Greed and Lust

I have always believed that all human beings are greedy. I don't mean this in a bad way. I have always believed that all people are lusty too. Also, not intended to be a bad thing. So, here we are, we're all lusty and greedy.

It seems to me that most people are looking for wealth. It's all about how you define that wealth. It could be money or material things. It could be education, it could be loved ones and family. It could be experiences. So, here we are, what do you lust after?

The Daily Practice

In the olden times, I had a very specific daily writing practice. I did it everyday. At the time, I began writing whenever I woke up and made the coffee. I would write until it was time to get off to work. I never stopped thinking about writing or what it was I was writing. There were times I could write at work. It was something that I did every day, I couldn't stop.

I did stop, though. I stopped writing daily when my son was born. My hours were traded: writing for baby care. Later it was playtime, trains, cars and Legos, namely. It has been the two of us, my boy and me for years.

Kindergarten started last week.

Pursuing Education

I think the pursuit of education, in way, shape and form, is about the best thing you can do for yourself. This does not necessarily have to center around writing. I think any education is good. I think taking a T'ai Chi class at the local rec center has just as much merit as taking a course in poetry. It's an issue of expanding your mind, thinking new thoughts and meeting new people.

As a writer, I can think of at least three times that the pursuit of education influenced me. When I say influenced me, I mean that I was a different person, a different writer and I thought differently coming out of the experience than I was going in.

Prospecting Perspectives

The moment comes and only I know it. It's become so predictable now, after all these years, that it has become trite. Perhaps after all these years, I too, have become trite. The story goes like this: I am somewhere, doing something, add gin. After a few gins and especially after the night wears on, I will say yes to just about everything. This is partly because of my personality and partly because I have a genuine interest in what is happening, and what will happen.

I'll talk to just about everyone too. I have not been hurt by a conversation with a stranger. It's has always been good, talking with strangers, because I will use situations and conversations in my writing. I cannot directly report a conversation tit for tat, but I will almost always use several conversations I've had to craft a piece of dialog.

Is that Initial Desire a Continuation of Childhood Play?

Who knows where it really starts: that initial desire to be a writer. I've asked all of my friends when their ah-ah moment was. In interviews I've ask other writers. Sometimes I get a clever answer, but oftentimes I get the answer that I give. It was just something I started to do as a child so the adults would leave me alone.

Marcy lived next door to me when I was a very little boy, 4 years old maybe. I remember her as a great playmate. She was blonde. I only remember her being on the other side of the short fence. Years later, when visiting my grandmother, whose house was next door to Marcy's, we had a big gathering. We had a big gathering because I was there, and I was often not there. After everything settled down I said I was going next door to say hello to Marcy.