Loss of innocence

[marko_the_rat]

Marko stalks in, wrapped in a robe of deepest violet. It gets snagged on a tree root. He tugs on it, but to no avail. He sighs melodramatically and discards the robe, letting the rain soak his fur. He clears his throat and reads out his prepared speech:

Rats are creatures of darkness. Let us hide in the mud, where we belong. This post marks the beginning of a period of contraction, of consolidation and rationalisation. This may ultimately result in a quieter, more cynical rat, or maybe no difference at all to the casual observer.

What I have done I did for my own emotional self defence. I am sure in the eyes of some that makes me seem like a very cruel rat, but that is a stereotype rats have lived with for a long time. I have been told I should do what's right for me and it's about time I took good advice when I hear it.

As much as I appreciated aldi's uplifting icon, it was only a mask I wore for your amusement. This new mask doesn't let in any more light than the old one, but at least it affords me the dignity of hiding in the dark.

Now that we've got the faux gothic stuff out of the way, isn't that a great icon by rose_quoll? You can see a full size version and a static version (which I'll probably move to after a while—as a rule I find animated gifs distracting) here. She stayed up all night to get it to me on time. What a trooper!

My speech there does have a serious side, though. I have used my break from LiveJournalling for a period of introspection. I now agree with subrosa_florens' assessment that I've been chasing after the wrong things on LiveJournal, but I don't yet know what I should be using it for. Maybe, for a time, I should go back to the three Rs of LiveJournal: Ristin, 'roos and rodents.

Comments

[ristin.livejournal.com]

...it's a great icon.

(Did someone upset my Rat or not?! Must kill...someone. Maybe?)

Confused

[ristin.livejournal.com]

...i'm a very confused 'coon.

What "wrong things" were you looking for?

Re: Confused

[marko-the-rat.livejournal.com]

I was more worried about collecting "friends" on friends list and measuring my popularity by the number of comments I get. That's a dangerous path to tread.

Re: Confused

[darth-phylos.livejournal.com]

I occassionally worry about "friends only" entries, when no one comments - especially when I need help (like my "email me to see if outlook works" thing) - other times, when I have honed a nice post that no one gives an arse about I feel a little put off. Mainly I get pissed off when I reply to a friends LJ post and they don't respond (especially if I ask a question...)

Oh - what are you doing on the 10th of December (if I have the date right...)?

Re: Confused

[marko-the-rat.livejournal.com]

What should I be doing on the 10th of December?

Re: Confused

[marko-the-rat.livejournal.com]

There will likely be a work event on that evening. What did you have in mind?

Re: Confused

[nicodemusrat.livejournal.com]

What good is that sort of popularity, anyhow? Who you are and what you accomplish is much more important. (Besides, it's usually the odd and fluffy posts that get the comments, not the serious ones.)

[ristin.livejournal.com]

"Rats are creatures of darkness. Let us hide in the mud, where we belong."
-I'll believe that when i believe in the christian's 'bearded invisible giant in the sky' nonsense! Rats have as much right to live and be free as any other creatures!

"What I have done I did for my own emotional self defence. I am sure in the eyes of some that makes me seem like a very cruel rat, but that is a stereotype rats have lived with for a long time. I have been told I should do what's right for me and it's about time I took good advice when I hear it."
-It's a cruel and unfair stereotype. And only selfish people would deny you the right to act freely and to choose for yourself.

As much as I appreciated [info]aldi's uplifting icon, it was only a mask I wore for your amusement. This new mask doesn't let in any more light than the old one, but at least it affords me the dignity of hiding in the dark.
-Rats should not need to hide in the dark, or anywhere else...
-(Aldi's icons are great!)
-(so is the new icon!)

[vass]

Rats are creatures of darkness. Let us hide in the mud, where we belong.

My two cents: rats aren't necessarily dark in themselves, but they are nocturnal and sensitive to light, so hiding in the dark would make sense. The mud, however, no. The rats I've known have been really clean creatures, for the most part.

Cruel? No. Humans are cruel. Domestic rats sometimes (rarely) have aggression problems, which are often treatable by chemical or surgical castration. (I don't think that's applicable, I just threw it in to make Ristin you wince.)

Maybe it's different with anthropomorphic rats.

Your rats may vary.

[nightcoon.livejournal.com]

Welcome back, Marko. Be who you are here, that's the point. I did exactly what you did on my other blog, I don't give much away there and talk mostly about serious stuff.

[aldi.livejournal.com]

That's a great icon!

the three Rs of LiveJournal: Ristin, 'roos and rodents.

Roos! Roos!! :-D

[darqrat.livejournal.com]

Hey :)
Glad to know things are alright...
Ah! Lucky to have such an icon :D

[shadowbitten.livejournal.com]

If you will not be using your LJ I will miss you. But I understand.

The icon is purrfect. You are most fortunate to have friends who bless you with such gifts.^_^

I use my LJ to get rid of excess emotions, but not everything gets up here. Not even a third by half.^_^

English is SO much fun playing with^_^

Choose to have a LJ because YOU want to have an LJ, to be retrospective, introspective, to be you.
I ask no more than you be true to yourself in all things..^_^

One more thing!
Bad bad bad rat. You do not belong in the mud, but in the moonlight where you shine!
*gives you a thorough brushing with sable fur brush*
I know my horse likes sable fur brushes...^_^

Time for a story:
Had a pet rat in the stables once. Named him Scarface and fed him tidbits of cat fodder (you may misinterpret all you like^_^).
He was many things, but evil for the sake of being cruek was not one of them and he was most fastidious about his appearance.
Took one of his kids (I presume) with me to have as a pet.
She was many things, but not stupid. Named her Isabeau, because she was coal black with white markings on her sides like a hawk's wings.
She was very cute, very cuddly, very possesive, very greedy and very affectionate.^_^

I like rats. ^_^

[subrosa-florens.livejournal.com]

Isabeau? You would not happen to have any animals named Goliath do you? Or Mouse?

[shadowbitten.livejournal.com]

Goliath was a tiny crow and Mouse was a friend of mine.

I have a tendency to name animals I like.

Murkul and Bane was two pigs at my boarding school that were less than nice to humans (tasted absolutely divine)!

Aletah was a beautiful lark that used to wake me up in the morning.
Bellarah is a mare at the stables who is going to have a foal in springtime.^_^

[subrosa-florens.livejournal.com]

I did not meant to imply that you were chasing the wrong things on Live Journal. Just that there were other things you could use it for, and different ways of looking at it, than you were doing. It is your journal, what ever you do with it is right, so long as it is right with you.

If things were not right with you, then changing your LJ habits is a good idea. Keep changing until you find what suits you.