7/25/22 Journal: On Writing

Sometime around 1992 I took a Creative Writing class at what was then known as Edison Community College. It was a requirement that I took some kind of English class, and the word “Creative” made it seem like fun, so that was what I went with. Besides, my friends Eddie and Steve were both taking it.

Turned out to be my favorite class, pretty much ever. Firstly, the instructor was quite attractive, and wore stockings and heels every class. She’d sit on the edge of a table while she lectured and would constantly cross and uncross her legs. At one point she mentioned she was going through a divorce, so I guess she was in “Get Her Sexy Back” mode. Being the young college-aged perv I was, I’d always sit near the front.

Secondly, I got to create. I don’t remember all the assignments she gave, but no matter what we were supposed to write about, I’d always try to make it funny, crazy, or at least interesting. I don’t think I knew I loved writing yet, but I loved the aspect of being able to manifest basically whatever I wanted, within the confines of the assignment.

The instructor noticed my writing fairly quickly, and would pay more attention to me than the other students. She’d be harder on me than say, Eddie or Steve, because she saw something in me. She’d write long notes in the margins either correcting my grammar or encouraging me to use my imagination to be even more descriptive.

I ended up with the highest grade in the class.

Then, armed with the knowledge of one of my true talents…

…I majored in Accounting.

ACCOUNTING!!! What the hell was I thinking?!?

Okay, I actually know what I was thinking, and that’s a story for another time. The point of this story is sometime around 1992 I got a gigantic clue about what I should do with my life, and I ignored the fuck out of it. I took a right turn at the fork when I should’ve taken a left, and now 30 years later I work in finance. And while I enjoy my job well enough, I can’t help but feel sometimes that I took a wrong turn.

Can you imagine? If I’d known then what I know now?

My writing has drastically improved since I started daily blogging in February. That’s five months. Can you imagine how good I would be if I’d been writing the last thirty years?

Eh, who knows? Maybe my prose would be perfect, but my writing totally boring because I majored in English Lit or Journalism. I’d be whole different person, possibly a huge douchebag. Maybe I’m funny and likeable now because I picked the wrong major and see all of life through the lens of someone who’s always felt like he doesn’t belong where he is.

Anyway, I can’t turn back time now. All I can do is just write whenever I can, for the rest of my life.

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