Before I get too far into this, I thought a discalimer might be in order. There's a good deal of hullabaloo about blogging these days, regarding ETHICS and STEWARDSHIP and COMMUNITY. My theory is that blogs hurt us when they replace person-to-person interactions and when people spend time online reading them in lieu of spending time getting to know their neighbors. BUT, blogs can also facilitate and encourage "real world" interactions, especially when important people (like you and me) live far from one another. This might actually make blogging a worthwhile activity that has potential to waste your time... Just like most other things. SO if you have a wild thought, call me at (706) 419-3120. That might be taboo for some blog afficionados, but so be it.
It reminds me of a fabulous chicken recipe that I've been dying to try, involving beer-boiled, BBQ chicken. The authorities at my particular college pronounced any use of alcohol VERBOTEN, including boil-age. SO, I'm using apple cider instead. It's an experiment, just like blogging! Motivation: if I use apple cider only as a substitue for beer, then I'm doing my chicken a severe disservice. If I use cider because I love the chicken and want to try something new that might be good for it...
Wait, wait, wait. This sounds like I'm on something. Did I just say that community is analogous to BBQ chicken? Woah. Don' worry bout dat. Just lemme hear yo thoughts.
The preponderance of evidence points in an uncomfortable direction. I have been searching for years to determine what exactly is wrong with me, and all of the standard signs suggest SELF as the culprit. I no longer seem to have any logical ground on which to stand when hollering about whom to fault for my poverty, because I bring much of it upon myself. Can we call it what it is? I’m a sinful man – a man who sins. A lot.
Sin makes me flip things over. I spend a lot of time tormenting the insignificant or pseudo-significant issues of life, and not enough considering the real ones. For example, I prioritize getting high marks from my profs while I forget about exploring their passion for their discipline. I do funny walks in public because I like the attention, but walking with hurting friends in silence rarely occurs to me.
This blog will operate as long as I can continue to use it as a tool for fixing this problem. If it helps to manage the demands of the dumb stuff and to refocus my thoughts, I will be satisfied. Heck, if it allows me a socially-acceptable forum for talking to myself, I’ll be happy. You’re welcome to come along for the ride, if you wish. Comment on what sparks a new thought or an old one worth sharing. Email me about what makes you laugh or sing or cry or write to yourself. I’d love to hear from you.