I'm a normal kind of guy. I want to be included in most everything that goes on around me. Blogging has been popular for years and it has passed under my radar for a long time. Maybe I was missing something here. "What do all these people know that I don't? I better look into it."
They say a published author leaves a mark on the world that cannot be erased. I have no legacy; I haven't recorded a famous hit song or have never written a gripping novel, or composed a symphonic masterpiece that anyone in the future would ever remember who I was. I have my children and, God willing, they will carry on my namesake. My legacy, perhaps my sole purpose for being on this earth, is to sire a child who's descendants will contribute something so spectacular to this world; something that does make a difference. That child, after all, could not do what he is destined to accomplish if he or she were never born. That future lineage will have happened because I was born. It is my hope that I myself was born to do something to give back to the world, though I have no clue what that is, or is going to be.
I dabble in a number of things and this blog provides an opportunity to get random thoughts, ideas, day dreams, prayers, concerns, vent sessions, and aspirations down on paper (so to speak) and say my peace. I won't have to worry about hard drive crashes, computer viruses, back-ups, upgrading equipment, or remembering where the heck I put that flash drive. Everything is recorded (and apparently saved frequently as you type these darn things) and retrievable from any computer in the world. Isn't the Internet amazing?!
So, in short, I see myself as a budding author, amateur song writer, self-taught guitar player, comedian wannabe, and novice singer. (Note the "Jack-of-all-trades-master-of-none" mentality.) I'm 45 years old and have a Bucket List as long as my arm. I have wanted to record a CD of my favorite songs so badly that I was to the point that I have even built a recording studio in my basement. Granted, my sons will probably use it more than I will because I will be too busy being a dad. (but what a dad! They call me Uber-Dad.) This blog will provide a safe place to put song ideas and lyrics, and I understand I can even save audio files here!
When my daughter was small, I used to put her to bed and most nights I would spin a bedtime story out of my head. Real extemporaneous stuff, there. I would take an event that happened to her, or perhaps she had to learn a lesson from something she had done recently. Anyway, I created a fictitious character named Princess Kaitlyn, largely based on my daughter of the same same, who lived in the Land Of Otte. The princess had brothers, named of course after Kaitlyn's brothers. She and Prince Joshua and Prince Benjamin had adventures of all kinds. King Daddy and Queen Mommy were also main characters. The man next door and his dog even got in on the action!
My daughter would look forward to bedtime (actually, it was my way to get her to go to bed in the first place. Shh! Don't tell her that.) and these stories were quite long sometimes that they required a "to be continued..." She loved them and now that she's older (she's almost 11) I want to self-publish a book of these stories. Something for her to keep and pass on to her kids one day. This blog will allow me to get them all in one place for retrieval, storage, and a safe back-up. I have several stories on my laptop that died and I am trying to get them off the hard drive. I learned much from the experience of transposing some of these stories. It is a real hassle getting these stories out of the recesses of my memory and onto paper for printing, but there lies the challenge.
I also want to publish a real novel. Actually it may turn out to be a paperback childrens literature sci-fi / fantasy story, but it's been rolling around in the back of my head for several months now. This blog affords me the place to write chapter ideas, rough drafts, check my spelling, save securely, and CUT and PASTE into a manuscript. I don't have a title as of yet, but it sounds awesome so far!
And lastly, being a dad, I have seen different aspects of my childrens lives unfold before me. I was present at all their births, and am enjoying the adventure of watching them grow from babies to children, to teens, to young adults. I have dreams as well as fears for my children. With the recent presidential elections of 2008, I see an uncertain future for them. My prayer is that the LORD our God will watch over and bless President elect Obama and guide his leadership, and I must have the faith that if this is His will, then Thy will be done; not mine, but Thine. May God's saving grace and loving mercy be on us all.
