In Which Some Of You Are AWESOME
Madelyn Hartke reads Action Athena and that is AWESOME, because she is awesome. Please, please check out her blog.
Like me, Madelyn is totally into recording every moment of her life in words and pictures. Like me, she gets nostalgic about high school and hometowns and old friends and letters and shit, but in a way that is SO AWESOME. Because: she is hella funny and smart. Thus, her blog is a continual delight to read. Seriously. She’s great. What wows me the most is the way she takes action. “Action” may be in the name of my site, but I am not so good at taking it (heh heh). Madelyn, however, takes thoughtful observation of her life, and then makes changes accordingly, becoming ever healthier and wiser and cooler. I, on the other hand, have already started drinking caffeine again.
I’m also happy to know she reads my site because I realized recently that every time I post something, I picture the handful of people whom I know read this and whom, I imagine, are my harshest critics. “Oh, there she goes again. Being…loud, and, annoying, and, things.” And in my head I cringe, but then I get angry and think, “OKAY YOU KNOW WHAT, GO MAKE YER OWN WEBSITE. AND THINGS.” Seriously.
It was wonderful to realize that somebody out there whom I don’t even know very well (we went to high school together, but she was in my sister’s year. She has a sister in my year, Alison, who is also wicked cool. Also, their stepdad is the drummer in my dad’s band—the one I have played with a few times.) identifies with the stuff I’m talking about. I’m not crazy!
See, sometimes when I talk to people, even (nay, particularly) close friends, my words are met with blank stares or a curious tilt of the head that seems to say “oh, you sad blobby little thing. What are you going on about. I will indulge you with a nod and then compliment your appearance and hopefully that will put a big taffeta bow of a smile on your face.” It makes me feel crazy, or at the very least too BIG and INTENSE and AGGRESSIVE and SELF-INDULGENT and OUT OF CONTROL!!!!!
But then. I hear from someone like The Awesome Madelyn. Or I have a really, really delightful conversation with Lizz and Hannah (this happened Monday. While Hannah made us chocolate chip cookies.) Or I bitch on the phone with My Wife The Goldfeather, or with Phoebe The Greatest Sister of All Time, or with My Superhero Of A Mother (these things all happened in the last few days). Or then, Supreme Goddess Kate Rodman invites me to a Ladies Only dinner (this is happening tonight!). And oh my goodness, suddenly it appears I AM NOT CRAZY, I am actually just A GIRL, and I probably don’t have to apologize for that.
Oh, oh, oh, and I haven’t even mentioned the beautiful (BEAUTIFUL) responses that have slowly been entering my inbox (heh heh) since I sent out a mass email to some lady friends about the first installment of my Div III (Which is. Holy cow. Get this. Kinda feminist.)
But back to Madelyn. Madelyn is awesome. So if she likes Action Athena, I must be doing something right. And people who don’t like it should probably just find another website, because there are lots of them, and you ain’t payin’ me for this shit. THUS: I’ma try and worry less about pleasing the meanest chunk of my audience, and spend more time feeling excited about speaking directly to people (LIKE MADELYN) who are already on my wavelength.
And PS PS PS I hope it didn’t sound like I’m saying that boys are my mean readers. Cause dude: I have some AWESOME male readers. In addition, I know some AWESOME male feminists. My spectacular friend William, for instance, is a tireless cheerleader for strong female characters.
Jaime Hernandez, the author of “Locas,” is also a dude, not to mention one of the top five geniuses of the modern era. His work is unbelievably perceptive of all things female. I sang his praises here once long ago, but really the praises cannot be sung enough. Everyone needs to read Locas I & II as soon as possible, followed immediately by Gilbert Hernandez’s “Palomar.”
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:06 am
Athena. I’m literally shaking right now because attention of any kind makes me NERVOUS. Okay not of any kind. But of the praisey kind. Also, this has got to be the most times I’ve seen my name in print EVER. So that’s cool.
I read this post like three hours ago and put off writing a comment because I was so jazzed by all this appreciation you’ve thrown up here. I think it’s overwhelmingly GOOD that we’ve recognized each others’ online…whatever it is we’re doing. Because no matter how we feel about it, this sort of thing isn’t QUITE seen as work by our readers. And that’s fine I guess (passiveagressive ahhhhhhhh).
But it’s always BEYOND satisfying to hear some positive feedback *cough* HEY COMMENT ON ATHENA’S BLOG MORE OFTEN (this means YOU).
But Athena. You intrigue me with your brains and beauty and love of boobies. This is why I feel so much love for you without knowing you very much at all. And I still drink caffeine so WHATEVER. And I just had ice cream and loved it. No guilt about food. None. And when you say that you’re a girl and you probably don’t have to apologize, I give you a royal ‘FEH!’ and the assurance that you most definitely DON’T have to. Get that ‘probably’ out of there.
Someone told me this once:
“Do what you love, and fuck the rest”
I didn’t know until this moment (Google) that it’s from Little Miss Sunshine, which I haven’t seen. But I think that certain people need to pick up on the real meaning behind that quote. SO. Please love yourself always. And I know it can be hard for PEOPLE LIKE US, but try to drop all the freakout overactive brain response what-are-people-thinking-about-me things for a minute and just straight up feel GOOD. We should be real friends probably, because I can’t quite be real with you until then. I like you. Understood?
LOVE,
Madelyn
October 22nd, 2009 at 1:25 am
I DID THAT THING where I forget what I’m trying to say all together and just say something else. This is what I MEANT to say:
“Being…LOUD, and, ANNOYING, and, THINGS” made me laugh. At the THINGS especially. Also, you being all those things is a good…thing. THINGS!
“BIG and INTENSE and AGGRESSIVE and SELF-INDULGENT and OUT OF CONTROL!!!!!”
I LIKE YOU FOR THOSE THINGS. Think of the most boring person you know. Wouldn’t it SUCK to be that boring??? BE INSANE AND, ESPECIALLY, BE LOUD. ALL CAPS ALL THE TIME.
I deal with the same “who am I trying to please and WHO WILL READ THIS???” question. I sooooo don’t have it figured out yet. My Dad, for example, appreciates the word FUCK about as much as your grandmother. Also, he sent my url to my great-aunt…..so…….
ALSO, what happens when you feel like you’re boring? What do you do? I feel like that with most of my posts.
Sometimes I feel like Harriet The Spy, except I’m showing absolutely everything to THE INTERNET, which anyone can see. That freaks me out. I can’t make cute comics to soften the blows when I want to bitch about things. Actually I kind of want to try comic writing. Though this stands as proof RIGHT HERE that you started it and that I’m copying you. I HOPE THAT’S OKAY. IF IT’S NOT, THEN FUCK YOU, ATHENA!!!!!!
loooooove,
Madelyn
P.S. Sorry sorry SORRY A THOUSAND TIMES that both of these comments are from the same person. I’m always sad when I see that there are two comments but only one person wrote them.
October 22nd, 2009 at 5:58 pm
This strip totally represents my sleep schedule the past few days.
October 23rd, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Madelyn,
OMG I know exactly that feeling of being overwhelmed by attention/praise etc., and getting PARALYZED about how to respond! But I suspect you will have to get used to it, as you’re pretty praise-worthy. Hopefully I have made some first steps toward the popping of your praise cherry.
Thank GOD you are still drinking coffee and eating ice cream and stuff. You wouldn’t be as much fun as a friend if you were completely perfect. And I would like to be better friends with you!
And making friends is good because yeah, internet journaling feels totally Harriet the Spy. Which I can only assume mean it’s inevitably gonna bite us in the ass when the wrong person stumbles across our words and gets totally pissed and gives us the silent treatment and oh god that’s gonna suck so bad. At least I’ll still have you to eat ice cream with.
“Do what you love, and fuck the rest” is an excellent quote. Maybe that’s what I should write to my grandmother in response to her letter.
I’m glad I don’t have to apologize for being a girl. And that you approve of “LOUD and ANNOYING and THINGS.” That might be a good Action Athena t-shirt slogan. HMM…. Or maybe just the word “VAGINA” in giant pink letters, in a speech bubble coming out of Cartoon Athena’s mouth.
Anyway. Yes. Madelyn. I was so happy to write about you. You are fun.
October 25th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Wait, I’m sorry, you write an entry titled “In Which Some of You Are Awesome,” fail to mention me among the awesome….and expect to get away with this? No. This will not stand. There will be blood.
November 7th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
Dylan: I believe I gave a shout-out to my cool dude readers. You’re *probably* among them. It’s all riding on your behavior during your Minnesota visit. You have to outdo the two Hampshire visitors who came before you.
Madelyn: ONE MORE THING–oh my gosh, you should so, SO give comics a try! On many days, comics are the only thing that makes me happy to be alive. They are…the best. And as many of my own comics should make obvious, drawing skills are optional.