A Ditty, A Diatribe…

When seeking the advice of more experienced writers, their advice is usually the same. “Read a lot. Write a lot.” This practice-makes-perfect mentality never seems to sit well with me. Sure, I would love to sit around for hours on end – swimming in the pages of a good novel – drinking in the situations each character is encountering – but who really has the time? (Especially when so many books we pick up these days – disappoint in the area of raising our literary consciousness – most recently for me – The Shack.)

Last year I made a weak attempt at some poetry. The reaction the short works incited from my most trusted confidants was enough to keep it far from being published, even here, where I get to be editor-in-chief.

Once, a friend gave me a phony elixir. The packaging stated “Understand Modern Art Instantly”. A novel idea being able to acquire a talent or level of comprehension in such an understated way. This is probably more of a commentary on our social state and our desire for things to be easier than they are, as opposed to commenting on the conundrum that is modernism, but who can blame us?

Speaking of taking short cuts – it seems that we are in for a huge wake up call with the economy troubles that are surfacing. What will we do in light of the imminent financial challenges ahead? Will we procrastinate and hope for some salve to heal our nation? Or will we put our minds to work and become the next Great Generation?

Here’s hoping.