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Random Thoughts · 22 February 2008

Not to mention any names but one of my students recently told me that she enjoyed my writing then backed away from a full-blown compliment by saying, “But it is so random.” After thinking about it for a couple nanoseconds, I realized she was right. That is what my column really is. Just random thoughts from a random guy.


Unfortunately, “Random Thoughts from a Random Guy” is not a great title for a column. Even “Musings” is probably suspect but it is alliterative with my alliterative name and so I muse.


I have mused about lots of topics. From weather to prayer to my three sons (not the old television show) to my wonderful but mindboggling wife to church and even to feeling the pain of being a weekend warrior.


My musings are sometimes humorous but mainly I just write about life and it ends up being humorous. Just because life is pretty entertaining. However, I do have goals for my column. I always want my readers to think, to reminisce, to laugh, or to cry.


I do not usually get into very heady topics but every once in a while I like to think that my writing makes my readers think about something important. My very first published essay was about quality time. I wanted people to realize that we can not choose ahead of time what time our loved ones would consider quality so we just need to give them large quantities of our time. My hope was that people would think and then respond by spending time with those people important to them.


The other really important goal for me is that people remember their past. And with their remembering I hope that they can laugh or cry. One of my biggest fans is the head secretary at work. Linda always tells me that she often remembers something from her life after reading my column. When I wrote about just giving kids boxes for presents, she told me what her family did with containers when she was growing up. We laugh together about each other’s similar life experiences. It makes my day that she can remember her past from reading my writing.


Since I mentioned crying as a possible response to my writing, I will try to garner a bit of sympathy. Whenever I tell my two of my biggest supporters (my wife and my mom) that I really want to be paid as a full-time writer someday, they have both told me not to quit my day job. In reality, theirs is not a comment on my writing quality as I have made it out to be (so I could garner that sympathy) but rather a plea to keep teaching AND writing until the paychecks come. Thankfully, my boss is on their side and keeps telling me not to quit my day job either. So I guess I will be able to continue teaching even after I finally become a full-time writer.


I really do hope that my readers can think, remember, laugh, and cry when they read my column. And I hope that my random musings are relevant in people’s lives. And even though she has not gotten any credit for spurring this latest musing, I do need to thank my nameless student. In class, I almost always follow up the statement of not mentioning any names with the name of the individual or individuals providing the entertainment or enlightenment of which I am speaking but here I will refrain from such behavior. Thank you anyway, Natasha.

© 2008 Michael T. Miyoshi

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