The Home Page

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

INDULGENCES






My life has been bereft of indulgences and bathed in them at various times. I most certainly have been indulged and have indulged others. Sometimes it is just an expression of love or appreciation for another or sometimes it is just something you feel like doing for someone simply because it makes you feel good to do so.

This will be one of my indulgences; one that I am going to give to me simply because it feels good to do so. I am going to share it with you because that is also self-indulgent.

I have written for many, many years. I wrote poems and stories in high school and then didn’t write for a few years and then had children and took up writing again. At that point, I wrote a few stories for Redbook magazine and they actually published a few of them. I had a poem published in Reader’s Digest once about new babies. I have my original copies of nearly everything I ever wrote, but I recently discovered the box I had the published copies in, has been lost in one move or another or during a mad purge. It bothered me for a time, but really, who cares? I saw them. I enjoyed seeing my words in professional print and now I don’t care. I have all the newspaper articles I have had published, I think.

There were many years of writing poetry to clear my head, to celebrate something, to mourn someone and those are in my office. Most have not been read by anyone, but me. That is just fine. I wrote those things for me.

Then in May of 2011 I joined this writing group when it was being formed because Gary Smith kept showing me Elizabeth Grace posts. I loved her work. I wanted to know her and I wanted to write on her fun and sometimes challenging topics. I asked if I could join. She just let me! She didn’t know if I could write my name, but she let me in.  I have enjoyed being in this group as much for the friendships as for the writing. I have met and formed real relationships with so many wonderful people and I am proud of the work we do. I am proud to be part of such a talented and amazingly diverse group of writers. One topic can bring out dozens of interpretations and I am often blown away by some of those. Reading blogs has definitely caused me to hone my skills. I am not the same writer who joined this group 2 years ago. I am not the same writer, but I am just an older version of the same person with more knowledge and experience. Thank you all for being such good examples to me. I appreciate and admire so many of you and to be honest, some of the less talented writers have some of the most unusual points of view and I have learned from them that a poorly written blog MIGHT carry weight on it’s idea, if not it’s skillfully crafted design. I have also learned I prefer to read a well edited and well thought out blog to one which is just thrown out there. But I read them all and I learn something from most.  Thank you all, again.

I write for the same reasons today that took me to the typewriter and notepads way back in the 60’s. I write because my mind is a continuous jumble of thoughts and without a keyboard or a notepad, I would just get lost in my busy mind, my mind which wanders in all directions at any given moment. Focus comes to me by writing. Focus is what I lack without writing. I wander from one thing to another and if I need to figure something out, I need to write it down. If I have a story brewing, (IF?) no, when I have a story brewing in my mind, I must find paper or keyboard and get the idea or the first line or something down to clear my head.  Writing is not a hobby for me; it is my mental health program. It keeps me semi-sane. That is the best I can hope to achieve. I am productive in my life because I write.

Now, what I want to indulge in here is this part:  I have explained why I write and what I write about is as varied as when I write, I would love to know and would ask you to be brutally honest, why do you read me?  Do you always read what I post? Do you only read when you post, as a return favor because you know I will read and likely comment on you?  If you are not a blogger, will you please comment below as anonymous and then sign your name or initials so I can hear from you the answers to these questions? Friends and family, who read and never tell me that you have read, please tell me this time.

I have removed all filters to allow all comments…please do this for me.

I am here to learn from you and indulge myself in some self-examination as well as, some possible harsh criticism.  I want the truth and I can handle the truth. So, indulge me, please?

Thanks in advance and I may not reply to the comments, I may just read and digest.  We’ll see.

Jo





17 comments:

  1. I read you because I love your thoughts and feelings about so many different things. You have an amazing ability to express yourself and pull the reader into your world. I feel privileged to call you my friend even though we have never met.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the kindness Paula and for our friendship! It's a two way street. Thank you for breaking the ice! 😃

      Delete
  2. I read you because we have similar lines of thoughts and feelings! You also write great and engaging stories!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I read your blog to see what makes you tick and to figure out if I should worry about an armed invasion from the east. Seems pretty safe, except for those killer guard dogs.
    Craig

    ReplyDelete
  4. To be honest, I read as a return favor. I have a lot of people who comment on my blog and I feel like it's only right to comment back eventually. You have always been sweet to me, but I prefer to read short blog posts that get directly to the point. You tend to write a lot on your posts. Short posts with plenty of visuals and/or humorous posts are the blogs that I read for pleasure and not obligation. After I write a post, I go back and eliminate anything that I can while still allowing my thoughts to shine through. I hope you are okay with my brutal honesty.

    http://joycelansky.blogspot.com/2013/06/wordless-wednesday-teachers-pay-teachers.html

    ReplyDelete
  5. I read because I like you and because we often think so much alike, you're the one who puts it into written word. I'm much better at expressing myself by speaking. (not meant to be funny) I have often thought that I wish I could write or better yet, paint. I love the Proverbs that says "a word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pitchers of silver."
    Have you ever read anything by Max Lucado?
    Velda

    ReplyDelete
  6. I read you, cause you and Joyce are trouble. I see you on facebook tormenting Beth and I think, yes sir, I like those women.

    Oh ... Hi Beth, can you believe the gall of these two? Sheesh.

    Oh okay, you have heart and you aren't afraid to show it!

    ReplyDelete
  7. You are always so candid and so..soo...APPRECIATIVE..SENSITIVE..RESPONSIVE!!

    You must be an amazing lover too as you are so ATTENTIVE..an honor to call you friend!!! Busy life style makes me "short" in time but always smile when it comes to reading "your thoughts". Had no idea you were so well written; published etc. I would love to see something of my thoughts published..but i guess..this is what blogging is!!!

    Isn't it amazing just what we have done since joining GBE!! Me 2 with Myspace!! Think finally found my voice, my passion and to think when it comes to "gbe2" its YOU, Beth, Joyce, Paula, Kathy, Anita, Emily, Claudia, GARY!! Tayla, Shannon, and of course my cherished AMY and ANGELA

    ReplyDelete
  8. I read you because I feel like I am getting to know the real you, even though I have 'KNOWN OF" you most of my life. Zelda

    ReplyDelete
  9. I read most of what you post. I miss some of it because I'm not on fb every day, and sometimes not even every week. And, honestly, if it's not right in front of me when I log on to fb, I just don't think to go look and see if you've written anything new. Sorry. You know I like to read what you write. Don't always agree, but still love to read about what you're thinking. I'll try to do better and remember to read EVERY SINGLE POST. I'll try. Promise.

    ReplyDelete
  10. hi jo. i read, well because, when i first met you, through the writing group, you have always been truthful and honest, with everyone. my impression of you is that you are a caring, who-will-look-you-in-the-eye-when-talking-with-you, kind of person. you love life, and the people in it.... i read your posts as a way to stay in tune with you.. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Well, we have just met. I am commenting as well to return the favour. I laughed and just read to my husband your thoughts on why you write and he thought I had written it. So I guess great minds think alike. I am new to blogging, so when someone reads my blog, AND COMMENTS!! I am flattered. Thank you for popping over. I will continue to read your posts and get to know you better.

    ReplyDelete
  12. I read most of what you write because I knew you way back then. and it is nice to know you now. You are sometimes thought provoking, sometimes confusing but always enjoyable to read. I should have kept the one original work that I had from way back then. Those of us that have never taken the time to see if we could write enjoy those that do

    ReplyDelete
  13. I try to read as many blogs as possible and you are one on my list. I can relate to your topics. I too have a wandering mind:))

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm new to the GBE2 group, so I don't know you, but I love seeing how each writer interprets the prompts. I don't have a lot of time to read blogs during the day, so I do it in spurts when I can. :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I read you to learn more about the wonderful person you are.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I enjoy reading your blog because I appreciate your down to earth common sense way of expressing your thoughts. I find it bothersome and tiring to read shiny-happy-saccharine blogs all the time. Not that I don't find positive things in your writing, I do...hopefully you understand what I mean. I don't always comment, something I need to work on.

    I also need to adopt your outlook at writing being a mental health program. :) Thank you for your encouragement.

    ReplyDelete

I really want to know that YOU were here...please drop me a note or just say Hi ~ I do love a comment and it keeps me motivated!

You write and I will answer. Eventually. Show the love!