Musings of a Story Teller Wannabe

Sometimes I do the craziest things!

Like, at 5 years old, putting my tongue on a frozen pump handle in the winter, just because an addle-brained friend dared me to.

Or, on the first day of school in the 3rd grade, automatically “lining up” to go into the school building at the head of the line, at the spot where I did the previous spring in the 2nd grade. Embarrassing.

Or, misspelling “embarrassing” at the end of the last sentence. (I changed it later.)

Or, making the Instructor in the Radio Repair class in Trade School (at age 18), help me get my “jerry built”, home made radio to work. (I MADE it, so I should have been able to make it work.)

Or………..like sitting at my computer RIGHT NOW at 1:37AM trying to keep my promise to myself that I will “produce” one of these postings for my “blog” every 2 or 3 days - at least, no more than 4. I got up to do this, while Carly Simon sang “My One and Only Love” from my iPod.

Why do I do these things?

The least you’d have to say is that I’m “compulsive”. Or maybe, “egotistical” - thinking I could do such a thing.

However, I’ve already written 39 of them in the last 4 months, and I must have felt that I could go on forever.

My excuse is that it wasn’t MY idea to open a “blog”. I didn’t even know what a “blog” was - except that 2 of my grandchildren have had one, and I’ve read them.

But my son said one day, “Oh Dad…..we think you should spend some of your spare time writing up a ‘blog’. You’re retired, you know, and you may need something to occupy your time.” (I think that’s what he said.)

What occupy? I read 3 books from the Library nearly every week. I send e-mails from my computer every day. I read the Bible. I pray some. I go to the store to buy some Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups. (I think I’m hooked on them.) I ride around the area in my son's car, to "get a lay of the land". Go to the barber. Go to the doctor. Visit friends of 50 years ago in Shipshewana. And other things I do that are “too numerous to mention”. (Have you heard that phrase before?)

“So, I say, “How do you do that?” (Write up a blog, that is.) (In case I wanted to waste my time gabbing on the computer.) Smile! He said, “Molly would help you if you needed it, but just get on the computer and type http://mikemaddex.blogspot.com/ and see what happens.

I did that, and guess what a mess I’ve got myself into!

It’s 1:50AM now, and I’m no further along (I used to think I shouldn’t use “further” to denote distance, since the proper word is “farther”. But, I looked it up, and “further” works just as well.)

At first, these stories just seemed to float off my tongue, er, fingers. I wrote like a mad man - even putting out 2 or 3 just a day or two apart. (Can you imagine how sorry I am now that I didn’t save some of them?)

After 39 of them, I’m wrung out. (My friends: “Are you trying to tell us, Mike, that you have no more to say?”)

Not TOTALLY “wrung out”. Almost.

Whew! It’s now 2:01AM.

I could have saved the 3 stories I did on my experiences overseas during World War II, but somehow, I thought the world was just waiting to hear me tell about these things.

I HAVE heard some good comments about the stories. My granddaughter in Florida, for example: “Keep it up, Grandpa, I look at your blog every day.“ My missionary friends in Florida, who said, “But that‘s what makes you, you, Mike”. My grandchildren in this town, “I’m really glad you’re handling the blog well, Grandpa.” My former associate in Radio, who said, “Good stories, Mike.” A niece in Ohio: “Just love your fascinating stories, Uncle Myron.” My daughter-in-law: “Your blog postings are nice, Dad, especially the pictures.“ And others, who say “Oh that’s nice. What‘s a blog?” (They wouldn’t “pan” it to me, in person, would they?) At least, no one has said, “Hang it up, Mike. You’re wasting your time.” The family is supportive. (Grin)

I really do think I’ll come up with something before long. I hate to “keep my public waiting”.

Actually, it may not be so bad. I’ll bet that some day in the future, I’ll look back on this adventure and say,

“What in the world was I thinking?”

I’m going to bed. I’m not telling what time it is now, but it’s later than it was before. Also, I’m not posting this until later today, because the computer dates and times them. That way, no one will know how much time I wasted on this posting.

If they run me off the internet - so be it!

“C’est la vie”, as they say in the south of France.

Or, “C’est la guerre”, quoting Charles DeGaulle.

Or, as they say in the good old USA, “Get a life!”

Or, as my new computer said 6 months ago, after logging on so many different screens on the Internet: “Get a job!”

Somebody help me!!!