“We are not nouns, we are verbs. I am not a thing - an actor, a writer - I am a person who does things - I write, I act - and I never know what I’m going to do next. I think you can be imprisoned if you think of yourself as a noun.”
Stephen Fry
I love the idea that I am a person who does things, not a person who is a thing. So often those early conversations begin with "and what do you do?" which is I suppose trying to get a sense of how you spend your time (or earn your money usually). And often times we respond with I am a....fill in the blank.
In our early days here, both Barry and I struggled with how to answer this question and describe what we do. We were so used to saying what we were - and in Canberra there was a code that was very well understood and a hierarchy that went with it so that everybody could slot you in once you had answered their question.
I often think it is easier to say I am, rather than I do, because you then begin to list all the different sorts of things you do and its hard (for me at least) to make it a coherent story. And sometimes the variety does people's heads in and they just want it summarised into something they can understand - like a noun.
Nevertheless, I think I shall take up Stephen Fry's challenge and try to think about myself more as a verb than a noun, and try not to get stuck in somebody else's pigeonhole.
Then again, not all pigeonholes are bad...
I fell in love with all this lovely pigeon-holey storage at the Centre for Book Arts in New York. Sigh.
Stephen Fry
I love the idea that I am a person who does things, not a person who is a thing. So often those early conversations begin with "and what do you do?" which is I suppose trying to get a sense of how you spend your time (or earn your money usually). And often times we respond with I am a....fill in the blank.
In our early days here, both Barry and I struggled with how to answer this question and describe what we do. We were so used to saying what we were - and in Canberra there was a code that was very well understood and a hierarchy that went with it so that everybody could slot you in once you had answered their question.
I often think it is easier to say I am, rather than I do, because you then begin to list all the different sorts of things you do and its hard (for me at least) to make it a coherent story. And sometimes the variety does people's heads in and they just want it summarised into something they can understand - like a noun.
Nevertheless, I think I shall take up Stephen Fry's challenge and try to think about myself more as a verb than a noun, and try not to get stuck in somebody else's pigeonhole.
Then again, not all pigeonholes are bad...
I fell in love with all this lovely pigeon-holey storage at the Centre for Book Arts in New York. Sigh.
I want to be a verb too! A lovely healthy active verb. Love the concept Fiona. Thanks for sharing those ideas. x
ReplyDeleteBeing a verb is a very fine thing I think Susan! Here's to verbing.
DeleteHi Fiona....I'm back to checking in on my favorite blogs after a very long absence! What a fine way to start, with this post as a reminder that we are not static, but always moving, changing and in flux. We do things, we make things, but we are not nouns, that's for sure! Hope all is well on your side of the world! Cheers to you!
ReplyDeleteThanks Patti - the notion of verbs definitely gives a sense of action and activity doesn't it. As you say...not static at all. Here's to movement, light and motion!
DeleteI consider it everyone's 'job' to defy simple classifications and stereotypes - to get away from the limiting dichotomy of 'either/or' and embrace the expansive magic of 'both/and'......
ReplyDeleteHi Ronnie- yes the both/and typeof dichotomy gives us room to express our richness doesn't it? None of us are simple enough to be a single entity I guess, but I also like the notion of movement and action implied by Fry in terms of verbing!
ReplyDeleteYou find the best quotes, Fiona. Can't you just hear Stephen Fry saying this? I'm not sure that I'm a verb just now. I feel as though "doing" has stopped and all I'm doing is worrying about the lack of it.
ReplyDeleteI'm smiling at Carol's comment. At Christmas time the "doing" usually grinds to a halt and of course the worry cloud hangs over one for not budging.
ReplyDeletewhat a great space - i must hunt that down! (with your assistance)
ReplyDeletei once read a quote pointing out the difference in our being called human beings not human doings...