Saturday, September 20, 2014

Just Write--Something

“Just write. Something”. Ok, I’m writing. About what I don’t know.

The above request/admonishment was posited by the one of those few readers who for some silly-ass reason seem to think that they’re missing something due to my hack-scrivener’s sabbatical.

Truth though is that I miss telling stories. And I thought that channeling my writing energies into more industry articles and white papers  for my consulting business would yield more…business. Come on. If at my peak, I could get between one and two thousand knuckleheads every day to read my “oh look at my cute daughter and these crazy ass pants I had Flusser make and oh-my-damn-goodness how they just make these papier-mâché Belgian loafers pop”—then surely I could become more of a thought leading presence in my professional space, right?

And of course there were those once per month maudlin ditties about my mama who won’t die or my daddy who left me nursing an intractable, open wound in my heart. Oh, and the divorced man uber-father “your daughter is so lucky to have a dad like you” cries. If I didn’t make somebody’s ass cry at least once per month I felt like I wasn’t hacking properly. Can one cry out of their ass? Shut up.

I can now say that after these many months not blogging, the opposite has occurred. We are amidst, albeit still a blessed one, a very slow business year after five back-to-back bell ringers. Causation-correlation? Hell, I don’t know but it seems like a good enough excuse to write maybe a story per week. We’ll see.

Oh, and the tumblr thing hasn’t helped at all. It’s the monosodium glutamate of digital media. It’s a truncated no-brainer for me and it poaches visual cues and ideas that pre-tumblr would have become a blog story.  Should I shut it down?

Is my Mojo limping back? My Groove sputtering towards a restart? I’d like to consider myself one who never really needed a groove or mojo to churn out sausage-like, the volume of caca that I did before. But I can unequivocally say that I’m about as mojo-less at present than I have been in ages. Am I trying in some kinda half-ass way to believe that if I start the time sucking five hours per week writing blog stories, my overall mojo will improve? I’m having a harder time rationalizing this than I do when justifying the dosh to pop for a pair of bespoke Cleverley’s.  

Less was never more for me—you know that. My A.D.D. gift—and it truly is a gift—always precluded any level of editorial discipline when my blog posits were strung together. That’s why you’d get one story that involved shoes, Robert E. Lee, Dover Sole, LFG’s squawking clarinet concert, the banishment of madras and GI Joe. And you’d tell me that the twisty-turny-ness of it was great. Wonder if they’d be better or worse if I stopped taking my meds?
So what will I write about? Maybe the fact that after one year of living in in my Bethesda Cottage Minimus, my move feels kinda like LFG and I planned thoroughly and collaborated precisely on a party and nobody came.
Or perhaps I’ll bemoan any kind of change or progress, even though as a consultant and teacher, I get paid to deal in, facilitate-incite-offer glimpses of its inevitability. 
And maybe I’ll lament the transitory nature of life and I’ll use LFG’s started two weeks ago, freshman year of high school—I still can’t believe it—as my latest pain point. 
Three more years and she'll be packing her bags for college. Damn. She was just learning to write her name in cursive when I first shared her with you. 
And there’s always shoes. And lately its been kilim slippers...that are becoming mainstream faster than Belgians did. And this ain't a good trend. 
Can't forget Shell Cordovan. There's always something to say about horse hide.
Or Bernese Pooches.
I'm over the top in love with this breed and I will have one. 
Maybe a ditty about beards.
And why I can't seem to let mine grow beyond 3.5 weeks.
Or the first eye exam I had in six years--couldn't pass the highway department eye test--and the fact that progressive lenses are the best invention since central damn air-conditioning. Oh, and contact lens--the newest lens material/technology is great. 
And the kick-ass resurrection of Bookster and their new and improved fishtail trousers--a waistband affectation that if everybody else starts wearing, I'll ban in a heartbeat. Shut the ....
Or the admirable, Dorothy Parker doppelganger-esque wife of Todd Hog Howell--the gal who in my own home, during her first visit, flicked a booger on me. Oh, and she nicknamed me "D-Bag" within twelve hours of plopping down her girl supplies in the bathroom. Damn. 
Oversized houndstooth? I can. You can't. Nobody should. Shut up.
And art...with the never boring back story, sleuthing, learning, correlating missions that sometimes even the most twee and insignificant sketch offers me.
Or the fact that I'm not a hoarder but I can't throw anything remotely sentimental away.
Nothing. 
And books...and the fact that this book-per-week-at-least (with meds) can no longer finish a book. 
And my mama—at least for a while longer.

So let’s see what the next few weeks hold. But should I dump my tumblr?

Onward. ADG-2

(Thank God there’s not a 3rd one)

36 comments:

Anonymous said...

Keep the blog and the tumblr. Both are entertaining...I'm probably not your targeted demographic, but I love your writing.

Mink80 said...

I also vote to keep the blog and the Tumblr. Just commit to writing a bit like Pigtown Meg.

the architecturalist said...

What about that damn essay on campaign furniture you've been promising for five years?

Gail, in northern California said...

I don't care what you write about, just write.

Gail, in northern California said...

I was just thinking back to what may have been my first comment and I was none-too-happy with you. You wrote something about hanging your sport coats in the hotel bathroom shower stall, and turning the hot water on full-bore so the steam would remove the wrinkles. Living in drought-stricken California, I wigged out on you. And we're still friends! ;-)

Anonymous said...

In a sea of self- indulgent (and selfie-indulgent) stiffly-posed menswear writers in brightly colored capri pants, you're a beacon of normalcy.
They seem to lack your style and wonderful stories...and you're a damn fine writer, to boot.
Please keep writing (in between taking care of your momma).
Thanks.

RHW said...

That was great D. Patio looks tip top. LFG seems happy and, like my own CHW is enjoying and adjusting well to Freshman-ness. Shoes, beard, houndstooth look first rate. Don't dig on the high waisted pirate pantaloon, but what do I know...

Keep at it brotha. Go Dawgs!

RHW

NCJack said...

Your drivel is entertaining.

I desire entertainment, and am deserving of it.

Keep calm and drivel on.

Forthwith.

fmcgmccllc said...

Glad you are back.

Anonymous said...

Write the BOOK - not the blog, and not the tumblr - the BOOK, Max.

guess who

flyfishingwoman said...

You have something interesting to say...even when you have nothing to say. And that my friend is really something.

ADG said...

Ok den. I'll write the Campaign Furniture story. This year. Sometime. Shut Up.

Pigtown*Design said...

i cut back blogging because it was becoming a burden rather than something fun. it's worked for me, and i am not as focused on the numbers, although i notice they've gone up. quality v. quantity. i am not wild about the tumblr, because it's hard to know what's yours and what's someone else's.

i have some stuff for you!

CB said...

Glad to see you back. No one else worth reading wears fishtails. The beard may be mandatory with those things though.

Anonymous said...

Glad to see you back. I enjoy your stories a great deal.

Anonymous said...


don't ditch Tumblr unless you are promising to write here. You have a singular, unvarnished voice. Keep at it. Energy begets energy.

Young Fogey said...

Yay! Yer back! Keep it coming.

The Tumblr thang is OK, but the words is more better 'n the pix.

Although they say "a picture is worth a thousand words," they weren't talking about your words when they said that. Pictures are no more than an amusing adjunct to the caca sausages we have been deprived of for too long.

More, please!

MsGraysea said...

So happy to "visit" today and see your words and pictures!!

Mason said...

I don't have an opinion on the Tumblr, unless it really is a distraction from your longform writing. In which case, scrap it! I am glad you are writing again, and hope all is well.

CashmereLibrarian said...

I like hearing your voice again. And being told to Shut Up.

Officer & Southern Gent said...

Suh-weet! Glad to see you back!

ADG said...

Again, very nice of all of you to say hello. I'll try to write something once a week. Shut up.

Patsy said...

This was a lovely treat for a Thursday afternoon.

You keep writing, I'll keep reading.

Anonymous said...

I enjoy the Tumblr, too. I've found some interesting blogs like MatureStyle and the Preppy by Grace of God gent there I would not have encountered elsewhere. Happy you will be blogging.
Yours,
Seabrook's skinny neighbor

LPC said...

I adore you, it's so nice to see Miss L., and I just. don't. get. Tumblr. But that's OK, I'm not the boss of you.

I will cross my fingers that you keep writing here.

Nelle Somerville said...

Oh my gosh LFG! High school? Stop it. Best wishes to you all on this next step in your lives. Don't throw away the stuff. I wish my Momma had my Weebles, that wobbled but didn't fall down. :)

Anonymous said...

...on the topic of Saab, Googler: Top Gear tribute to Saab ... Regards, Ta'er

Main Line Sportsman said...

Best surprise I received all day was to see your post.
Keep plugging sport...you offer us gems. Ok..I will indeed...as you direct...shut up.

mondaypartlycloudy said...

So glad to see you blogging again. Keep the blog. I enjoyed your Tumblr, but enjoy your writing so much more.

Anonymous said...

...and Upward.

OrderLapper

Anonymous Texan said...

Hellfire, you are a sight for sore eyes !

Anonymous said...

I've missed you. When folks "disappear" online and they (as you are) are a component of my OCD "down time" day (between grading, cooking, driving, breathing and fathering"), I worry.
Glad to see and read that life is grand.
I appreciate you. Thank you for the update.
Cheers!
-SW

ADG said...

Just back from London and have much to share. Not sure when that will happen but stay tuned.

I'm humbled by all of your kind comments. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Love your blog, don't read the Tumbler. Your writing rambles as much as my mind does. Write about whatever comes to mind -- London, campaign furniture, your mother, daughter. Just keep it coming, please. Have missed it greatly.
Elisabeth Carrel

The Leopard said...

F tumblr, you are a writer, you speak the language of our generation, and yes its been a long strange trip, but we wouldn't trade it for anything, you keep us in touch with what we were and what we are, onward through the fog of life. Welcome back to the jungle.
The Leopard

CeceliaMc said...

Do the blog and tumblr.

Bread and roses.