Friday, August 31, 2012

Getting Over It



So here I am. Back again.

In July it seemed like there was this big wall standing between me and moving forward, but now I’m over it. I’m not even sure why, but I’m not questioning it. Maybe I should credit this achievement to the one certifiable superpower I possess: the ability to endure prolonged periods of crappiness with my sense of humor more or less intact.  

I'm the guy at the far right. Still thinking about it.
No, that’s not quite true. I have two superpowers. I can also write a kick-ass cover letter.  Doesn’t do me much good these days as a stay-at-home mom, but back when I was job hunting it was a very handy skill. 

See, the trick with cover-letter writing is to not sound like an idiot.

No, actually the real trick is to not BE an idiot and somehow convey that on paper.

By the way, are we going to have to do away with the phrase “on paper [such-and-such] looks good.” Because nobody puts things on paper anymore, do they? “On screen” doesn’t work as a suitable substitute somehow.

Nah, I think “on paper” is a keeper. There are lots of those kinds of expressions still hanging around, seemingly unaware that they don’t apply to modern life. Like, for example,“That’s a tough row to hoe.” I’ve personally never hoed an actual row, but I imagine some are tougher than others to get through and besides, people get what you mean, and there’s no simpler way to say it.

OK, so let’s re-route this digression back onto the interstate where I started.

I seem to be over my malaise, my sense of hopelessness, my questioningness about the pointedness of continuing to write. I got myself up over the wall and down the other side. Brava, me. 

Did I have some great revelation? No, I did not. I find revelations are usually slow, incremental things that build more slowly than a reef. Then one day there’s the curiously pleasant sensation of not being in total agony anymore. Kind of like the moment you realize you’re not in love with that person who dumped you, and you can finally stop feeling like a chump.
             
The other side of the wall is a good place to be. And it will include regular blog posts from here on because I missed it. Blogging is yet another of those things I was questioning the validity of and you know what? Of course the world does not really need more blathering about writing, but I’m going to do it anyway. Last I checked, pointlessness was not a crime so long as you’re having fun.

See you all next week. In the mean time, I have some used grappling hooks you can borrow if you’re dealing with seemingly insurmountable walls of your own.