Writing for a Month - The Beginning

The Burwood Tap, Lincoln Park

Forgive this post. It’s going to be somewhat “I” heavy. I will endeavor to keep more posts from being so, shall we say “me”, for the next month. But all projects have to start with a purpose, so here is mine.

For the first time in a long time I find myself with free time. I don’t mean free time in the “I have a few hours this evening to play the Homestead missions of Assassin’s Creed 3” free time, but rather the “work doesn’t start till mid-September and it is currently early August” kind of free time. I suppose I shouldn’t complain, but it’s not like I have infinite funds and can go gallivanting off across the US on a journey of self discovery (I did that two years ago, except to Scotland, plus I’m far more aware of myself now than I was then) or that much space to work in (can’t move into the new apartment till Sept 1^st).

So what to do?

I’ll be splitting time between Chicago and northwest Indiana. I think some evenings will be spent wandering the dunes on the southern tip of Lake Michigan. Perhaps I’ll take up train running again in and around the hills back from the lake.

All that aside, I think I’ll at least write.

I’ve fallen out of the habit of this. The blog I wanted to keep hasn’t been updated in quite some time. The stories I’ve planned in my head remain unwritten. I have not given them the time or the attention that I’ve used elsewhere. Most of my days have been spent writing for various projects, something the last thing I want to do is write more.

But now I have time. I’d like to use it constructively (once I finish Dragon Age).

Goals for this project? Let’s say something like this:

·      Blog posts 3 times a week, various topics

·      Specific topic:  Philosophy of Family

·      Reflection on Huxley’s Brave New World and Island

·      3 or so short stories

·      A farewell piece about Ann Arbor

I think that will keep me busy enough. I once suggested this route to a friend of mine to cope with not being busy. Taking my own advice shouldn’t be too hard, right?

I was thinking all this while wandering the Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago. It’s all the things that drew me (back) to Chicago:  old homes, people out and walking, green tree lined streets, sounds of traffic, bird calls, parks filled with people and their pets,  neighborhood bars tucked away from busy main streets, and the steady thrum of life and living. Taking a short train ride brings the downtown awash in suits, tourists, traffic, and towering buildings. In a few weeks I’ll be moving into an old style apartment with high ceilings, old moldings, hardwood floors (dance party, anyone?), and a big bay window. Along with these comes the next chapter, something new and challenging.

Come visit me. I can promise good bourbon.