Comments on: What Is The Rumpus?

By: silp

silp — Sun, 03 Feb 2013 12:26:12 +0000

Hey guys, I’ve been a big fan of yours for at least three years and I’ve posted a few comments here and there on your site. I love Rick Moody, Sugar/Strayed, Thomas Page McBee, Mari Naomi, Roxane Gay (just to mention my favorites), and I really enjoy almost everything you do. I’m even subscribed to the letters in the mail! I know that this doesn’t entitle me to more than reading and, occasionally, commenting. And I know that I’m not allowed to pour my rage or bitterness on your comment sections. But. I posted a critical Judgment on Natalie Dee comics which was removed for no apparent reason: I used the word “shoddy”, true (is that a terrible insolence, btw?) but I also added the words “to me”, closing the comment with a peaceful “de gustibus non disputandum est”. I said that N.D. seemed smart and nice but that the amazing number of comics she produced was probably due to the above-mentioned “shoddiness”… is that too spiteful? If so, I’m sorry (I’m not even a native english speaker so I might misuse words). But I strongly believe that polite critics are vital to art. They foster improvement, thinking and dialogue. And I’m not talking about “art-makers” only, but also about “art-users” as myself… with your decision to censor my comment you probably prevented someone else from explaining me his/her point of view, the fun that she/he finds in those comics and that I’m unable to catch. Long story short: I’m afraid that your moderation is a bit too harsh. That said, I probably can’t fully understand your reasons, that’s why (once again) I’m writing here. Thanks anyway for your great job. A sometimes-critical but always affectionate reader.

By: robinstrong

robinstrong — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 03:53:51 +0000

Hello, I wish to cancel my subscription to the book club. Though, I truely enjoy it I cannot keep up. Thank you, Robin Strong

By: Karen Holliman

Karen Holliman — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 23:59:55 +0000

I just read Tiny Beautiful Things. I would like to write a letter to Sugar about my metastatic breast cancer misdiagnosis for 3 years and how the cancer enveloped my spine, greatly impacted my quality of life and probably reduced my lifespan considerably. I recently wrote an op Ed that was published in my local paper. The hospital hasn’t taken accountably which makes it hard to move forward. I met with my doctors to see why they made the decisions they did and come up with opportunities for improvement to make sure it doesnt happen to others. I recently spoke at an annual Diagnostic Errors in Medicine conference and heard other incredibly sad stories as well. My medicine works for an average of 3 years. It will be 2 years in December. I am exhausted most of the time and my doctor and I are looking to see if there is something besides the cancer that is contributing. My death is the first thing I think about when I wake. Family and others keep telling me to move on. I can’t. I am working now to make a sandwich board and elk in front of the hospital when I’m able. It would just be an hour a day for exercise. I need Sugar’s advise. How do I reach her? Thanks.

By: Monty Johnston

Monty Johnston — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 17:46:23 +0000

Hi. Good work.

I liked Sari Botton’s thing on being addicted to addicts.

But not to leave too negative an Al-Anon after-taste, though their meetings are less reliably good than AA, a good Al-Anon meeting is really good. I mean really good. Codependence is, after all, a deadly disease. It takes something really good to cut through it.

Best,
Monty Johnston