The Writer's Lease

Last week, I started my new job as a writer. By this, I mean that I get to sit at home and play pretend. I can make up anything that I want. I talk to myself to hear if written conversations sound real. I get to flesh out stories that have been lingering for more than a decade. I get to work my dream job. But how did this happen? What does it mean to turn a dream into a reality? This blog is meant to be a writer’s journal. Because I can’t post what I am working on, I will mostly be talking about the writing process. My hope is that people can follow me from being an unpublished writer to an author.

When my wife, Leigha agreed to let me pursue a career as a writer, it came with several stipulations. First,

Run A 5k

When I was born, I was broken. I had a club foot, and I used it as an excuse. When I was a kid, I didn't have excuses for anything. As a baby, I climbed stairs with a pair of shoes that were connected with a metal bar. I didn't know any different. When I was thirteen, I had reconstructive surgery and had to learn how to walk again. That was when I started to use my club foot as an excuse to be a lazy teenager that didn't get a job and stayed home playing video games. I used my foot as an excuse to not get a driver's license until I was twenty years old. I used my foot as an excuse to not run, because it would hurt. By running a 5k, I would eliminate all excuses and just run.

An Argument For Same-Sex Marriage

Those of you that know me or have gotten to know me from this blog, it is safe to say that I am extremely laid-back and don't get upset or offended by much. But this is a different type of thing that I've ever posted before. With the Supreme Court reviewing same-sex marriages in the US, it is an even hotter topic than usual. Let me give you a back-story to how this post originated, as much of it is in response to this article and these people's comments. It started when I posted this on Facebook:

When I first saw this, I thought to myself "they aren't gay." Then I realized that they were talking about bi-racial marriages. I am glad that it never seemed weird to me that this couple could be married. I have several bi-racial cousins, and when I was a kid, my best friend's dad was gay. I never thought of these as my "black cousins" or my friend's "gay dad." They were just friends and family. My dad is old enough to remember segregated bathrooms/drinking fountains, etc. but the thought of such a thing is absurd to me. A lot can change in one generation. I hope that when my kids are my age, they think of same-sex marriages the same way that I saw this bi-racial couple. Just two people in love.

Win a Sweepstakes

Within the last five months, I have won ten different sweepstakes. Let me start off by differentiating between a sweepstakes and a contest. A Sweepstakes is a random drawing that is completely won by luck. A contest is won as an accomplishment based on merit. Sweepstakes are an embodiment of the American Dream. You can win something for doing nothing more than filling out a form with your name, address and by living within the United States. A contest requires more active participation. For these you need to submit the best picture, recipe, description or essay. If you are skilled and willing to work a little harder, contests are easier to win due to the number of entrants. I think of myself as skilled and NOT willing to work harder, so I stick mostly to sweepstakes. I’m not really interested in writing a well-thought out essay as to why I prefer this brand of toilet paper or why these are the best insoles and how this battery has changed my life. Therefore, I primarily stick to sweepstakes.