D'vorahDavida
Yetzirah

Ivory Towers and Pits of Despair
Wed Dec 11 2002

From the fan mail:

Yetzirah,
The other day, I noticed that you gave yourself the title of ‘writer’. What makes you think you can give yourself this designation? Isn't this an honor that is earned ? Are you published ? Do you have a degree in English ?


Gentle Reader,

Your interest in my educational background is touching. Are you perhaps an administrator? You have found me out. No, I have not attended college, nor do I have a degree. However, after many years of reading and writing, I decided to come out of the cloak room and take my place among the grown ups.

I am a writer, because I write. No, I am not a professional, meaning I don’t get paid for it. But lately to write has become akin to breathing for me, so I decided to start calling myself what I do.

You might be interested, (or annoyed) to know that I have also presented myself with a degree in History. I conferred this document upon myself because I actually read from cover to cover, Jacques Barzun’s book,‘From Dawn To Decadence’. And let me tell you, anyone who can prove to me that they have done the same will get a certificate of merit directly from my desk.

I will tell you a secret. . . . Not having gone to college is my mark of shame and my badge of honor. I keep one in each pocket. And when I feel glum I take out the one, and when I feel haughty, I take out the other. This keeps me out of ‘The Pit of Despair’ and ‘The Ivory Tower’.
Nasty places both.


Have a good day….
Yetzirah


3 Comments
  • From:
    (Unauthenticated) (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Dec 11 2002
    Pedagogic snobbery. I like you better.
  • From:
    Diane (Unauthenticated) (Legacy)
    On:
    Wed Dec 11 2002
    I like you better too! laughing -- where do people get off on judging people in such a way? The audacity just floors me! What does it matter if you went to college or if you have been published? The facts are you write daily, and yes, you are a writer. A very good one I might add! Keep at it. I for one would miss your daily entries for sure.
  • From:
    RealmOfRachel (Legacy)
    On:
    Sun Dec 15 2002
    I was just browsing through your back issues when I found this, how dare they!!!! You are indeed a WRITER and a very good one too. I would take pride in never having gone to college or university if this is what those institutions produce. Not all of us students are so nasty my friend D says it best I think in this case with haughty pompous people she tells them "university is just school for those who were too thick to learn the first time". Hugs R