Hey Everyone! I have been very impressed with the enthusiastic responses to the 7/10 Blog Homework proposed by @Missy and @Rambo. I have seen a wide variety of responses, from a rant about how celebrities are over-emphasized in the media to fun examples of once-in-a-lifetime encounters to a superbly creative blog from @lyamoon that just made me smile.
For the record, I do want to give the cynics credit for pointing out that celebrities have a tendency to be glorified to a ridiculous level in today's global media. Indeed, the infamous seem to get more attention than the famous. That being said, I don't think there's anything wrong with having a healthy respect for someone who has accomplished something of merit.
On that note, I'd like to share a little of my own experience. In 1986, I had the privilege of attending an inspirational lecture given by the late, great, multi-genre writer, Ray Bradbury. It's been a very long time since then, and I don't recall much of what he actually said. However, I can tell you that I was sufficiently inspired by his words that I determined that one day I would be a successful writer like him. When I finally got to the head of the line to meet him, I was nervous enough that my brain went blank with the question that I had practiced to ask him. Instead, I lamely asked him a question to which I already had an answer and thanked him for signing my copy of The Martian Chronicles. D'oh!
I met Ray at my local public library in Alta Loma, CA. We didn't have smartphones or digital cameras in 1986, so I don't have a picture of me with him. Still, the picture of Ray above is how I remember him, framed by the books of a library. He didn't have a cat with him that day, and I didn't recall until I saw that pic that Ray was a cat person like me! However, I do still have my copy of The Martian Chronicles, as you can see, and I'm still writing after all these years. It's been a hard road, but I'm in the process of completing part two of my second novel.
If you'd like to get a feel of how inspiring Ray Bradbury was, check out the video in the Inspiration Through Imagination group entitled "Some Inspiration From Ray Bradbury," provided by @thund3rbeard. You don't have to be a writer to appreciate what he had to say.
https://suicidegirls.com/groups/inspiration-through-imagination/thread/554868/
To the iconoclasts out there, I would like to say this: take it easy on the hero-bashing. Some people should be recognized for their achievements.
May you meet someone who inspires you, famous or not!
- Dhyani
