Need a Hook for This / Lack of Communication

Everybody's got their niche. I'm not sure I want to put a label on myself, on my presence here. I do, when needed in life, take on a role. An expert in this or that, a manager, a peon. Most of that is for work, for marketing myself. My niche or role now might simply be "author" or "someone who is playing around on the Web." Yeah, that's it, for now. I have friends who do this to further their careers, providing you with their points of view on particular topics or links to articles they found interesting. That would be a nice-to-have for my job, a must-have to launch a career from a hobby. So far, that's not what I'm striving for (unless I start another blog somewhere).

This is an outlet, a way to express myself. To create and explore without any requirement for a specific end product. Good, bad, ugly. Whatever it turns out to be. Just to be. More than tweeting one-liners. Actually dealing with a topic.

Speaking of that... Have you ever noticed that real conversations are few and far between? Do you remember the last time you actually had a dialogue with someone where you got beyond smalltalk and the latest happenings, even beyond outdoing each other with your prepared stories to impress? Discussions like that are my moment of Zen (thanks, Jon Stewart). Where were you when it happened last? On an airplane next to a stranger? At a bar? Chances are these moments are even rare with your significant other, close friends or family if you see each other often. We're all so caught up in the things we need to get done. The planning, the doing.

Please STOP! Even if all you can spare is twenty minutes. Let it all go and let the thoughts rush in. Like the real you that appears after half a week's vacation (can you tell I haven't had one in a while?). Find a way to chill. Stare at a fish tank listening to muzak if you have to. Eventually, you'll begin to have thoughts that enable you to have a real conversation. Now, all we need is to find someone else and help release them from the trappings of this world.

Until whenever...

Trying a New Thing

Hello, World! Lately, I've been trying out various forms of social media so I thought it was about time to give blogging a try. I've always enjoyed writing and thought this would be a great way to express whatever happens to come to mind. I delayed publishing my first post for a couple weeks since my cat died on the day I started typing this (July 17, 2009). Needed to get into the frame of mind to finish this. One day soon I'll write a tribute to him.

I named this blog "Livin' the Dream" because finding ways to do that, or accepting what I am doing as that, has been a recurring theme in my thoughts and conversations so I figured blogging about it would be a great way to deal with this topic in my own mind and, hopefully, help others to live their dreams.

If you take a step back and think, "How did I get here?" or "Is this where I envisioned myself to be at this point in my life," I'm not sure that many of us had a clear vision or plan to get ourselves to our current place in this world. And those who do claim to have a clear vision may not be the most sane or pleasant to be around, although some may have achieved quite a bit of earthly success.

Let's wander together and contemplate whether everything happens for a reason and let our circumstances unfold. Sometimes the best things happen when they're not planned. I'm always bummed when my whole weekend is planned out. Have to be here and there at a certain time. It may be fun, but part of it is too much like work (at least my work). Exploring what's around the next corner is half the fun!

Finding where my passion lies is another driver for this blog. Everyone wants you to define yourself in a single dimension. No one seems to understand that we're all multi-faceted, like diamonds (some rougher than others). Fitting us into neat, little boxes is the easiest thing for our limited minds to comprehend. Many of us like, and are good at, many things (at least I hope it's many of us); and that's hard for the majority of folks to understand. While I applaud the folks who pour themselves into one activity, I also feel bad for them because they shut themselves off from the richness life has to offer. On the flip side, though, maybe most people are one-dimensional. That could explain the suburbs and popularity of chain restaurants.

Here's to blogging and exploring together!

Until whenever...