There are a number of things that cause my blood to boil.
- Radio or TV ads with ten seconds of legalese read at triple speed at the end
- Coffee mugs in church services
- Cell phone ringing during a meeting and the person answers it
- Cell phone ringing in a church service and the person answers it.
- All political advertising
- Bicyclists who never obey a single traffic law, ever.
- Leaky home plumbing.
- Inaccurate road signs.
- Parking garages with no space available.
- Fans at basketball games who think the opponent commits a foul on every trip down the court, but their team never does anything wrong.
- TV panel discussions where four people talk at once, yelling at each other.
Come to think of it, as I read my own list, I might need some counseling.
Professionally speaking, I have another list of issues. Tops on that list is when a publisher or author steals someone else’s successful creative or brand to make their own.
T-shirt companies who steal trademarked phrases and logos for their own use. “Jesus, the real thing” in a Coke logotype. Lovely. Let’s show people our righteousness by stealing legally protected trademarks and copyright.
The original offender in all this was the church choir director who photocopied sheet music rather than buying copies for everyone. Of course, God can use anything to speak to a world. I heard he used a talking donkey once.
This is not about following a successful genre in fiction or looking at something through the lens of what the market trends are saying. I think authors and publishers should spend more time examining the market and addressing needs.
I am talking about blatant theft of creativity. (wow, someone got out on the wrong side of the bed this morning)
Seriously, folks.
Let E.L. James own any books that begin with “Fifty Shades of…”
Let Rick Warren own the “The (blank) Driven (blank)” books.
Forget taking on the pseudonym of “J. K. Dowling”
There is no “Prayer of Natchez” in the Bible, so forget about it.
Be your own creative, not someone else’s.
A number of years ago I recall asking a prominent Christian counselor if there were times in their work where a patient was looking for deep insight to their issues and was willing to pay handsomely for it, when really they simply need to go to a baseball game, buy a hotdog, some messy nachos and a drink and chill out for an afternoon. He admitted there were such times.
Baseball season is right around the corner. I feel better already. Thanks for listening.
Thanks for an early morning chuckle, Dan. In fact, you woke up my hubs. He’d fallen asleep, reading his email. I started laughing out loud and woke him up. LOL This was simply a fun post to read. 🙂
Ahh. Baseball. Gotta love it. In fact, I am inspired to write a book about baseball, but I need some help with my title. What do you recommend?
Bang the Drum Quickly
Ball Five
The Boys of Late Spring
Hmmm.
I like the way you think.
How about …Your Best Hit Now
Out of the Park and into My Life
and for the wives…Take me Out to the Mall Game (<;
Here’s another one, Joe…
Write it and They’ll Come
I think a few baseball games might cure that grumpy temperament. Not that I’m saying …
Thanks for a fun post!
Hi Dan, just think how easy all the stress will be removed when you go watch your favourite team win their first game. Have a nice day
Great way to get your point across with humor. Loved it!
I’m thinking a Balow/Payleitner trip to the new and improved Wrigley is in order this summer to see the new and improved Cubs. Maybe with our wives. Maybe with our sons. Maybe with our . . . wait for it . . . grandkids! Six dollar hot dogs for everyone!
What Would Joe Girardi Do?
Boy, Dan, grumpy or not I was in agreement with you—nodding my head and rolling my eyes!
We all have our “lists” but I get the creativity part. Just look at the birds or flowers alone in this world and you will see the massive creativity of our God. He is able to give us a voice all our own. We don’t have to be carbon copies or steal the thunder or clicky little snips from others. That is one of the reasons some of us have a hard time with comparison titles-puts us in a box of sorts.
Thanks for the laughs this morning, Dan – – although there was much truth in your list.
In addition to viewing baseball games, I would suggest you need a cat—or several. 😉 Seriously, cats really do have a calming affect and petting their fur has been shown to lower blood pressure. 🙂
Thanks again for the chuckles, and I hope you have a terrific Tuesday.
Signed, An Anonymous Cat Lady 😉
p.s. I figured signing this note “Anonymous” sounded better than “Crazy” LOL.
This post is hilarious, but only because it is so true. Most of these are on my list as well, but I’d have to add “gifted singers who spend their life impersonating a dead rock star like Elvis.”
Folks, God gave you your own talent so that you could be you, not so you could be Elvis. Or Brad Pitt, or Tolkien, or Jane Austen, or….
Thanks for the reminder, Dan.
Amen to all this! Seriously go grab a few hot dogs, enjoy the game and forget about it for awhile.:)
The Power of a Praying Coach
Love & Respect: A Sad Memoir of a Chicago Cub Fan
The Shunning: Another Sad Memoir of a Chicago Cub Fan
Left Behind the Bench
Umpire Calling
5 Glove Languages
Not a Fan (Oh wait, that is a real title…)
You should have warned me this would happen….
Trying not to wake up the whole house laughing. These deserve higher billing than the middle of a comment thread.
And Dan, after talking to you at the Redbud retreat the other week, I was hearing you say this post and alternately cringing and chuckling.
The Boys on the Bench
Hmmm. So maybe I should not write my next novel about the Olympic-class ice-skater, The Lord of the Rinks?
What a shame. It would have been my most Precious project so far.
This one’s my favorite.
Aw, thanks, Johnnie!
Thanks! Now I have new things to add to my list of annoyances -things I had never thought of before. Lol
I so agree with the similarity rip offs and am glad to see that it bothers someone else too. Pseudo-creators drive the original into the ground and make it boring too.
I don’t comment often, and am typically behind–thus the late date–but this was funny. I needed funny TODAY, so I appreciate it more than I can say.