Eight Ball
psst, I'm hiding behind it
Today is one of the first times I felt like I had nothing to say or perhaps did not have the time to say it. For those that know me, that may be a shock as I enjoy the chat. I just celebrated 20 straight days of posting. While that may seem modest to those I know who’ve been doing this for years, I am actually happy this day has come. Knowing what it feels like to not know what to write about is part of keeping it going I think. I occasionally attend a writer’s series in my community. One of the things the authors share is carving out a time to write and to make it a schedule and a commitment you keep to.
Technically I wrote an extra Bonus post yesterday but decided long ago that such anniversary posts “do not count”. It is clear I have a way to go in this process of “Just Do It” as my creative writing leader advised. So it is time for the stalling to stop, akin to that 6th grader who lacks the confidence he/she can make it to 500 words. I find the process of picking a title and then 2 minutes to find a nice image actually therapeutic. It puts my mind in a creative space. Today, most certainly, this post will be twenty minutes or less and I just noted my twenty-minute countdown timer at 14:30 to go.
Today is a wonderful day by all accounts. My call yesterday with a brother and four cousins was just great. Each of us brings a different personality to the “Football chat” and it is funny now to reminisce to childhood and realize that perhaps we haven’t changed that much. It sure helps when the hometown team is the Buffalo Bills although we have also been in the wilderness for long stretches. One of my recurring themes, if you are a frequent reader is “change is hard”. I consider the video added to a call to be simply indispensable. The mannerisms that accompany speech, the ability to see everyone’s face without having to resort to neck-twisting peripheral vision is all part of the joy. While it is more of a free-flow conversation, whoever decides they want to schedule these types of engagements, ends up, quite naturally feeling responsible for keeping the flow going. It is not that different from the imperative of a work meeting to at least come to some conclusions so that people don’t lose faith in endless meetings. There is a famous company in the St. Paul suburbs named 3M. That stands for Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing. Useless trivia aside, the company has a well-earned reputation for innovation and diversification. They are constantly highlighted as that rare American multi-national that long ago achieved more revenue from overseas than within the United States. When you meet a long-time employee they will often advise that 3M actually stands for meetings, meetings, meetings. I wonder if anyone in Japan or Singapore or Serbia realizes what 3M stands for? I think not, as I concluded long ago that regardless of how much I have come to LOVE the place I live, we remain flyover country to most everyone. Somehow, I am content to accept that in return for not having $120 “indispensable burgers” ala NYC (go to #10) or $80 “special” coffee thanks to regular civets undoubtedly available in the Bay Area. Yes, that is a thing, and here is my 3rd link for tonight. In the spirit shared by many Minnesotans, I am happy and content with Caribou Coffee and the 5-8 Club which provide us folks in “flyover country” with great coffee and wonderful burgers, hold the pretentiousness.
Well, the timer is at 3 minutes and I am going to wrap this up. So what music is right for tonight. Ah, I am stuck again but with 2 minutes to go, I am sure this last-minute inspiration fits the bill for tonight’s theme. Music from my teen years with modern listenership. A great combination. I will ask my children (if they actually read this stuff) whether they know the song. It applies to the people and the places in our lives and guides us to treat them as the special gifts they are. This is writer’s gold as far as I’m concerned. It sure means a lot to me each time I listen to it and find it a wonderful place for my mind at times. The 20-minute timer is almost tolling. It’s a wrap. As they advise in This is Spinal Tap, turn it up to 11.
I hope you enjoy my writing but will share what I need to change. Hope to see you tomorrow.
20+