Blogging Challenge–12/18/2024

On By Mike U.In General

Like my blogging buddy Nigel Byng, who tagged me for this challenge, I’ve never participated in one of these before. It seems sort of fun–a tiny interview of sorts–so I decided to take part in it. Here are my answers to the challenge questions:

How did you come up with your blog name?

My blog’s name, Silent Pariah, has its genesis in a few places. First, I’m deaf. I began losing my hearing at age eighteen due to meningitis, so it’s been a progressive loss over the course of the past forty-two years. My world began fading to silence decades ago, and now what little I can still hear is very faint and muffled. So, for all intents and purposes, I live in silence.

Second, I’m extremely introverted and was painfully shy for much of my early life. So, deafness and introversion have resulted in a life of quiet solitude.

Third, I was born and raised in Utah, a state dominated by one religion (mormonism). I was not an adherent of that religion and refused to convert, so I became a pariah in junior high and high school. I have very few good memories of that period. Just frequent bullying and isolation, never being allowed to fit in anywhere, and a lot of discrimination academically, athletically and socially.

So, Silent Pariah fits.

If your blog was a person (fictional or real), who would it be?

Well, it would be me, of course. Every word and image I post on my blog comes from my heart and soul, and it’s impossible to separate the creation from the creator—my fingerprints cover every poem, essay and nature photo on my blog. All I want is to be myself–to be allowed to be myself–without judgment, so why would I want my blog to be anything but me? My blog is my safe place, my refuge, and here you’ll find my authentic self, for better or worse.

Is there anyone you would like to collaborate with?

My fellow blogging buddy Nigel Byng‘s response to this same question brought a huge smile to my face, and I’m going to return the favor. I’d love to do a collaboration with Nigel. His writing is beyond brilliant, turbo-charged emotionally, captivating and profound. I hope he and I can work on a project together once the new year gets underway. I can think of a few others I’d like to work with as well, and who knows what may happen?

Is there anything more you wish you had or would like to learn as a blogger?

I think my greatest fault as a blogger/writer is persistent crippling writer’s block. I deal with major depression and have since childhood (severely dysfunctional family with domestic abuse), and depression kills creativity, motivation and energy. When these periods of writer’s block strike, they last for months or years, and I never know when they’ll end. It’s terrifying as a writer to stare at the blank page or screen and realize there is absolutely, positively nothing in my head. Just a void. Blogging means posting material regularly. It’s difficult to post anything if I can’t write anything new. So, I think writer’s block is the main issue I’d like to be able to resolve. Writing is like breathing, and when I have writer’s block, I’m suffocating in silence.

Do you have a specific style of blogging?

While one way to describe my blogging style is intermittent due to writer’s block, I’d also say my style is brutal honesty, not being afraid to explore the darkest aspects of my life. Fear, guilt, shame, loneliness, sorrow, hopes, dreams, despair…nothing is off-limits as far as my poetry and essays are concerned. I’ve lived a troubled life, and writing about my life makes for some uncomfortable poetry at times. My work isn’t for everyone, and I understand this. Most readers enjoy happier themes; I couldn’t write fluff poetry if my life depended on it. I write from experience, and my life experiences generally tend to fall on the side of despair and loss and loneliness. I sometimes refer to myself as The Depressing Poetry Dude, but that’s okay. My goal is to be me and no one else.

My Nominees:

Aaysid (Outrageously Erratic blog)

David Bogomolny (The Skeptic’s Kaddish blog)

Peggy Stroud (Peggy Writes blog)

Lauren Scott (Baydreamer Writes blog)

(Note: While I’ve listed four nominees for the challenge, please don’t feel obligated to participate if you’d prefer not to take part. No worries at all. 😊)

43 thoughts on “Blogging Challenge–12/18/2024”

  1. loving these answers. And those are great selections to participate. Your blog is truly your safe apace Mike. It reflects the depth of your soil, it’s darkness, its moments of happiness.. and your creativity exceptional and inspiring mate.

    thanks for the props, my bro..I git nothing but love and respect for your work. Soon we will collaborate..

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    1. Thanks for tagging me for this challenge, Nigel. It was a fun little diversion. Your kindness means a lot to me, amigo. I hope when we’re able to collaborate that I’ll be able to match your level of quality and creativity. I’m still behind on reading and commenting on a lot of blogs but I’m working towards getting caught up a bit. 😊

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    1. Thanks, David. I saw that Nigel had tagged me in his blog post so I figured I’d give this a go. Kind of fun. And it’s writing, you know? Any kind of writing helps when I’m blocked, so it was beneficial in that regard, too. And as for being a compelling writer, you, my friend, are one of the most compelling writers I’ve come across since I began my blog back in 2021. I would love to do another Poetry Partners collab with you at some point. 😊

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  4. I’m glad you participated in this, Mike. You’re right, you are brutally honest about yourself. I hope writing out your answers were cathartic in some small way. I hope writing out your answers lifted the veil of gloom, even briefly, and unlocked any writer’s block, even briefly. I hope today brings you moments of joy. You deserve it. 😊

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    1. Thanks so much, Kirsten. Yes, I think collaborating with someone can really help a writer. I’m such a loner that I’ve never really done any collaborations aside from a couple with David (Skeptic’s Kaddish blog’s “Poetry Partners” initiative). It would force me out of my comfort zone, for sure. 😊

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  7. Oh, a collaboration between you and Nigel would be fabulous. I’ll add some energy to that possibility as it floats around in the aether. I’m so sorry about that writer’s block, Mike. It sounds devastating. I’ve never experienced it – mostly because I’m willing to write crap when the words aren’t flowing. Hehe. On a hopeful note, I look forward to seeing you published someday – perhaps with Nigel. I’d buy the book. 🙂

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    1. Thanks a bunch, Diana. My counselors have told me to essentially “write crap” to try to burst through episodes of writer’s block but man, I can’t even do that much. Crippling stuff. I’ve tried stream-of-consciousness writing during writer’s block and it didn’t help, either. I’m guessing I’m just pizza-and-root-beer-deficient (that’s my story and I’m sticking to it). 😄🍕🍺

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      1. I hear ya, Mike. “pizza-and-root-beer-deficient” 🙂 I think poetry is harder to write than prose, which is why I write prose. Hehe. I pretty much always know what comes next, always know what has to be said. There’s a story to tell. Poetry, for me, is more like standing under the sky and waiting for a falling star.

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  8. Mike.U . Absolutely deep and wonderful answers to all the question. It is amazing that deafness led to a liking of silence and solitude.
    you have gone through lot but are finding friends and creativity among us bloggers. I so understand you.
    keep talking, Mike.

    Miriam

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    1. Thank you so much for your kind words, Miriam. I suppose it’s a good thing I’m an introvert as it makes the isolation of deafness much more tolerable. I’m so glad I’ve found wonderful friends here in the WP community. Like-minded, compassionate people who really seem to care. What a gift this community has been for me and others. I appreciate you, my friend. 😊

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    1. Thanks, Joanne. Yep, deafness has certainly shaped my life over the past forty-two years. I can’t say I’ve enjoyed my deaf journey because I haven’t, but it’s taught me a few things and helped me to see the world in a different way. It was also the main reason I started blogging. So, if it weren’t for my deafness, I’d never have come across all the wonderful folks here on WordPress. Thanks for your support, my friend. I appreciate you. 😊

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  15. Dear Mike, I want to thank Nigel for tagging you because I learned some new things about you. I wondered why you chose the “SilentPariah” for your blog, although I had an idea. Being a social outcast as well throughout school, I was easily able to relate to your answer. I am still sorry that kids can be so unbelievably cruel to other children and for no real reason except for their fun.

    As for your style of blogging, I would hope that you will never stop being completely yourself. It takes a great deal of courage to write the truth, and you are right it is not for everyone. Some people only want to read happy poetry, and there is nothing wrong with that, but I like to think that by writing the truth, no matter how painful, we help others. So please keep on being your amazing gift to this world Mike.

    I know that you and Nigel would write an incredible collaboration. I want to be on that list, too. I have written a collaboration with Nigel, and I had so much fun doing it. I am with you. Nigel is a fantastic writer, and his story-telling skills keep one glued to the page. His collaboration with Melissa has been a joy to read and they work so well together. Nigel is easygoing and always ready to help a fellow writer.

    Thank you for sharing more about yourself, Mike. You are always vividly honest in your interviews and I love that about you. Big hugs and love. Thanks again Nigel for getting Mike to do the interview.

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    1. Thank you kindly, Joni. Believe me, you are most definitely on the list of those with whom I’d love to collaborate! I recall the collaboration between you and Nigel. Wonderfully brilliant stuff. And thanks for your warm words regarding my answers to the questions above. You’re right, of course, when you say people are often cruel just for the fun of it. For some folks, cruelty is the whole point (I think one particular political cult and about half the country embrace this caustic philosophy nowadays). Becoming an outcast through no fault of our own during our most fragile and vulnerable formative years is devastating (in other words, junior high and high school can be hell). I had to be true to myself, though, and not give in, even though it meant losing my friends and being bullied. Truth and integrity are much more important than high school popularity anyway.

      Sending you and Scott lots of love and good wishes. 😊

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