THE SILENT BOOMER'S BEAT RACE AT UPSNDOWNS

How do I write this without my egocentric backside showing? Today I ran a race at Upsndowns. 

Our local newspaper supports a feature called "Everybody Has a Story". It invites readers to send in tales from their lives. I've sent in two and both, though recognized as talented writing, have been rejected. The first was the
reflections of a movie buff, my slow evolution as I gave up American films in the early 1960s and moved on to foreign films. The piece ended with a plug for our local art house, the Kiggins. The newsman in charge of the "Story" feature at the Columbian didn't recognize it as lowbrow enough for the readers of the Columbian. Movies... what average Joe cares about movies? He didn't put it in those terms, but it's what he communicated. The subject matter was too sophisticated for Vancouver.

Minutes ago the editor in charge of "Story" rejected, via email, the second tale about my life through my divorces, practice dating and counseling to find the current happiness I enjoy with my dearest wife. A true story, the editor, bless his heart, recognized its "worthwhile message", BUT he thought it was too shocking for the Victorian morals of the Columbian readership, though he didn't use those terms. He could be right. A passel of people live in Vancouver, Washington (not to be confused with the urbane Vancouver B.C.) who think in 19th Century terms. Okay, I get it, everybody has a story but mine are too polished. Perhaps I must lower my jib and tackle my spinnaker. Okay...whatever...I'm not a sailor.

I think old age has set in. Rejections are a part of submitting works to strangers and for decades I've lived with them, but the fact that I'm 75 going on death must be putting a hitch in my normally smooth get-a-long. BUT...here's the Ups in Upsndowns. Withing minutes—MINUTES—of firing off two ill-considered emails to the Columbian, I got an email response from a senior publication expressing interest in my query about doing some writing for them. They wanted my blog address (this one) and a writing sample. I attached my humorous essay aimed at seniors, called "Exercise and Cabbage Heads". For all I know he's reading this entry right now.

Ups and Downs, everyone!

YES...SOME MORE RECENT PUBLICATIONS!

If you want to check out my most recent short story publication which is quite some time back last year, find it at: http://workmagazinearchives.wordpress.com/back-issues/george-thomas-2272012/

Jose Ferrer my favorite Cyrano

Also, I've already mentioned the two poems that appeared in the March 2013 issue of The Vancouver Vector in Vancouver, Washington, but they don't seem to have a link to those poems that I can direct you too. I notice they do show links to everything that each of the various editors has written. Their editorial egos are obvious in that practice and by mentioning their oversight of my poetry in their archives, my ego is also revealed and brought into a duel with theirs for the title of "most swollen".

The Vector's editors might be forgiven their oversight as they are still fairly new at their business. Anyone involved over a long period of time in editing literary magazines and anthologies knows that since most things are published for free in that literary world, the least we could do (when I have been an editor) for our contributors was a short bio note or, at least, a mention of a recent publication. Newspaper people, unhappily, don't share that idea of common courtesy which has been made obvious by the Columbian and by the Vector in recent weeks as I plod my weary way toward a goal of publishing a book before the last of my brain cells wither away and I begin to drool without benefit of the fragrance of a fresh-from-the-oven Ragueneau pastry.

Ah, the ego of writers, specially those like myself who creep about on the edges of recognition and who finds in the slightest sneeze an insult. Cyrano would make much ado about my monstrously swollen nothingness. No doubt he would puncture it with his witty sword.