Page 3 | MediocreMan

I Like Poetry Much · 17 May 2025

I missed National Poetry Month, but that is okay
I will just write a short poem, and be on my way
For rhyming is something that I like to do
I hope as you read this, you like it too.

I was thinking about writing and such
When behold I remembered, I like Poetry much
And though I’ve not oft on my blog spun a rhyme
I thought that it might now be a good time.

For I have missed Poetry as part of my life
‘Though in times past, Poetry came only in strife
Yes, Poetry came when my heart did despair
Poetry came when I needed her there.

But now Poetry comes when I just want to rhyme
Poetry comes just any old time
I need not a muse nor a disaster in life
I need not have sadness nor experience strife

For Poetry returned. She probably never left
I am so glad that my soul’s not bereft
Of the rhyme and the meter of glad Poetry
I am relieved to know, Poetry never left me.

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Writing Is Like Breathing · 10 May 2025

Writing is like breathing.

I have said, “Writing is like breathing,” many times in my blog posts. I even said once that I wrote about it. (Creativity on the Internet) But I have looked on my blog and I have never said more than a paragraph about why writing is like breathing. So I figured I ought to fix that.

We all know that we need to breathe to live. Our lungs fill with air, the oxygen in the air gets absorbed into our blood cells, which circulate through our body and give said oxygen to our other cells. Those same blood cells gather up carbon dioxide from said other cells and take it back to our lungs, where it somehow gets put back into gaseous form so our lungs can expel it out into the atmosphere. It is an intricate and beautiful process that can get fouled up by all sorts of complications, usually that we bring about by ourselves. (But that is another story.)

That process is similar to what writing is like for me.

Somehow there are ideas floating around in the universe. I like to think of it as The (Idea) Ether (which I did write about a few years ago). Ideas float around in that ether and all we need to do is capture them. And write them down. Writing them down is the key. And that is how writing is like breathing.

Let me explain.

Ideas float around in the Idea Ether (like the oxygen in the air). I somehow breathe in those ideas and they float around in my head (like the air going into my lungs). I then write down said ideas (like the transfer of oxygen to my cells), then they are mine. However, if I do not write down said ideas, they leak out of my mind and go back into the ether (like carbon dioxide going back to the lungs and then back into the surrounding air). Which is a shame. Unless, of course, I somehow breathe in the idea again.

If I use the ideas, they go out of my mind through a different path. They go out of my fingers onto the computer (or onto the page) and eventually, hopefully, go out into the real universe as a blog post, poem, book, song, video, or some other form of creation (again, like breathing out).

This other path is the preferred path. After all, I hate giving my ideas back to the ether. I hate losing ideas. Which does not happen much anymore. Or maybe it happens just as often as it used to, I just do not notice it as much. Ah well.

At any rate.

I truly look at writing as both a gift and as a necessary part of my life. For even though I could technically survive without writing, it is still like breathing to me. I still need to gather ideas from the ether, get them from my mind to the computer, and transfer them from my computer to the internet or the printed page (or both). It is a process like breathing. At least for me.

And now I am happy. I have finally written about why writing is like breathing.

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The Things You Remember · 3 May 2025

It is funny the things you remember about people. I tend to remember what they said. And often, I write those memories so that I never forget them.

I was doing the crossword puzzle on the day of this writing and there were two words that made me laugh. ROTUND and DAD. (They are in capital letter because I solve crossword puzzles in all caps.) I actually laughed when I wrote the word ROTUND in the puzzle. Then, one of the next answers happened to be DAD. That amused me even more. After all, one of my favorite sayings by one of my favorite people was brought to mind by two answers in the crossword puzzle. So much entertainment in nearly the same instant.

I laughed because my dad used to say, “He’s not fat, he’s rotund.” Or maybe it was, “I’m not fat, I’m rotund.” Not that he was that fat. Certainly not rotund. Perhaps a bit taken by hyperbole. But the words in the puzzle made me laugh at the memory. It brought good thoughts of my dad.

Next, of course, I had to write about the memory (and what brought it about). And I had to add a few thoughts.

I tend to think that our memories of people help to keep them alive in our hearts. Which is why I write them. I want to keep the memories fresh and alive even after the people are not with us. Writing my memories is like having the relationships right there with me whenever I want. I can read my memories when the images and words get fuzzy.

But I actually do not worry about completely losing those memories or ever losing those people. After all, I know that I will see Mom and Dad again. And even if somebody says that I cannot be totally sure, I am 99.99% sure. Yes, I have doubts now and again, but I am almost completely certain (remember the percent) that I will see them again when I go to meet my Maker. Which is why I need not worry that their memories will fade with time. Besides, like I said, I tend to write down memories.

At any rate.

I truly enjoy writing my memories. I love to remember those who have gone before. I love to remember the times that we shared. The meals. The adventures. The jokes. The stories. And, of course, I love to remember the things that they said. The silly or profound words are the ones I remember most. Which is natural. After all, strong emotions tend to make memories stick.

Which is why I remember my dad saying over and over again, “I’m not fat, I’m rotund.” It was always funny. Even though being overweight was not and is not a funny topic. Still, the saying sticks in my mind. So much so that I laugh when I think of the word ROTUND. I laugh because it was one of my dad’s favorite words. And I laugh because it is one of those funny things I remember.