À vous d’ailleurs, ma belle.

Yep. I realize that. Whaddya think, I didn’t hear you the other 42 times you said it?

“with all the features a man could ever want” Gee, which Man? ‘Cuz I have to get all the features just one Man With Pen could want…

If we all waited around for the moment when our opinions *should* be voiced, you’d have a very dull blog indeed. MWP thrives on every opinionated person this side of Timbuktuu feeling welcome to voice their crazy opinion.

This can not be coming from Le Roi du Comments. Isn’t adding to the conversations in corners far and wide, teaching and learning, being shepherd and occasionally, if the ego can handle it, sheep, what this trip is about?

Bye, Charlie… you can’t last against him unless you are very, very strong.

*clink* Santé, James.