Lunch Time Train of Thought

The whole drive to pick up lunch (small Greek salad from Salem’s if you are interested in that sort of detail) and get back to the office, my mind was teeming with things that I could blog about. Not because I feel that there is anything truly informative or life alternating that I have to say, but just the physical process of writing (pen to paper or fingers to keys) taps into my creative energies and a special place in my heart. Yet as I start to log into my Blogger account, I have a sudden blankness. The words that had so easily floated through my mind as I navigated the twenty minute round trip drive have utterly disappeared the moment I left my car.

I think this is part of the reason that I have been so unproductive when it comes to writing lately. My creativity seems to be at its peak when I am unable to write like when I am in the car, in the shower or working. I’m using my lunch hour today to try and get as many words on paper as possible. This isn’t exactly fiction worthy, but like I said in my first blog, this is more about priming the pump. The more I write, the more I want to write. Just like the more I read the more I want to write. Both are things that tap into that creative portion of my brain that is yearning to send my stories out into the world.

I decided a month or three ago that I was missing out on a great opportunity to write. For the first time in twelve years I was not in a relationship or on the prowl looking to get into a relationship. My free time could be spent in whatever form I choose without having to worry about canceling a date or hiding myself away in another room for a little peace and quiet. I realized that I have squandered the last seventeen months of independence as I’ve barely written a word. I’ve journaled on occasion. I’ve written numerous e-mails and tapped out hundreds of text messages, but what did I have to show for it? Okay, that is a bit extreme. I am sure that the emails and texts that I have sent over the last 17 months have helped to deepen my personal relationships with many of my friends. So it wasn’t completely wasted but it brings me no closer having a piece of fiction ready to submit to publishers or agents.

The world journaled really gets my brain buzzing in a totally different direction though. I’m not sure at what point the noun journal became used in common every day language as a verb. Understandably the English language is always changing. Consider the fact that the word “bling” is now in the dictionary. With this in mind, I check dictionary.com and was surprised that according to them, the word journal is still only a noun. Yet if you tell anyone you spent an hour journaling last night, they would instantly understand that you were writing something personal. It would be small journal clips for a scrapbook project or the equivalent of writing in your diary. The word seems to be used a lot in religious groups as a means to grow closer to God. I am fully in favor of all of these aspects of writing. It just puzzles me when and how journal went from a noun to a verb and why the dictionary hasn’t caught on to this new usage. Especially when you consider the fact that the words “blog” and “vlog” are represented in the dictionary. When you get down to it, what is the difference between blogging and journaling? Is it the medium they are presented on? Journaling tends to be on paper where blogs exists exclusively on the internet? What if you write journal on paper and then post it to your blog? Does it them become a jlog? Perhaps a blournal?

Anyway, I am moving away from my point. Wait…do I even have a point? I suppose not, but isn’t that the point of all this. You don’t have to have a point? Rambling is totally accepted, assuming your audience is okay with it. At this point I don’t know who my audience is, so if you read this and decide you want to be a part of that regular audience and you would prefer I keep to a point instead of rambling – TELL ME. I’m not psychic. After all, if I am only doing this for myself I might just write the words “story idea” over and over again until I get one.

If you spent time reading this, thank you!