What a maroon!

A depressed writer who has spent most of the money he earned from his first book...

That title was taken from a description from a movie playing on cable today (The Dog Problem). The film itself appears somewhat forgettable, but the title may serve a purpose in this blog.

A depressed writer? Isn’t that statement alone redundant in nature.

So, what is a depressed writer? Certainly not a writer who has been “successful” enough to sell some of his work, perhaps in the form of a novel. Would that writer have realized one of his greatest dreams: the selling (to a publishing firm and the public) of his work(s)? And would that goal make him more happy, more self-actualized, and not depressed?

I suppose the same could be said about a musician, or a photographer, or an artist. Or any number of artist endeavor based professions. You know, those right-brain type intellects; right-brain meaning random, holistic synthesizing, subjective thinking human beings. Versus left-brain type intellects; meaning logical sequential, rational, analytical, objective thinking human beings.

How about a writer/photographer/artist who embraces the left side of his brain as much as the right side of his brain, ie, he loves the logical, planned, analytical, mathematic side of life just as much as the sentimental, sunset-loving, spontaneous, what-is-the-meaning-of-life side of his brain?

A depressed writer? Isn’t that redundant (adj, exceeding what is necessary or normal; serving as a duplicate). In the same category as in tuna fish, lower down, raise up, big giant, or any number of other pleonasms* we use on an almost daily basis.

So, if you ever meet a writer who is not depressed (clinically or otherwise), how about more precisely describing him as a happy or non-depressed writer? Which, now, would be a term that could be considered an oxymoron (adj; figure of speech that combines two normally contradictory terms). Now, we may, indeed, have found an example of a conundrum.

Conundrum: verb; a paradoxical, insoluble, or difficult problem.

I feel I am more of a conudrum than an oxymoron. Emphasis on moron (verb; disused psychological term for a person with a mental age between 8 and 12, slang for a stupid person).

I prefer to consider myself ignorant versus moronic. Ignorant: adj; without knowledge, sophistication, or, at times, intelligence. An ignorant, moronic, depressed writer/photographer who has never been able to afford therapy.

I may have simply made some poor choices in life. But at this point in time, I’m quite comfortable with it all, et al...as well my future prospects...despite it all.

*pleonasm: verb; the use of more words (or even word parts) than necessary to express an idea clearly. Kind of like this blog!