Letters from a Middle-Aged US Citizen (#1)

Slips, not slides. Well, for the past two years, I have been sliding, especially when it has come to writing. The best way to get out of life skid? No, it is not leaning into it. Instead, do one small thing in the right direction. Nothing big or perfect. In fact, in this moment, "small and messy" is best. So, here is my life correction. 

Meandering Thoughts (#26)

Hey, was it talking about today's road trip?

This fortune arrived back in October.
Does that mean I have to wait until next year?

I last blogged on October 6th. Before that, September 1st. Between then and May 31st, there was nothing. Yet, I refuse to give up. When it comes to achieving a goal, a little something, is better than a whole lot of nothing. So, after driving around this morning, I started my laptop, and wrote the following. It's messy and bloated, like my mind right now. 

A Deep Breath (#30)

I am not in need of good luck right now.
Serendipity? She never showed up.
As long as I am willing to leave the house, I guess.

It's been a while, I know. A lot has happened since I last posted. My thoughts? Oh, I have a lot. Not sure if sharing them will make a difference. At least there will be proof on the internet of where I stood during these tumultuous times. However, today's post will not cover my reactions to current events. Sorry. Instead, I retread old wounds, but with new words. Listen, it is form of practice. And, a way to keep this project afloat. You can's sail if you're not floating.

Apologies for the Long Silence (Again)...

Seriously, for me it has been
a difficult lesson to accept and implement.

I have returned. For how long and in what form, I do not know. And, for the moment, that is fine. Apparently, I was slow to potting training, to speaking my first words, and to falling in love with my future wife. Perhaps it is in my DNA. Since I am forty-seven, I decided to accept it. But, not in a fatalistic way. Instead, as proof of the above quote. Change involves sucking at things. Some people suck at things longer than others. 

And, for now, that is okay. 

(Currently, I hope to post once a week, and likely on Monday nights--Sundays don't seem to work well anymore. However, having written this out over the past two hours, a desire to write more is growing inside me. So, don't be surprised if begin posting more than weekly sooner rather than later.)  

My 250th Post!

(My last three fortune cookies. I do enjoy star-filled nights. However, whomever I meet through a mutual friend better NOT be the one providing me with a lifetime of cozy nights--my wife wouldn't appreciate it! But, I will be more than happy to accept invaluable advice from a friend. Not that little slips of papers found inside faux cookies mean anything...)     

I did it! In a little over five years, I have written 250 blog posts, the last seven in one week. It helped drafting them early in the morning, then uploading them, after a cursory perusal, at night. Not writing on Sunday may have helped. Or, not. Posting daily will not be a habit any time soon--I just needed to prove to myself that I can write this much in such a short period of time. 

A (Sort of) Book Review (#6)

(Clicking on the image above will take you to an NPR interview with the author.)

Post 5 of 6. Which of these books is not like the other? Well, the one I am going to blog about in this post. Whereas the first three non-fiction works covered social, political, and economic issues affecting the United States over the past twenty years, today's selection delves into religion. Specifically, Christianity and the book of Revelation. Does this foray into theology have anything to do with the other three books? Oh, yes it does. And not by the author's design. At least I do not think so. Read on to find out more. 

A (Sort of) Book Review (#5)

Post 4 of 6. If you are wondering what all this counting is about, you can find an explanation in the first two paragraphs from this post. Today I am reviewing another non-fiction. This one is examining poverty in the United States through individual stories, but also surveys, and studies. While they spotlight a lot of problems, they also offer some solutions, including, at the end of the book, a ten-point action list for individuals to follow. Though a bit more academic than the first two, the writing is easy to follow.

A (Sort of) Book Review (#4)

Post 3 of 6. Another non-fiction book review. And, another author who grew up poor, but this time under the constant threat of an abusive father. I discovered this title in one of Sarah Smarsh's essays, where she discussed a young man who struggled with what he saw and learned at a modern-day oil boomtown in the heart of North Dakota. It was one hell of an experience.

A (Sort of) Book Review (#3)

This is post 2 of 6. It is a kind of book review in which I reveal as much about myself as the book. Okay, I probably talk more about my own thoughts than that of the authors. Sorry. At least I am honest about it. Over the past few months, I have read about four non-fiction books, and it looks like I am dedicating the next four posts to each of them. There was a work of fiction, too, since the New Year. Perhaps I will include that one, too. We shall see. 

Memorial Day Post

I sketched that. The original, I believe,
 was the size of a 3x5 notecard.
Sorry for the poor quality of this image.

This is post 1 of 6. It is short, and to the point. Most of the time, it is better to start out small and quiet, and finish the job, then begin with thunder and bluster, only to peter out, never completing the goal.