Friday, August 8, 2008

Now what?

The blank page.
I used to stare at it when I was in college, wondering how I would fill it. At some point I'd venture to the local library and the words would flow faster than I could write them. Often I would finish a ten page paper in less than one evening. That's where I learned how to rearrange paragraphs and develop a thesis statement. Those were the days.
That was before the blog. Now I can pepper this commentary with a catchy photograph, clever YouTube reference or just sit here until something comes to mind that makes it all flow together like the river of nonsense that it often is. It's easier now because I'm not being graded.
This is more permanent, though. I find that the odd Google search still turns up junk I wrote two years ago, as though it was some sort of opinion-based time capsule. My college papers, while nicely thought out, were just that - papers. I couldn't express an opinion or say fuck as much as I'd like because those professors were funny that way.
If I spent as much time editing these things as I did my college papers I'd barely squeeze out two a week. As it is, I spew this crap out on an almost daily basis and often look back and wonder what in Hell I was talking about. Maybe you do too?
I do.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I know what it's about: It's about leaving traces. I don't know where I read it or heard it: they say that as a living thing, one of your ambitions is to leave traces.

You can do this by giving birth to NEW living things, although only half of the world's population is theoretically capable of it.
But there are various ways of CREATING something and sharing it with others or leaving it to others. It seems to be an essential need.

Sharing and discussing your ideas with someone feels good, and sometimes it's a challenge. That is even better.

So my bold thesis is: you write in order to feel powerful.

How's that?

Kate Michele said...

i never edit. what i think i type. that way its more real.

xoxox

Anthony said...

junior: That's pretty close. Loving to write is part of it and I'm especially gratified when the target of a rant shows up on the visitor counter.
I think people do want to feel as though they accomplished something, which is a trace of something. Whether it's just making people laugh or think a little, it's all gratifying.
I'd feel more powerful if I had more readers.

k8: My college papers were never "finished", they were merely "due".

rattln along said...

Check this link out for some fun "old" stuff. You can use the link for other webpages as well.

http://web.archive.org/web/*sr_1nr_10/http://my-sick.blogspot.com/*

College Research Paper said...

I appreciate the work of all people who share information with others.