Natural Man-Musk

I had the privilege of spending time with friends this past weekend, with whom I don’t often get the chance to talk with. My wife is really good friends with the Other Woman (no reason for capitals, just some unnecessary dramatic effect) so I am obviously paired up with the husband. This is a routine pairing, and while the women go off to do their thing, we are thrown together, most likely to engage in awkward conversation or subtle patronizing. You see, we share radically different professions, and I would be so bold as to extend that into radically different world views. When two people cannot see the other’s frame of reference, then awkwardness surely ensues.

The point of this, is that it WASN’T awkward (except for the hugging, which came at the end of the evening). We all balanced each other nicely and *shock!* I was able to move out of my comfort-zone-my-life-is-my-routine, everything-is-about-teaching mentality to see more of the outside world. It was refreshing.

Talk also came about to the topic of this blog. Granted, there is some audience-intent apparent here, but the ultimate goal of this blog is for me to write. In writing of my stories, I am able to better understand them, and ultimately, to improve my practice. However, I was reaching a sort of crisis/boredom point in that I was frustrated that there wasn’t an overarching theme apparent here. I was impatiently looking for a common thread that pulls all these rambling(s) together, yet none had jumped out to me so far. In talking to my friends, I was yet again reminded of my purpose - that is: to write. I needed to practice my craft and develop my skills. So, here we are.

In finding time to write, it is often an incredibly solitary position, though the process of writing isn’t solitary. This is what I teach my kids. I get them to write, and then to share with another, soliciting advice on how to improve their craft. They revise together, looking at content and ideas, expression of voice, and all the big changes they can make. Yet here I sit, dreadfully early in the morning, surrounded by my natural man-musk as I haven’t yet had a shower, listening for the sounds of stirring above me, hoping that the day won’t start yet. I’ve more to say, more to write, more to share... yet time is what I really need more of.

So it is with that in mind - time. In time, there will be patterns to my writing, more insights to be gleamed. Ultimately, it is really about the process. And that is what is truly important.