Not intentionally, and not for me personally, but my self-esteem felt threatened. I’d no choice but to accept the challenge and tilt at yet another windmill. That‘s my specialty, tilting at windmills. Everyone needs a hobby.
I’d nothing against her. She was funny, wide open, unabashed, and very entertaining. What’s not to like, right? Well, I’ll tell you. Fisher was quoted as saying she’d be ‘the coolest old lady’ ever. Um, yoohoo, excuse me? That’s my seat. I intend to park myself there — you know, when I’m old — so we were on a collision course, she and I.
However, even a quick scan of her work proved she was 100% correct. Carrie Fisher was funnier and way cooler, which totally pisses me off. How did I not know? How could I be caught so flat-footed? Well, as usual, I was busy patrolling the ozone.
I knew of her, certainly, but since I’m not a Star Wars fan or a follower of celebrities or on my toes, I haven’t read her books. And that’s my loss; she was brilliant. Look at these quotes, they’re obvious proof of a dazzling mind at work:
That line about aging well — the ‘blow us’ part — reduced me to tears it’s so beautiful. The moonlight epitaph is lovely, too. Having the ability to string together a phrase like ‘strangled by my own bra’ is a magical and wondrous gift. It isn’t a skill you can learn. I know, I’ve tried. Hard. Really, really, very hard.
So it’s back to the drawing board for me, dammit. But, first, I should drop by a bookstore. Maybe I can learn to channel Carrie Fisher. If nothing else, it’ll be fun trying.
copyright © 2017 the whirly girl
the whirly girl 
11 responses to “: carrie fisher threw down a gauntlet :”
She was a force of nature!
(Insert weak Star Wars gag here…)
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Hahaha! She was sure something, all right. What a brilliant mind she had.
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I should read her books, too. I LOVED the movie “Postcards from the Edge” – that’s what always made me curious about her real life. And it’s funny!
I knew she was with Paul Simon for a while, which made me wonder which of his song lyrics might be influenced by her or by their troubled relationship. None of my business, of course, it’s just that coming from a house of the mentally ill I’m always curious how others come out alive with their sense of humor intact 🤓
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‘Kathy, I’m lost I said though I knew she was sleeping. I’m empty and aching and I don’t know why …’
Funny you mentioned the lyrics of Paul Simon. Those, from ‘America,’ were the ones Carrie Fisher recited when asked which of his songs struck a chord with her. Great choice, no?
Don’t you think every human comes from a house of the mentally ill? There’s a theory that says all humor comes from sorrow. I’d never thought of it that way before, but it’s the best coping mechanism there is.
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Yes. Good thing for everyone; how boring to have a calm, pleasant household – no drama in sight!
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Exactly. There’s so much adventure in madness. It’s a flat-out test of endurance. Yehaa!
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Just because she threw the gauntlet down, it doesn’t necessarily follow that you’re the scruffy looking nerf-herder…
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Oh, but I am. And I’m fine with being both scruffy and a nerf-herder. Heck, I prefer it — can I use your description for my resumé on LinkedIn? It’s perfect :o)
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… well…
If you’re really convinced you’re scruffy, you might as well own it!
Where would one go to study the fine art of “scruffiness”?
… Scranton Institute of the Severely Serially Scruffy…?
The Skokie School of Scruffitude…?
(8^)>
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Bwahahaaaa!!
No, none of the above. I’m a summa cum laude graduate of Doofus University. Go Fighting Squirrels!
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… rah…
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