On Novels: a letter to a friend.

I’ve read on and off.  I read for 5 months, then switch to Netflix or Friends or Video games or such.  Been doing that since HS.  I’m in the transition back to books right now.  Except pub is luv...🍗 🥘

Quick and probably not completely accurate story:

High school: Can’t watch tv when you are cutting weight (wrestling) because fast food commercials. Fuck that new Whopper at BK when I haven’t eaten in 3 days. 

So I started reading again. 

Then I found Guild Wars.  RIP 1000 hours. 

But then I found Eragon (meh but okay).

But then I found COD. And calling in Nukes.

But then I found Jim Butcher (fantastic but long). Dresden is the wizard we all need.  Read these.

But then I found Starcraft and diablo. 

But then I found Kevin Hearne (and met him incidentally- you should read those too!!)

And all the while playing MTG and Woodworking and reading nonfiction and pursuing women and cheap beer and such. 

And then I found Rothfuss, Weeks, Sanderson. And my life changed for the better.

Life moves in waves. 

Party hard.  And then better yourself in your down time.  Hustle and recover.

I’ve learned equally (if not more) as much from fiction than from non.

I learned friendship and loyalty from Samwise. LOTR is about Sam and defeating the despair of life with companionship.

HTWFAIP- by Carnegie, is great, but:

Optimism during strife- catcher in the rye. 

The smallest things matter most-Name of the wind.

Life is pain, but it’s my pain and you can’t take it away from me- Oathbringer

Love- Night Angel

Religion- Iron Druid

And a thousand more I have yet to discover...

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Read when you can, my friend. But enjoy the other times as well. My library is open to you. And yours to mine...

Year in Review, What I Learned

“You need to spend time crawling alone through shadows to truly appreciate what it is to stand in the sun.”
-Shaun Hick

When the opportunity arises, you take a leap of faith.  Sometimes your leap of faith fails.  What you do after, is what defines you.  

I’ve put writing on a back burner this last year.  I’ve travelled the nation working for pennies.  I’ve seen dawn on the Atlantic and twilight over the Pacific, an Arkansas flood, a Texas heat.  I’ve had a Chicago hotdog, the best pizza in the world, and the worst beer.    I’ve endured a lack of sleep that crests even the worst finals week.  I’ve been the coldest I have ever been, and hopefully ever will be.  I’ve seen beautiful things and ugly things.  I have loved and I have felt the taste of betrayal. I’ve read books and discovered music. I’ve been an awful man and a great man.  Aside from the clothes off my back, I had every possession I owned stolen from me.  I gained friends, though I lost many more.  

Through it all, above everything, I learned.  

I learned that all respect for someone can be lost when told just 6 words.  That Honey works better than Vinegar, unless you’re trying to keep bears away.  That motivation coming from strangers is always false. That a promise kept by a friend is worth more than a thousand acquaintances, and a promise broken doesn’t always remove trust, but always takes away respect.  That a lot of the time, you’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.  

I learned that the squeakiest wheel gets greased first.  That the loudest person in the room is fun at first, but has a shelf life.  That ignorance is a bliss that the curious cat cannot obtain.  That some arguments aren’t won by principle, but by the respect you demand.

I learned that sometimes you can see 10 feet through someone, and most are only 3 feet deep.  That the way to someone’s heart is always kindness, and making friends is only a matter of remembering their name.  That a simple act of kindness on your part can turn your whole life around.  That half of seeming clever is keeping your mouth shut at the right times.  

“Bones mend.  Regret stays with you forever.”
-Patrick Rothfuss

There’s no shame in a get-by-job until you get up and running.  There’s no shame in a stepping stone.  There’s no shame in doing something to learn and experience.  Pulling rank only makes enemies.  A very wise and beautiful woman told me to keep your head down, eat all the shit they throw at you, and beat them down the road.  

~

At the end of my year long journey, I find myself two steps backwards from where I started, yet at the same time a mile ahead of where I would have been without taking that step.  
I crested 27 years young last month, but I feel much like I did the first day of kindergarten- nervous, yet eager and excited for everything that is to come.  

Umbrella vs Rain

There's only two things I remember about him- his green eyes and the words he spoke to me.

I could tell the man was smart from the glimmer in his eye. He was a recovering alcoholic, self proclaimed when we all introduced ourselves. He was new that night, to say that he's not a regular.

Under half lit fluorescents, sitting in a circle, he told us something wonderful.

I don't remember his name. I couldn't pick the man out of a crowd. I spoke to the man only once, but I remember his words to me:

"Before doing anything, first ask yourself this; 'Can I tell everybody or just some people?' The former means you can continue. The latter is a dead stop."

~

I took his words to heart. I made it a hard fast rule to live by.

Two years later, I completely disregarded them. I broke my rule. I fucked up. I hurt a lot of people.

~

Reflection is difficult when you're upset. I didn't know it was possible to break your own heart by breaking others. I was used to bringing the umbrella, but instead I brought the rain.

Check your bases often. Detach and analyze your feelings. Check to see if your morals are in place. Trust me- it's easy to stray.

Before you do anything, ask yourself this:

Can I tell everybody?

Or just some people?

-D.S. McKie