Author, Computer Scientist, Musician, and Photographer
Sometimes my mind is cloudy even when skies are clear. It’s on these kinds of days, even my name is mud and I question whether the grass is green at all on the other side. It also makes me wonder if my muse only cares to visit when all is gloom and doom, only allowing inspiration to strike me like lighting in a brainstorm. The words seem then to come out of me about 100 mph like a tongue twister.
After a long day, when you are winding down, the day seems shorter as the clock winds away. Each tick of the second hand draws ever nearer to the stroke of midnight when all is black and still. It is at this hour, I neither wish to be asleep or awake for fear of what I shall miss. Tomorrow is but a modest promise that one today will break. We know that time is of the essence but what exactly is the essence of time? Is it to serve only as a reminder of how limited we are by it when time itself seems limitless? What would be the purpose of that but to create a culture of incredible impatience? An impatience that leads to rash decisions, rashes can result in sores that leave you looking not unlike Job, and crying out to God asking why, to which God will just look at his pocket watch and sigh.
Dark forest as black as can be,
Where it’s dusk even in the day,
There is a stream like an ink stain,
Spilling around the loose-leaf trees,
On my dark forest splattered page.
We are starting to see never before seen bans and restrictions imposed on countries and states across the US. As a response to the growing threat of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), many people currently find themselves confined to their homes. With any luck, these measures will prove to be effective towards curbing the spread of the virus on our streets. While it might be a considerable inconvenience to many, especially those who enjoy a good meal at their favorite restaurant, socializing with their friends over a drink at a bar, or going to movies or concerts; it’s important to remind ourselves that it’s only temporary, and for the health and safety of everyone. Here are some ways you can avoid going stir crazy, or use this time as a wonderful opportunity for personal development and growth:
Now is a wonderful time to pursue that dream you’ve been hitting the snooze button on for far too long. When we were kids, most of us had a dream about what we wanted to be when we grew up, but now that we’ve grown up, for how many of us has that dream come true? Good news, you have plenty of time right now to research and take steps to pursue that dream. Maybe you’ve always dreamed of becoming an astronaut, a famous Hollywood film producer, or world-renowned ballerina, now’s the time to study what it would take to make those dreams a reality. Even if your dream proves to still be unobtainable, there’s a good chance by exploring the possibility, you’ll discover some new passion or similar ambition that is within your reach.
There’s lots of skills out there for a person to learn, yet so little time to actually learn them. Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn how to draw, speak another language, or how to play a musical instrument, now is the perfect time to do just that! Learning a new skill doesn’t have to be difficult, it could be as simple as picking up a book on the subject from your local library. Library closed? No problem, there’s all sorts of free resources online to help you develop an interest into a skill. You might even consider enrolling in an online course from sites like Udemy or Coursera.
You can catch up with people without the risk of catching the coronavirus. Just because you’re practicing social distancing, doesn’t mean you have to be antisocial. Our daily lives can be hectic even after we’re done with work. Kids have to be picked up from schools and day cares, dinners have to be made, and lunches need to be packed, normally it’s hard to find the time to touch base with the people in our life. Since so many businesses and schools are closed and extracurricular activities are cancelled, it’s a great time not only to catch up with your immediate family, but to reach out to distant relatives and friends you might not have heard from in a very long time. You can do it from the comforts of your own home by simply calling them on the phone or sending an email. I’m sure they would be happy to hear from you and to know that you’re well.
Been meaning to get those dust balls under the love seat that may now more closely resemble tumbleweeds? Maybe your resident spider has made not only its home but also built a cobweb cottage in your attic or basement that needs evicting? Springtime is now here and with it comes plenty of time to take on those much needed cleaning projects you’ve been putting off since winter. Here’s an added bonus: If you have kids that are home from school, why not set them loose on those tasks while you sit back relaxing with your favorite beverage and follow some of the other advice in this article?
Always wanted to read the epic works of Dante or Homer? What about War and Peace or Infinite Jest? By the time these bans and restrictions on public gatherings are lifted, you may well find you have finished one of them, and what’s more, you’ll have a whole new topic of conversation to discuss once you’re able to socialize again! Even if you feel like you don’t have the time or patience to finish one of these epic masterpieces, reading any book would be beneficial to your mental health. Books offer a great means to escape from the harsh realities of the global crisis we’re facing today.
In closing, close that door, live in that living room. Grow as a person, all while keep the number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 from growing. Remember that each and every day is a gift, but it is up to you to unwrap it and find the treasure inside.
Is the ‘trick’ in St. Patrick’s Day why so many of us choose to celebrate this holiday by drinking until we’re a bit green in the face. I mean, how many can truly say they’ve seen the end of a rainbow, and if they have, can they also say they found a pot of gold waiting for them there? And don’t even get me started about four leaf clovers, the odds of finding one are about one in 10,000. You are just as likely to be injured by a toilet — that’s something to keep in mind when you’ve had that one glass too many of Jameson today. Finally, I’m not so sure saying, ‘kiss me I’m Irish’ works even if you are Irish, but you’re more than welcome to kiss the Blarney Stone, I’m sure.
With all that’s been happening in the world, I sit back and think to myself: How nice would it be to just live in la-la land? Where pixies and nymphs do sprightly jigs while singing catchy little tunes in the sunny, yet cool afternoon. In the entrance of a nearby cave, a troll takes a load off on an overgrown toadstool as he flicks through the pages of a book by Tolstoy. His nose softly whistling notes like a piccolo. Down by the bay, mermaids bathe and wade. Their splashes and laughter, just as musical as the crescendo of waves. Yeah, la-la land sounds pretty good right about now.
I need to learn how to squeeze more creative juices out of me like a lemon without making the words that come out leave a sour taste in your mouth. Maybe I should think of them coming from something more like an orange that way I could write pulp fiction. I could just take all of it, stuff it into a blender, and whip up one big writing smoothie. Every sip, each sentence, so incredibly healthy and refreshing. I think I’ll go see if I have enough ice…
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a news update, or anything for that matter, and that’s exactly the point. In the coming months of spring, I’m going to be making improvements to this site, so I am better able to share more new and existing content with you. Some of the improvements include: A journal, where I will be posting some entries from my personal journal; short story and writing excerpts, which you will be able to read or download with a donation in the amount of your choosing; and a section for the articles and reviews I’ve written. Part of the problem has been that by using only my own personal photography for my posts, I’ve felt inhibited with the things I can share due to either time constraints or the inability to capture my subject’s image. My solution to this problem is to now either use generic images I’ve made for these areas of my site, or use royalty free images with attribution to their photographers. However, I still plan to use my own personal photography for my poetry as much as possible though. I look forward to making these improvements and bringing new content to you very soon!
In the aftermath,
I’m only a fraction,
You’re half of what I am,
I wish I had your…
undivided attention.
The wake of a sleepy sea,
Underneath night’s cool black sheet,
I can hear windswept secrets,
That the sea crests could not keep.
