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Summary

The article "10 Things I Like about Paul Mansfield" is a personal tribute that highlights the author's appreciation for Paul's diverse qualities and contributions, ranging from his editorial role at Microcosm to his photography and his complex personality.

Abstract

The author of the article expresses admiration for Paul Mansfield, detailing ten characteristics that they appreciate about him. Paul is acknowledged for his editorial work at Microcosm, which has contributed to the publication's growth and community spirit. The author also praises Paul's sense of humor, his talent as a photographer, his affection for both cats and dogs, and his prolific writing. Paul's willingness to try new things, such as participating in the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction 2021, and his generosity with applause on the author's stories are also highlighted. The article emphasizes Paul's active engagement on social media, notably following back on Twitter, and concludes by celebrating his complex and multifaceted nature, suggesting that Paul's complexity is something to be admired and emulated.

Opinions

  • The author finds listicles to be a form of "shitty writing" but acknowledges Paul's fondness for them.
  • Paul's editorial role is seen as crucial to the success and enjoyment of writing for Microcosm.
  • The author recommends submitting to Microcosm partly for the amusement of Paul's private notes.
  • Paul is described as a "mind-blowing photographer," with a link provided to his Flickr account for readers to enjoy his work.
  • The author notes Paul's grumpiness in an endearing way, recognizing it as a common human trait.
  • Paul's love for both cats and dogs is presented as impressive and rare, bridging the divide between typical cat and dog lovers.
  • The author views Paul as highly productive, labeling him as "Productive AF."
  • Paul's participation in the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction 2021 is seen as an example of his willingness to engage with new challenges.
  • The author appreciates Paul's generosity with applause on their stories, indicating it brings them joy despite knowing the minimal impact of claps.
  • Paul's practice of following back on Twitter is mentioned as a positive aspect of his social media engagement.
  • The author admires Paul's complex personality, which includes various dimensions, some of which even Paul himself may not fully understand.
  • The article concludes with a reflection on Paul's complexity, suggesting it is an admirable trait that others should aspire to embrace.

10 Things I Like about Paul Mansfield

Writing this article wasn’t easy

copyright Paul Mansfield

Listing the ten things of something is just shitty writing in the form of a listicle²².

But Paul likes them.

He wrote several already. Link, link, link. I guess he’ll soon write the 10 Things He Would like to Write 10 Things About.

ANYWAY.

Here are the ten things I like about Paul (in no particular order except for the last one):

#1 He’s an editor at Microcosm

Granted, it’s Paul, so he’s micro-helping. But, still. It’s a nice thing to do. Without him (and Zane), the publication wouldn’t grow so fast, wouldn’t be so much fun to write for, and wouldn’t be a community I’m happy to belong to (I’m looking at you Fox).

#2 He leaves funny private notes — sometimes

I recommend submitting to Microcosm only for them.

#3 He’s a mind-blowing photographer.

I can’t insert an example because I can’t ask him as this article is a surprise. But I can link to his Flickr. Click on it and enjoy. Take your time to browse through some of the almost 3k pictures there.

#4 He’s grumpy

(sometimes)

But then, who’s not?

#5 He loves cats AND dogs.

I know cat lovers who look down on dog lovers. I know dog lovers who look down on cat lovers. But to love both, that, my friends, is impressive.

#6 He writes, writes, and writes

Productive AF.

#7 He tries new things

For example, he participates in the NYC Midnight Flash Fiction 2021.

#8 He’s generous with his claps

What can I say? Even knowing there’s no difference in the end between zero, one, or fifty claps, I’m still happy to see the fifty claps Paul gave me last year on one of my stories.

#9 He follows back on Twitter

It’s true! He even follows me.

#10 He’s complex

  1. Some of Paul is a mean, lean, sex-machine.
  2. Some of Paul lives for the moment.
  3. Some of Paul paint pictures with words.
  4. Some of Paul isn’t interested in later.
  5. Some of Paul is arrogant and opinionated.
  6. Some of Paul I don’t understand.
  7. Some of Paul I don’t know.
  8. Some of Paul, Paul, himself, doesn’t know.
  9. Some of Paul, nobody will ever know. Maybe. I don’t know.
  10. Some of Paul isn’t for me to write.

I like to think Paul embraces his complexity, and I like that. It’s an example to follow.

A recap for those of you who like recaps

Paul is grumpy but has cats (and dogs). Maybe he only pretends to be grumpy? He’s also very touching. You can see it through his lens. His pictures (here) capture moments with words. Read them. His articles (here) show a corner of our world. Watch them.

Happy Birthday, Paul!

²² Here are two examples that I enjoyed reading. (These aren’t “easy read”)

Birthday
Fiction
Dog Shit
Paul Rules
Sort Of
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