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Blogger Three:
Don’t you get a little suspicious when a reporter attributes a fact or other information to a “reliable source” or to “an official” who didn’t want his or her name used? It’s kind of the same thing when an author uses some insight or clever saying and then attributes it to “author unknown” or perhaps “anonymous.” I suppose giving credit to B. Franklin or A. Einstein would be no more than a misattribution, all be it intentional, but still, it does seem a tad unethical, don’t you think?
Let me handle my ethical dilemma by suggesting someone really famous probably said this first; but if so, I cannot figure who he or she might have been. Usually reliable sources say it was most likely the famous Anonymous. At any rate, he or she said, “Don’t expect anything original from an echo.”
Confession time: Ok, I was planning to start with this little quip from whomever thought to say it first and piggyback my way to a blog post, hoping you wouldn’t notice I was merely being an echo trying to disguise my voice so you would think I was actually saying something original. My idea was to also work in “Sometimes imagination pounces; mostly it sleeps soundly in the corner, purring.” The connection was to argue being an echo isn’t all that bad while one is waiting for imagination to pounce. Imagination or perhaps my illusive muse itself is but a big cat, just waiting to pounce when I least expect it.
With a respectful nod to that ethics issue we already covered, I acknowledge Terri Guillemets who created the metaphoric illusion to our purring, pouncing imaginations. Such an alive, hopeful image. My muse may seem to be gone but may actually just be in the shadow, waiting to pounce. How cool would that be? Way cool, down right stellar!
That brings us to whatever the point of this is, if there is a point. Trying to pass off an echo as originality is hardly worth the effort and does raise serious ethical issues. Even so, a little echo now and then can be interesting and perhaps entertaining if not overdone. What’s more, responsibly echoing can be a convenient way to pass the time while waiting for your imagination to kick in and your muse to pounce.
I echo what others say, while waiting for my muse to pounce.
Throughout this interminable day, my attention does not jiggle or jounce.
I listen for the slightest indication of the purring I’m hoping to hear.
It’s with anxious anticipation I feel my illusive muse is near.
Pounce soon big cat, you’ve been in the shadow far too long.
Quit acting like a rat, get out here where you belong.