Express Yo'self Foo'!

I once took a terrific class in column writing as an independent study from a brilliant teacher and writer named Jason Offutt. One of the cardinal rules he passed to me forbade writing columns about writing columns. I honestly can't remember why that rule exists, probably because writing a column about writing a column is narcissistic and boring. Why write about writing when you can stick to the good stuff, porn jokes and verbally assaulting Congressmen? Or maybe because things get to confusing and circular. Shit, I'm lost already.

So ... I'm going to write a blog about writing a blog instead. It's different. The rule doesn't apply here.

Basically, I have one skill. It's not a great skill, and I'm not great at it, but it's all I have. It's not cool like music or witchcraft. It's not overly practical like the ability to fix a car or the ability to steal one. But you work with what you have. I have writing so I work with it.

This is an elephant expressing him/herself. It's very meta. I'm thinking this elephant is providing commentary on what it means to be an elephant.

What keeps me scratching my head and made me want to write this blog about writing blogs is how many people I see who have no way/desire to express themselves. They wake up, go to work, come home, watch t.v./go have a drink/party their balls off, then go to sleep. The next day, they repeat. Rarely questioning the cycle. Rarely doing anything to leave an imprint on the world. Sure, as they get older they have kids and do kid shit, but really that's just a new cycle.

These people have ideas; they have plenty to offer this world. They just refuse to do so, either because they don't know how or because they don't care to. Neither is ok with me. Anyone can find a medium of expression. Obviously they give blogs to anyone who has the ability to get lost searching for Flavor of Love reruns online. Finding a way to express yourself is the easy step.

The hard step is being willing to literally put yourself out there. This is probably why people don't care to  find methods of expression; they're afraid that their expression will be deemed unworthy. But expressing yourself isn't about how the world views that expression; it's about the satisfaction of knowing that your thoughts, ideas, and emotions no longer belong to just you. No offense, but I don't write this blog for people to like the shit I'm writing and praise it; I write it because if I let these ideas stay in my brain, I'm afraid I'll end up drooling all over myself while a giant schizo tries to roll me for my meds.  

Everything we create and put into the world, writing, music, art, whatever, is an expression of who we are. These creations are the artifacts of man kind, and every time someone creates something, they've given a piece of themselves to the world. It feels great, like wearing footy pajamas when it's cold. I'm not saying everyone should start writing a blog. That's my thing; you find your own damn thing. But do something. Prove to the world circa 2021, 2041, 2281, that you had something to offer ... that is if the world doesn't end in October ... or Dec. 21 2012.