Posted on

Reading and Writing

Yesterday’s word count: 1176, all journal.

It’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day, so it’s a day off from work. That gives me the chance to read and write more than I typically do on a Monday. For some reason, I woke up at 5:10 this morning, so I’ve got even more time than usual. I expect everyone here will sleep until 8:00 at least, giving me plenty of time to read and maybe write.

I’ll start with the news, then move on to Eyewitness to History. Later, I’ll get another chapter of Lower Ed done. I should finish that book this week; I’ll have to think about my next audiobook. Do I pick back up with Will Durant’s Caesar and Christ, or do I get a book for more entertaining reading? We’ll see. For now, let’s see what’s going on in the world.

5:03. We had the plumber out to fix a leak in the hallway bathroom. Between that and David Letterman’s interview of Barrack Obama, I’ve not gotten a lot of things done today. But I’m going to read Eyewitness to History now, and get a little more western civilization in my head.

6:14. Wonders will never cease: not only did I manage to read a few chapters of Eyewitness to History, but I listened to another chapter of Lower Ed. Next up, I’m going to read about writing. I may then actually try to write.

9:44. Hot dog! Not only did I read about writing, I wrote. A little over 700 words. Completely terrible stuff. Can’t wait to try again tomorrow.

Posted on

Reading and Writing

Today I read The New York Times. I particularly enjoyed the article on Jeff Bezos and the Sunday profile of rapper 50 Cent. For my audiobook, I finished another chapter in Lower Ed by Tressie McMillan Cottom. In it, she described the recruiting practices of the for-profit colleges and universities. She paints a stark picture of the for-profit higher education marketplace. So far today, I haven’t read any other books, but I think I might explore the study for a history book.

I also haven’t written anything today beyond my personal journal. That’s over 800 words so far, and I’ll keep writing until the end of the day. Not sure if I’ll write creatively today or not. Part of me is just happy to have launched this web site: I’m putting myself out there and committing to writing regularly.

While my wife was suffering her first migraine in 15 years, my daughter and I quietly watched Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 2. It was a relaxing way to spend the afternoon without making too much noise. But I suppose I could have spent that time writing. That’s the kind of choice I have to start making if I’m going to get my projects off the ground.

I just finished reading the introduction and first two stories in Eyewitness to History, edited by John Carey. That’s a start on my history. Just a little bit, every day. I also went out for a brief walk. It was cold, but good to get out and reflect on the day.

Posted on

Putting It Together

Hello.  I’m just working on organizing things here.  More to come soon.

I need to study all of western civilization for my work. The challenge is that there’s so much to study that it’s daunting. But it’s just something I have to get done, step by step, bird by bird.

At the same time as I’m researching, I need to learn how to write a novel and/or a poem well. That means practice, but it’s been a practice I’ve avoided for nearly two decades. I’m very good at keeping a journal, but I’ve hardly ever stepped up and created a work of fiction. Nothing so much as a full short story. I haven’t written because I know what I write will be bad.

But I know that’s how it’s supposed to work. I fix by revising draft after draft. I’m stating the obvious here, but that’s because I have to be explicit if I’m going to get it done.

And so I begin. This journal is where I plan to write about the journey I am taking to become a better writer. I write here for myself, knowing that the more I write here, the better I’ll get at writing here. Which is something else I want.

Who am I? It doesn’t matter at this point. There are thousands of people who want to become good writers. I’m just another one of them.

So if you’ve happened upon this site, thank you for taking the time to read it. I hope you find it entertaining and informative. I expect most of my entries to be short ones. I’m more interested in writing here regularly than I am about writing something long. I’ll chronicle my progress here, and one day, maybe I’ll have written something worth sharing. For now, I’m focused on the journey, not the destination.

Thank you for stopping by.