How to get Started...

I have been thinking for a long time that if I want to call myself a writer, I need to have more discipline and write everyday, or most days anyway.  I used to put my thoughts down on paper pretty regularly, but I lost that habit over the years with the job and the kids and everything else.  Mental energy seems to track alongside physical energy, and when the one is depleted, the other runs out too.

So, now it's time to turn a fresh sheet and begin again.  Seems like people don't write diaries or journals these days, they keep a blog.  I kind of like the idea of 'self-publishing' in this way, so I thought I'd take a stab at it.  I enlisted the help of my trusty writing buddy, my daughter Margaret Rice, and she helped me set up this blogspot.  She's a talented writer and an old hand at blogging, and has always shown more discipline to keep writing than her dad, so I thought she'd be a good resource.  Her blog, in case you haven't seen it, is at www.sometimesyoujump.blogspot.com. 

A few words of self-description:  I'm a 53-year old man who's lived all his life in Northern Illinois, except for a 3-month study semester in England when I was in college.  The love of my life is a beautiful woman named Kathy, who has put up with me for 31 years.  We have 4 kids and 2 lovely grandsons.  I worked for many years in a variety of jobs for a major data-processing company, but lost my job to downsizing several months ago. 

I promise (mostly to myself) to use this spot to post at least once a week, more if possible.  I'll try to keep things clean and non-offensive, but I should probably warn you now, there will be Christian/Catholic content.  If we genuinely try to live our faith, it's pretty much impossible not to talk about it.  So please bear with me, even if my thoughts are not your thoughts.  We'll talk again soon.