Random Phone Notes

I was going through my phone in an attempt to free up some space and generally delete a bunch of things that were just taking up the screen. You know, the apps that you come across every once in a while and say “why the heck do I have this on my phone?” Well, as I dug a little deeper into many of the forgotten files more and more space became available in my memory.

One of the areas that I keep overlooking is the random notes and ideas that I type into the yellow screen in the hope to not forget the thoughts. Unfortunately, I frequently forget that I recorded the ideas. It is only when I go into the application to make another note when I remember the other content that is just sitting there. Thankfully, the practice of recording my notes in my phone isn’t incredibly common.

On Friday, I had a thought and opened my notes. After recording the random clicker of quasi creative thought, I scrolled through the other notes that were sitting there. Some of the sentences were interesting and could, possibly, be fleshed out to be a somewhat interesting piece. Others, not so much (that collection of completely inconsequential randomness was quickly trashed). But, I will let you be the judge so here is what I found when I read through the forgotten lines…

11/21/11 – The road laced the nightmares of parents in the small Philadelphia suburb when their children turned 16. Every year, a new cross, a new mound of flowers, a new collage of mournful notes lay exposed to the elements. The curve itself wasn't sharp - there was nothing treacherous about its degree. It was the suddenness of the bend that robbed one of control. It was to the relief of everyone in the town when the township decided to close the road. No more nightmares. No more haunting images and nights filled with pacing. No more worrying that they wouldn't see their children graduate. No more ghosts. Years passed and the old road slowly slipped back into the winding creek beside it. However, the curve remained seemingly untouched by time. Last summer, enough time had passed and the stigma had faded to the point that a developer purchased the land at what he thought was a steal. He was looking forward to the profits the thought were sure to follow.

7/4/13 – I hear the sounds of fireworks in the distance without a splash of color to be seen. Instead I watch the fireflies pulse in the darkness to the staccato of liberty.

7/8/13 – Motors whining, suspensions creaking, gears popping, and tired what seem to be tearing and ripping at the road. Where are they going at 2am?

11/12/13 – Along the back left wall the lamp lit the desk with a light that seemed to syphon the warmth and energy from the other three corners of the room.

2/28/14 – Bobby expected things to happen for him. He believe that luck was on his side he just needed that one moment to turn things around. It was this sense of entitled hope and opportunity that kept him searching for a genie in the bottom of a bottle.

So, now that you have read through the random thoughts that have passed through my fingers over the past 2+ years, what would you like to read more about? What would you like me to attempt to develop into some sort of creative draft? Let me know what you would like to read and I will make an attempt to expand the thought into something that resembles a story, poem, article, etc. I have no idea what will come out of the exercise but I will give it a shot.

Having Fun

Today is a bit of an odd blogging day for me. I have been having trouble all day trying to figure out what to write about while at the same time I have so many things I would like to rant about (mostly dealing with the complete BS deal that the US and other countries has struck with Iran). There has also been a very simple fact floating around in my head in that this is the tipping point for my year of blogging. This marks my 183 post and, therefore, I have managed to post every day for just over half a year so far.

Not quite sure how I feel about that as I think it is more of a serious cause for concern more than it is an accomplishment because to post every day, regardless of topic, is a little nutty. But it is also something that has given me a daily constant. No matter what is going on that particular day I always have those 30-60 minutes to myself to put a quick post together. Of course, sometimes they take a bit longer, usually with the genealogy and photography related posts but for the most part I try and not overthink things and let myself just write.

That may be the most important part of this whole process. It is an exercise in being. For years I have spent hours if not days writing, rewriting, and polishing single lines making sure that every word had its place and purpose. While that undoubtedly is an important process and skill to have, you can quickly lose site of the actual writing process and the sense of freedom that putting words on a page (or in this case a screen) can bring to you. It is a cathartic process that most keep behind closed doors, buried in the pages of a journal, or hidden away in a file buried beneath the desktop.

That is how I used to treat my writing. Obviously, that is no longer the case. My process and my thoughts are in the posts on this blog out in the open for all to read. Whether you like it or not, here it is and here are the topics that I think about and want to write about. Whether its hobby or passion or routine I am not really sure at this point but I can say definitively that writing is a part of who I am and has been for most of my life at this point.  

But this was never intended to be a one way discussion. I think I enjoy listening to people’s comments about some of my posts than I do writing them. Whether someone agrees with me or not I get a kick out of starting that dialog and maybe making that person consider a topic, subject, or perspective that they may have otherwise overlooked. So, I guess this entire blogging process, from beginning to ‘end’, is one of the ways that I have fun. I have no idea what that makes me but I really don’t care because it is another way that I am able to enjoy my limited abilities and life in general.



But that is to be expected after an evening
filled with Guinness and Pepto-Bismol.

Two Sides Of The Sign

This week I finally got around to bringing some decorative items to the office. It’s always nice to personalize your space but not something that I have done for some time as nothing seemed to be permanent over the last couple of years. Up until now I have always used my laptop to add a little touch to my space in the form of the background that I selected.

So finally I brought in a few items. Nothing much, just a few things to put on my desk and a coffee mug which is essential now that we have a coffee maker in the kitchen (plus I am certain that no one is going to take my Remington mug). However, the one thing that I brought in to the office and put on my desk is more of a means of motivation rather than decoration.

President Truman was know to have a saying prominently displayed on his desk for all visitors to see. There was a simple slogan painted across the front saying “The buck stops here!” Yes, it has become clichéd since his time in office but it is still something that we should all remember, especially at work. You can give all the excuses you want but in reality the responsibility, the production, the decisions are up to you.

Even if you are not the boss, I’m certainly not, you still have to make the decisions on many things and you have to decide what you can’t make decisions on whether it is because of position, experience, or not having the authority. There is a decision to be made and you are the one that has to make it. Everything else you have to determine what to do, how to do it, or where to delegate it (if appropriate).

The sing serves as my motivation to do the best I can and push through any obstacle or, more importantly, and times of uncertainty or indecisiveness. But it is a sign that also reminds me of family and of a happy time just a few years ago when I purchased it at the Little White House in Key West, Florida. It was the first family vacation that my wife was included in and it was a time that we all enjoyed being down in the heat together for a sweltering week during the summer.

So, in the end, one simple sign can motivate in many ways. Not just to do the best you can at work but also to motivate to succeed at that job so that you can enjoy the times away from the office with family. There are always two sides to every sign.