Category: The Written Word (page 1 of 2)

Have I been doing it right? I’ve read countless books and continue to do so, but have I rushed through some that deserved more of my attention? In this post, I attempt to answer that very question.

I’d like to start by sharing a little problem I’m wrestling with – see if it sounds familiar to you. I have this odd feeling that I need to read as many books as humanly possible before I die. I was talking about it with Laura last night, and she admitted she’s wrestling with something similar: “I better get moving because I’m never going to get where I need to be.” After she said that, I couldn’t help but think, Where exactly do you need to be? Where does anyone need to be in regards to their reading?

Casual blogging is easy. There’s really not much to it. You set up a blog and write whenever you feel like it. If the mood strikes, you set aside some time to jot down your thoughts. If it doesn’t, oh well – it’s not as if anyone was expecting anything anyway. You’re not letting anyone down.

Professional (and even serious amateur) blogging is an entirely different beast. While casual blogging is mostly a private exchange between a blogger and a computer, professional blogging is a relationship between a writer and his or her readers. And once that relationship is established, it can lead to wonderful outcomes – or terrible ones. In this post, I’m going to explore a variety of possibilities.

Do you remember when people read physical magazines? Those were the days. Even if you’re too young to have experienced it, trust me, it was a ritual for millions. You could grab the latest issue from a corner newsstand, a drugstore rack, or even the grocery checkout line. And those TV ads! “For only three easy payments of $9.99, you’ll receive a fresh issue every week for a year!”

Magazines had a certain magic; sleek covers, glossy pages, and that unmistakable scent of fresh ink. While newspapers kept train commuters and kitchen-table readers informed, magazines spoke to the style, hobbies, and passions of their readers. The only real dilemma was deciding which of the hundreds of titles to dive into. In this post, I’m flipping through the pages of the past, revisiting classics you might just remember – and maybe even miss.

When I sit down to write, whether on this blog or any of my others, I can get a little carried away. To say I become preoccupied, or even slightly controlling with my time, might be putting it mildly. When an idea strikes, my attention narrows, conversations fade, and my focus sharpens to an almost uncomfortable intensity. It’s not the most pleasant of sensations, but it’s undeniably part of who I am. I do my best thinking and creating in solitude, which is why welcoming my newest collaborator, ChatGPT, has been both a challenge and an intriguing change.

The above paragraph was edited and “smoothed” by ChatGPT.

I get it. Things change in the world, and since the internet has wandered on the scene, things have been changing faster than ever. Clothing styles have come and gone, our beloved English language has become better in many ways but worse in others, and the advancement in technology has gone off the rails. Whether you like it or not, the world today is vastly different from what it was a mere 25 years ago.

Have you ever given thought to how many sheep live in the United Kingdom? During my search for this post’s leading photo, a hunch told me I should find something that pertains to Great Britain. Or England. Or the United Kingdom. Or one or all of the above. I’ll explain why below, but for now, just know that since sheep are plentiful in that part of the world, I decided to go with a photo of the very animal. By the way, in case you’re curious, England is home to 13.8 million sheep and the United Kingdom as a whole is home to 31 million sheep. And if you’ve ever wondered what countries are situated within the confines of the United Kingdom, I can inform you that they’re England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Now there’s some random knowledge you never knew you wanted or needed.

I’m reading a book right now that’s titled, ‘Tis. It’s written by an Irish author named Frank McCourt. I’m not sure why I’m finding myself reading so many books authored by the Irish as of late, but interestingly, I am. First it was Maeve Binchy’s Quentins and then it was Sharon Owens’ The Tavern on Maple Street and now it’s ‘Tis. Funny how that happens. I think it’s because I’ve been visiting the free book giveaway in Farmington at the end of each month. A non-profit in town offers hundreds of books at no cost to the public and I end up taking a few home each time. Books with interesting titles that just happen to be of the Irish persuasion, not that the Irish need to be persuaded one way or the other.

Two of my favorite books are The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man’s Fear, written by Patrick Rothfuss. Both books are beautifully written and if I was forced to keep only two on my shelf, it’d be these two. By the way, if you’ve ever been interested in what Patrick Rothfuss’ favorite fantasy books are (that he’s enjoyed reading, himself), please visit my post on the topic. Yes, this is something I’ve looked into. I’m always curious about what other fantasy genre aficionados have found themselves toiling with. Some of his list I agree with, some I don’t. I have a feeling he listed a few books in there that are so common that it would be strange not to include them. Yet, I doubt he’s even read them. But alas, I may be wrong.

I do believe I’ve found the Hemingway I’ve been waiting for. While I’m now on page 300 and something of For Whom the Bell Tolls, I marked page 252 because, on it, the writing was stellar. It’s the sort of writing that reminded me of The Road by Cormac McCarthy. By the way, if you enjoy what you read below, please take a look at The Road. It’s one of my top five favorite books of all time. It’s intense, to say the least.

A few weeks ago, Laura and I decided to re-watch the entirety of Downton Abbey. We adore the series and if memory serves, this latest viewing was her fourth. It was my second. Granted, Laura has been aboard the Downton train since its inception. She, along with my mother, have been avid fans who harken back to the days of 2011 when it initially aired on PBS. I’ll confess that I ignored much of the hubbub. The brouhaha. As my mother filled me in on the show, I secretly thought she was mispronouncing Downtown, as in Downtown Abbey. As it turns out, she was correct and I was incorrect. Downton Abbey is a fictional estate located in Yorkshire County, England (filmed at Highclere Castle). It’s an excellent show, but not one without its drawbacks. It’s those drawbacks I wish to discuss in this post today.