A Fly on the Wall, August 16, 2013

Life and Knowledge

by Jim Murchison

@JimMurchison

They say that when you venture to write an original work you should write what you know. What I know now is not what I expected to know when I was a young acting student and a professional actor. The world outside the theatre is so full of injustice and corruption that it can be difficult to know where to start. There are so many things worth writing about.

So now I have to ask myself, exactly what do I know?  I know a lot about the public service and bureaucracy. I never expected at the beginning of my life to have such an intimate knowledge of the provincial government but temp jobs turn into permanent positions and 25 years later I find myself a go-to-guy for clarification on legislation and assorted gobbledygook. 

I know some things about music, some things about family. I know about injustice, unfairness, bigotry and entitlement, from more of an observer’s point of view. I see a lot as an observer. I haven’t actually experienced much prejudice or privilege first hand but I try to see it. It is very easy to walk by a homeless person and believe that they caused or asked for their circumstance. It is very easy to think that people that don’t think your way are lazy or deviant. I like to take a look at life and wonder why things happen the way they do. I wonder what my life would be like without the support of family and friends that always have something positive to offer when I am low and how much lower would I have gone without that.

I guess that what I want to write is basically my version of life in a way that has something redeeming to offer but isn’t saccharine or frivolous even if it is fun and that isn’t tedious or whiny even if it is dark and critical. 

I can hardly wait to read it, but before I do that I’m going to have to write it. I hope I learn something.