Mary Effing Sunshine Speaks!

Remember “Mary Fucking Sunshine” — the person who wrote the I LOVE TORONTO, DAMMIT! post in Craigslist, which got mentioned here, and then got blasted in Torontoist, mentioned in the National Post (Wednesday, September 27th issue, page A8) and counter-blasted here?

Anyhow, Mary left a comment on this blog last night. I think it’s worthy of promotion to the front page:

Hello Joey,

Thanks for your thoughtful comments about my post (which was indeed inspired by one of those cheery September mornings). I’ve written a rather long response over at the Torontoist, but wanted to mention that this rang very true for me:

“I think that there’s something wrong with equating enthusiasm and optimism with naivete and a jaded, apathetic and sarcastic approach with worldliness and knowledge.”

I know I am relatively naive, and terribly idealistic. I also know that naiveity does not necessarily exclude cynicism, sarcasm, and downright bitchiness. I’m certainly capable of all those things. Nor does the excessive use of exclaimation marks always equate to a lack of sophistication or worldly intelligence. The unbridled enthusiasmin my post was as much a reaction to all the negativity on CL as David’s post was a reaction to my gushiness.

I’m grateful that David at least made an attempt to dissect my “argument” intelligently. Those of you familiar with craigslist RnR will know what a rarity that is. (Incidentally, it was never meant as an air-tight dissertation, just as a little blurb to “get off my chest” as you say) We all see lifein different ways, I suppose. One view is as valid as the next; I just happen to find mine the most rewarding.

Anyway, I still love Toronto, hipster city bloggers and all. It’s all part of the texture.

Thanks again!

~Mary Fucking Sunshine

Keep on rockin’, Mary, and pay the cynics no mind. As Mr. Wilde once said, that sort knows the price of everything, but the value of nothing. I salute you with a filet mignon on a flaming sword!