Good? Goodness!

It is always a bit of a surprise to me when someone who is reknowned for doing something in the artistic line actually is recognizably good at it.

If you told me that someone was a reknowned cabinet maker, I'd expect elegant design, smooth functioning, and fine woods; if you told me someone was a wizard at Microsoft Excel, I'd expect that they knew many interesting and useful tricks and shortcuts in their use of the product.

But if you told me that someone was an excellent violinist, I'd be surprised if I listened to them play and actively wanted more. If you told me that someone was an excellent actor, I'd be surprised if I watched them perform and thought that they were, in fact, pretty good.

I think it's because so much of artistic endeavour is interpretation, not easily quantifiable, so that when it comes to me, who might not relish or savor the interpretation, all thats left is the actual product -- and I might find it dry. I don't know how often I've heard that a particular author is very good, gone to read their stuff, and thought 'well, I suppose this is good for some folks, but I don't like it'. Guess I'm just hard to please.

Which is why it comes as a surprise to realize how much I'm enjoying Team of Rivals. Guess Doris really *is* good.