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Who Writes with Fountain Pens? · 11 June 2022

I do not know whether you have noticed, but I have been using pictures of fountain pens on my blog lately.

For some reason fountain pens are synonymous with writing. At least in my brain. Or maybe it is just that I have used fountain pens as pictures for my blog when I have written about writing lately. I know. I have also used pictures of typewriters and keyboards in my posts about writing. But in my brain, the fountain pen points to writing more than either type of keyboard.

It is funny though. I have been using the fountain pen pictures before I wrote that I am like Stephen King. The reason that the timing is funny is because Stephen King does his daily writing with a fountain pen. I even imagine him using a quill pen and an ink well. Even though I suppose he probably uses a modern fountain pen.

Personally, I do not know that I could use a fountain pen to write every day. I would probably get cramps in my hand after a couple minutes. After all, I do not use a pen that much. I could use a keyboard for seemingly hours. But a pen is just too much. I think it is because I tend to grasp a pen too tightly, but I can relax my hands and fingers and arms when I use a keyboard. So I can write for long periods of time when I have the time and am so inclined.

Even so, I think there is some mystique or romantic notion associated with fountain pens. They are elegant. They are beautiful tools. They are sleek. But they can be messy.

The nibs on fountain pens can leak or they can pool ink in a spot if they are not moved smoothly. However, those little imperfections in the lines of writing with a fountain pen make the product more beautiful rather than less so.

Unless of course, you cannot read the writing. That is my problem. When I write by hand, I can barely read what I have written. It really does look like chicken scratching. Unless, of course, I write with block letters. Which does not take that much more time, but the ideas flow slower when I write by hand. Which is really why I write with a keyboard. I want to be able to read what I wrote and I want to be able to write as fast as my mind works. Which is not necessarily that fast, but it is faster than I can write with a pen. Especially, a fountain pen.

Still, I like the idea of writing with a fountain pen. And so I associate fountain pens with writing.

So there you have it. Now you know why I have been using pictures of fountain pens on my blog lately. (As if your inquiring mind really wanted to know.)

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In a Writing Rut · 4 June 2022

I seem to be in a writing rut.

I suppose that some writers would welcome being in a writing rut. That rut being writing every day. Posting every week. Having a bunch of unfinished projects. I suppose that is not such a bad rut to be in. But it is still a rut.

The worst thing about being in a rut is that the sides of the rut seem so steep. No matter how hard you turn the steering wheel, the tires do not turn. They are stuck in the rut. They just keep going forward. But going forward in a rut like mine is not so bad. I just keep writing. And writing. And writing. Not so bad for a writer.

The thing is… I do not feel like I am getting anything done. I do not feel like I am writing anything important. Oh sure. Some of the stuff I am writing is good stuff. Or at least it feels like good stuff. But you never really know. Rather, I never really know. I have my friends and faithful readers who tell me that they read my blog or they saw my post. Or maybe even that they read one of my books. But still. I wonder whether writing what I write makes any difference.

I suppose that is where the rut comes in. The rut is not really that I am stuck writing. I love writing. Even when the writing I write is drivel. Even when the writing I write does not seem like it makes a difference. Even when the writing I write does not seem to have any reach. The rut is that I have no idea if my writing even matters. (I think I already said that.)

The thing is… Life is like that. All of life. We may not know whether we made a difference in our kids’ lives until they are adults (if then, even). We may not know whether we made a difference in our professional lives until after we leave the profession. Or at least the particular company. We may not know whether we made a difference with our writing lives until somebody says that they miss seeing the weekly print edition. Or makes some such comment.

Which is an interesting commentary. But it is a truism. We do not know how much something means to us until it is gone. Not that I am going anywhere. (I know. There are probably some people out there saying, “Darn.”) But it is so true that we do not miss something until it is gone. Whether we are talking about people or careers or hobbies or things or… Well, you get the picture. We do not miss the regular stuff until the regular stuff is gone.

Which brings me back to the beginning. Or maybe the middle. I suppose that I should not feel so bad that I am in a writing rut. I should appreciate that I can and do write every day. I should appreciate that I have something to say every day. (Or at least that I have some topic I can write about every day.) I should appreciate that I have one more day to write and breathe and live. (Yes. I thought I should throw a little positivity into my post.) I should appreciate the words I write whether or not I believe they are making any difference at all.

And I do. I appreciate that I can and do write. I appreciate that God has given me the gift of words. At least the written word. And when it comes right down to it, I am thankful that I am in a writing rut. Whatever that really means. Most of all, I am thankful for those readers (both real and imaginary) who keep reading.

Thanks for reading. Even when I am in a writing rut.

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State Track and Field Meet 2022 · 28 May 2022

Ah. It is a great feeling going back to the State Track and Field Meet.

There is nothing like a championship Track and Field (T&F) meet. Especially, the one for your own state. We are headed back to the state T&F meet after two years of not having one. Two years ago, we had two weeks of practice before being shut down. Last year, we had a shortened season with no championship or invitational meets. So going back to the state meet is like a breath of fresh air. Rare air at that.

Qualifying for any state’s meet is surely an arduous journey. Athletes need to be more than just prepared. They need to be near the top of their game. At least the top of their district in their chosen events. Not only that, they need to be better than most on a particular day. Championship meet day.

Doing well on that particular day is the key. History does not matter. What you did at least week’s meet does not matter. What you did at yesterday’s practice does not matter. All that matters is what you do on that particular day in that particular event. And that is just to qualify! Depending on where you are, you might have two or three meets like that. “Live to compete another day,” is what our head coach tells our athletes. Survive and move on, or hang up the spikes until next season. If next season is what is in store.

I do love coaching T&F. It is always special when athletes get personal records (PRs) during the season. It is even more special when they get one more chance to do so when they qualify for the state meet. Nobody gets PRs every meet, but everybody has that as their goal. Everybody wants to do better at the next meet. Especially, when that meets is the last meet of the season for everybody.

Speaking of last meets.

Many athletes train their whole high school careers to get to the state meet. Yet few make it more than one time. This year’s group of seniors have only had two chances to do so. Once as freshmen and now as seniors. I am sure they will relish their time. At least I hope they do. I hope that they savor every moment of this culminating weekend. Yes, I hope that all the athletes take some time to enjoy the fruits of their labor, but I hope the seniors breathe deeply of the rare air of the state meet. I hope that they understand that they accomplished a great feat getting to the state meet. And I hope that each one of them has one more great performance to give.

Coaching athletes who make it to the state meet is truly an honor and a blessing. I love going through the process of the season that it takes to get there. And I enjoy the weekend of those last high school performances. I love to see all the kids out there striving to do their best. I love to see the coaches coaxing the best from their athletes. I even love seeing the comforting hugs when things do not go quite as planned. For it is the relationships that make the state meet such a wonderful adventure. The relationships between athlete and athlete and between athlete and coach. Those relationships and the experience of going to state will be cherished by those who made it there. Regardless of the outcome.

Yes. Going back to the state track and field meet is truly a great feeling.