I've tried to blog several times since the end of last school year. Honestly, I'm getting so frustrated that my writing groove took a hiatus (beware the groove), that I'm almost desperate. Like Macklemore, I'm ready to take your grandpa's style (Can I have your grandpa's style?) and raid the thrift shop for some hand-me-downs. I'm not all the way back yet, but I thought I would drop a couple snippets since I haven't posted in three months.
13 August 2013
Writing with fresh ideas is like cooking with fresh ingredients.
You don't have to reconstitute anything. No adding water or thawing
needed. Sure, you can cook some pretty darn good stuff with mixes out of a box
or can, but there's nothing like fresh, original thoughts. This post, for
example, had to be put on ice since I'm traveling and don't really have a way
to do anything but preserve my thought in a few notes. Yes, I'll get to
it by and by, but it won't hold the same appeal (or nutritional value) of using
it when it was fresh.
(...as self-fulfilled by me posting this two weeks later. I've had some other ideas percolating, but either I haven't had the time or the energy or the right pictures. Yes, folks, I will be posting pictures in the near future.) Here are a few more rambles that didn't really go anywhere.
29 July 2013
Last night I attempted to write about my experience at Arlington
National Cemetery, and the over-used adage about missing something one day and
I feel it, missing two days and those close to me can feel it, missing more
than that and the general public can tell; well, anyone who might still be reading
this should be able to tell by now that I am off my groove with most everything
(except eating, that is). Writing comes in at the top of the list;
however, even reading for pleasure has been more of a chore lately. I
realized this as I forced myself to stay up late to read Doyle's "The
Speckled Band" over two nights, when it's normally one of my favorite
Holmes mysteries. It should only take me 20 minutes or so. How sad
is that?
As I type and retype and retype this in my WiFi-deficient hotel
room, I reconfirm all theories and postulates and such regarding the need for
consistent literary practice. To show you how bas it really is, I don't even
know where a pen is at this moment. And I usually carry one everywhere!
So now, as my family sleeps soundly, and I fumble in the dark on
my too-small iPad keyboard, I resolve to never let myself become so deficient
with my reading and writing again.
To
start out, Ill try to get back on track by blogging a little more. Some
of you have noticed that I haven't done that since May. Yikes!
28 July 2013
After lunch, Amy, Kevin, Brad, Brian, and I visited Arlington
National Cemetery. I had never been, and I have to say, that it was a
very cool experience--one that I will always remember.
The sporadic drizzle that broke through grey skies felt
refreshing in the high humidity, which, by the way, soaked us more than the
light rain. I haven't sweat like that in quite a while. And it was
only around 87 degrees.
Arriving 15 minutes before the changing of the guard, we hoofed
it (and huffed) across the grounds to witness one of the coolest rites I
have experienced. Pondering the symbolism, the simplicity, and the crisp
elegance to which the soldiers performed their duties, I stood as the solemnity
washed over me. As we hiked up to the Confederate Memorial, I commented
to my brother-in-law that I think (and I still think) that I was more impressed
with this changing than that of the guards at Buckingham Palace. Sure,
the pomp and ceremony is overwhelming--bright colors, giant crowds, fuzzy
hats-- (SWITCH THIS PARAGRAPH AROUND).
On a lighter note, we ran into one of my former students at
Arlington house. I seriously can't go anywhere (even 2200 miles away)
without running into one of them, can I?
We also saw the gravestone of Abner Doubleday. And I
honestly don't care if he wasn't really the "inventor" of baseball,
it was just cool to see. Some loyal fan left an homage of two baseballs
on its ledge.
The flame at JFK's grave reminded me of the flame for the
soldiers' monument in Philadelphia. Wet, hot, but very cool.
Despite
all the screwy things that happen in our country and in the world, regardless
of the corruption that runs rampant through all aspects of life, there are some
things that are good and proper and right.
Blah. More thoughts are on the way, and despite all my less-than-adamant protestations that writing about what I did over summer vacation being boring and pointless in most cases, I'll even let y'all in on the goings on of the fam.
P.S. Check back later and I may have added some pictures to this post as well. Then again, maybe not.
