The Family Girl Blogs (aka "The New Working Girl Blogs") Blog #4: Going my way To see all of Bobbie's Family Girl Blogs, click on this link: http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/book/28818/family-girl-blogs

This blog is a little explanation for  
http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/29402/playing-part-cou... - it was a little bit unorthodox, I have to say, putting a story in the comments section, but...

Do you remember when you were a kid, when you'd spend a lot of time arguing with your friends things only kids found important, like about comic books?   Like who would win in a fight - Superman or the Hulk, or if Batman really deserved to be called a superhero, or doesn't Wonder Woman feel cold in that outfit, or what is it with the skintight costumes?   You know? Important things?

I didn't have many friends growing up, except when I was real young.   But can you really say that kids you knew when you were like seven or eight were "real" friends when you lose track of them soon after hitting puberty, and your focus changes -when comic books and other things become less important, like what's on TV start to have less significance than wearing the right thing to school so you don't get laughed at, or like when the exploits of comicbook superheroes become less important as knowing the latest schoolyard gossip.

Most of us are like that, I guess.   It's what people call "growing up" - when you start leaving your... kid stuff for other more adult stuff.   I remember that quote that goes - "when I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

There are, however, those that have difficulty doing so.  

There are a few BCTS readers out there who are very "into" the whole comic book and superhero genre.   I have recently (as in just tonight) had a run-in with a couple.   Virtual-wise only, of course - just via email.   Anyway, one of them, one of the more opinionated and vociferous critics I've met in BCTS, had a lot to say about my writing, and why I should have stayed away permanently, and how my writing "leaves much to be desire".   (that was an exact quote, as in exact)   He/she was actually the person who made me decide to leave that first time.    In fact this is the first time I've heard from him/her ever since then.   He/she also said that I "do not do superheroes injustice." (That is also an exact quote, but from the context, I think he/she meant it to have the opposite meaning.)

Ah, well.

I also had another email from another comicbook fan earlier, who had some positive stuff to say for a change.   But he had a particular concern about the just-posted story.   After a few email exchanges, we had talked it over (it's difficult to conduct a "discussion" via email, you know) and I was convinced to make an addition to the story. (see http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/29402/playing-part-cou... )

It is unusual to use BCTS's comments section to make an addition to a story, but he explained it wasn't good to add this to the story itself as it might have an impact on Danny's "real" story, but then if this wasn't posted, the ending for the Counterfeit Crusader story won't work (y'know, Ray giving Danny the tasers and other stuff).   As you see, my new friend reeeally takes his comicbook and superhero stuff seriously...

Anyway, I guess I agreed with what he said, and I agreed to go his way this time, hence the just-posted comment-as-story.   It's somewhat akin to being dragged away by a bunch of kids to play with them in the yard, and to do things their way for a change.

But what I really took away from our email exchange wasn't about anything to do with the story.   It was that it's sometimes good to indulge your inner child sometimes and go back to kid stuff, and that it's always nice to make a new friend. I hope I hear from him again.

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