Who Woulda Thunk It
I find it interesting and helpful to occasionally reflect on what has happened and to use that to consider what lies ahead. This seems like as good a time as any to do that. Today’s column – I call it a column because I’m not sure the definition of blog – is my 100th; hard to believe.
I never doubted I would find interesting/peculiar things to write about, I also didn’t doubt the frequency; what I didn’t expect was how much effort it took to find pictures for each column (thanks Ashley for the help). In the future, I may omit pictures if the topic doesn’t have an obvious image that matches the theme.
I am not sure what my expectations were when I embarked on this. For sure, I was keen to write more, hone my craft if you will, and to engage people and hope it led them to think out of the box, or at least outside their normal comfort zone. I honestly, have no idea if I came anywhere close to accomplishing that. In fact, I am not sure how to think about the response to the column; I get very little feedback, but it appears there is a loyal, and based on percentage, large group who read most of what I write. Frankly, this was the biggest unknown for me when I started, and it still is.
When I first began this, I told myself that after one hundred pieces, I would pause for a moment and assess what I wanted to do moving forward. The time has come for that. For sure, I will continue this column and my writing. I have no intention to stop; I would probably write something most weeks even if no one reads it; writing is therapeutic and one of my favorite joys in life.
As I peer forward, I am specifically thinking about the range of topics to write about and the style of writing. I could write a piece everyday about the chaos wrought onto US citizens by the less than noble leaders we have, but it is tiresome, counterproductive, and not unlike most every other writer right now who seems hellbent to make a buck choosing a side and fanning the flames of craziness. I must admit it is hard to stay away from writing about the frequent happenings on a national level, but I am getting better, freeing my mind from the toxic environment we live in.
I find my footing as a writer when I am telling a story; I recall David McCullough, a famous historian, saying he sought to paint with words; I love that approach and hope someday I will find my way to doing that on a consistent basis. All that to say, I am eager to find more interesting stories to tell and process. This may mean, at times, longer columns and it may also mean I occasionally only post one story a week.
Frankly, I am not sure what the next year of, I Was Just Thinking will look like. This week I am going to take a few days to consider how I want to proceed. As such, I will miss posting a second column this week; this is the first time I have skipped a day since I launched; I feel quite certain the readers will get by without my pontificating later in the week.
If you have thoughts or opinions about the column, I am all ears. I want this to be an email you get that you want to read. At the same time, I want to continue to grow my burgeoning efforts to write in the final phase of my life. I am sure I can blend those two goals.
One thing I am certain of, my overarching focus is to write books. I believe I can finish one book a year. In fact, I am days away from completing the final author edits to my second book, Where the World Makes Sense. It is too early to project a publish date, but I will keep you posted.
Where the World Makes Sense is a fictional story about RJ Burnette, a product of Gizzard’s Holler, a small mountain enclave tucked against the Appalachian Mountains, who finds himself working for a respected New York investment bank. New York success leaves RJ hollow, and he bolts home to find himself; what he discovers is a family tragedy and a lifetime of secrets he could have never imagined. Lost and unsure where he belongs, RJ is forced to look for his personal truth while stumbling through a web of lies about the family he thought he knew.
There will be more to come on RJ and my second book, in the interim I am going to take a few days to recharge and focus myself on making this column better. A personal thank you to all who have subscribed, faithfully followed my writings, sent me notes and emails telling me how much you love what I said, or how stupid I am. You likely don’t fully appreciate how much I value the support. I promised myself when I started writing, I would never spend one second worrying about what people think of my writing; I failed at keeping that promise. I guess it is human nature to seek affirmation in what you do, no one wants to be out there and made a fool.
