All of my active blogs...

Here's a list of my various blogs and where they're located. Some are pretty subject-specific, and I've indicated those.

 

Writing:

Purple Muse's Pondering's: Writing and Creativity.

I Gotta Write! My general writing blog about life.

Mama Java's: Hodge-podge of stuff about art, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Stargate, books and reading, food, chocolate...a LOT of stuff.

Writin' Across Universes: My fanfiction archive. Star Trek Enterprise, Stargate Atlantis, SG-1, Doctor Who/Torchwood

AU Switcheroo Series: An alternate universe series of Star Trek Enterprise. Same ship, same mission, same people. Different universe.

 

Art:

Phoenix Fire Arts: My general art gallery, includes my paintings, sketches and drawings.

An Eighth Shot of Espresso: My photography blog

USS Sarasvati: Fanart specific to Star Trek (all series, but mainly Star Trek: Enterprise)

LadyR1218 on Deviant Art

 

The Meaning of Empathy

This was via a good friend of mine on Tumblr. It's a scientific definition of empathy. The last part brought me up short: "...without having the feelings, thoughts and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner." That means anything from facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice. In other words, you can catch a clue that I'm angry without me having to come out and say, "I'm angry at you because..."

Most people are empathetic to some degree, and some more than others. On one end are the ones who notice things that most people miss, the ones who ask, "Is there something wrong? You just seem upset (angry, off, etc.)."  And on the other end are the ones who don't pick up subtle clues, even if you picked up those clues and smacked them over the head with it. (People on the autism spectrum, especially with Aspberger's Syndrome, have trouble relating to other's emotions, to "putting themselves in the other person's shoes.")

How would it feel if you're the empathetic one that's surrounded by non-sensitive people all the time, or vice versa? In Star Trek terms, a Betazoid being stuck in a cave with Tellarites, or vice versa. I think it would drive that Betazoid mad, dealing with people who don't understand what/how you're feeling. The Tellarite would go nuts with having to deal with hyper-emoting people.

How would you feel if you lived in such a situation? Misunderstandings galore and resentments on both sides. In that case, you'd have to find a compromise pretty quickly, before one or the other walks away.

And an opportunity to learn and grow is forever lost.



All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2011

So Many Things to Chatter About...

Not too long ago, someone asked me an interesting question. "What's the purpose of your blog? Some people with rheumatoid arthritis have that as their focus (awareness and efforts for a cure). Others have special needs as their sole focus, some have just art. You go all over the place."

Yup, I sure do. My real-life friends know I tend to chatter about anything and everything and sometimes it reflects in how (and what I choose to) write. This particular blog is about writing and everyday life, though I do have separate ones for art (Phoenix Fire Arts) and special needs (Three Very Special Kids). All of these (and my RA) are important parts of my life and all the pieces are interconnected and interdependent. It's like a mosaic or a picture puzzle.

I trained as a linguist/philologist and language teacher, love to travel, eat too much chocolate and drink way too much coffee and tea. I'm exploring my Filipino, Chinese and Spanish heritage. I watch a lot of Star Trek, Doctor Who and Torchwood. I paint, draw, collage, and spend way too much money at the art supply store. I'm the one parked on the couch during football season and I cheer on Manchester United during that football season. I'm a Detroit Red Wings fan (courtesy of a language professor at the University of Virginia about 12 years ago. Thanks, Doctor Mac!). I'd rather live at the ocean than in the mountains, and I'd rather deal with warm temps than freezing cold.

And I've just written about all of those in one blog post.

All original writing and art copyright A. Dameron 2000-2011