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It’s snowing in Wisconsin – again. Second straight week of slate gray skies and silent falling flakes outside. The lot’s already covered over since lunch, and a general sense of quiet has filled the building. I’m one of three people even in my wing right now; the only noise I hear is the click of my keystrokes and the breathy whoosh of the heating vent outside my door.
White on white outside my window. Meetings all cancelled this afternoon. Coffee gone cold on my desk. And there’s this overwhelming feeling that something is missing. For the past half hour I’ve been trying to wrap my head around it, but it’s just not making itself known.
So I figured I’d ask you.
If you’ve got a minute and you feel the urge, tell me about something you miss right now. Maybe it’s a friend, maybe family member or pet. Maybe it’s a feeling from childhood you see in your kids and wish you could experience again. Maybe it’s as simple as a discontinued ice cream flavor – or just a warm-up on that cup of coffee sitting cold on your desk right now.
It’s been a while since I’ve asked, but that doesn’t mean I’m no longer curious. Take a line or two – hell, take a paragraph if the urge hits you – and tell me about something you miss. Anything at all, really; I’m interested, and going no where in that snow for quite a while.
Missing you, too (…but seriously, though, I’ll probably write something up other than this!)
– Keith"
A great question, and my answer is below.
I will finish up my favorites post later tonight, too much laundry yesterday!
I think what i miss the most these days is my enthusiasm. when I was younger, everything I tried was anew adventure, something challenging for mind or body.
Now that I am sneaking up on 40, every choice or change seems more like a chore.
I look at my kids and see how they tackle everything as if it were the most important thing they have ever done, and I feel proud and sad at the same time. something as simple as a halo toy or legos built into the shape of a starship is a moment of pure joy for them.
I wish I could tap into that for myself.
The other thing I miss is Keith's emailing profound questions like this, and hearing back responses from folks I have not seem in a long long time.
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2 comments:
Hiya hotpants --
While I'm not sure I'm going to get the storytime thing going full throttle on a month-to-month basis again like I had it a few years back, I will offer you this: the questions.
Dig, when I was starting the sessions back in the heyday, I actually came up with a ton of subjects for writing ideas. I have a couple pages of seed material that is intended to prompt the reader to reflect on their past or present and cough up an aneqdote for the crowd.
As it stands, these jumping-off points are just moldering away in an old Word file. Say the word, and I can shoot you questions to ruminate and expand upon on this blogolicious page of yours. You can drop me out the equation all together if you wish; if I send you a request for stories about your most embarassing dating moment, you can contemplate the tale and start your entry right here with a "For some reason, I was thinking about this girl from my 6th grade class this morning..."
From there, you give us the same kind of end-product. Granted, you won't get the same kind of group story-swap response as with the old-school sessions -- but if those aren't in session that day, you've still got your writing exercise in for the day.
Think about and give me a shout; I'm happy to poke at your muse if you're interested in taking on the topics!
Love to have them, my brother. You have some great ideas rattling aroun that melon head of yous, so send away!
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