OtherThanThat

I’ve been having a hell of a time getting started on this site.

You’d think someone whose first grade nickname was Chatty Cathy Doll (alternated with Babbling Brooks) would find churning out content to be second nature.

At first I thought it was merely a bad case of procrastination. Of course, it took me quite a while to determine it wasn’t – mostly because I kept putting off sitting down and thinking about it.

Now that I’ve finally gotten around to it, I see that the truth is simple.

Anyone who knows me will quickly agree that Cathy Brooks is someone who speaks her mind – sometimes to a fault. Where most people have a fine-mesh filter that strains their thoughts before speaking, I have more of a colander. Bigger holes. Seeing as the whole reason I’ve embarked on doing this site is to provide a place for open discourse and honest conversation, there could be really only one reason for my hesitation.

I care what other people think about me.

Oh come on. So do you.

Most folks don’t like to admit it, but deep down the very idea of baring the honest truth scares the ever-loving shit out of most everyone.

Thus my quandary.

I’ve had such a hard time spitting out my thoughts onto the Internet because I’m cursed with a chronic case of candor. I tend to have opinions – alot of them. I tend to say what I think, and I’ve been frozen at the keyboard with a deep terror that in staying true to my mission, that I’ll piss people off.

So be it.

Consider this my formal disclaimer – I don’t intent to defame, humiliate, shame, dishonor or otherwise smear anyone; but when speaking the honest truth, sometimes people’s noses get bent out of joint.

In spite of all my best efforts to stay along that straight and narrow, I’m sure that in the course of expressing my thoughts and opinions and attempting to galvanize some open discourse, I’ll piss someone off. I’ll probably piss off alot of people.

So be it.

Let them say what they will. I’m happy to be proven wrong. I’m even happy to apologize if along the way I have a misperception that leads to insult.

If you don’t like what I think, if you don’t like what I write, that’s your prerogative. If you’re looking to toss down with me over it, you’ll be looking for a long time. If it’s a fight you want, go nag Bill O’Reilly. I’m sure that self-absorbed, pig-headed dolt would be happy to take you on.

Ooops. Guess that might be categorized as defamatory.