it is perhaps the greatest tragedy of american life today that modest efforts at artistic expression are shot down so casually and freely with withering criticism. couple this with the ready availability of the very best musicians, poets, and actors which the country can produce, and most people become extremely intimidated at the thought of sharing what they have done.

i have two ways of defeating this in my corner of the world. first, i encourage and applaud the efforts of those around me, whether they are world-class or not, and second, i put forth my own attempts so that others can see that there are people even worse than they.