marimbadog

Schuylkill River from West Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, April 25, 2012

I have been relating to the movie Groundhog Day just a little bit too well lately.

While I realize that the feeling that everyday is a repeat of yesterday is endemic to the human condition, I believe, as Bill Murray's character in the movie comes to believe, that being stuck in a loop can be whatever you make it out to be. If you're trying to get your act together and move along with your life, even while in the loop, eventually you might just make some progress.

On the other hand, if you feel swallowed up by the mindless repetition, you will indeed stay stuck.

I have been feeling stuck in any number of ways. However, it occurred to me a little awhile ago that during the time periods over the last few years when I've been engaged in taking at least a photo a day and posting it here, I have felt the "stuck" feeling loosen up a bit around me. I'm not sure why this is, though I suspect that taking at least a few minutes everyday to attempt to see something outside the loop and do something with it might help.

Whatever the reason, taking/posting the photos seems to help so today I'll start again. The photo above is rather nondescript and I've taken it before, but this is what this particular river scene looks like today.

Taking and posting a photo everyday probably isn't a cure-all for Groundhog Day Syndrome. But it could very well be just the right medicine for some of the more unpleasant symptoms of this malady.

At the very least, maybe this will be an offramp to a more productive loop.

Over the course of my adult life, I have come to grips with the fact that I was an odd kid. Case in point: I distinctly remember that I enjoyed playing "office."

"Playing office" meant exactly that: I liked to pretend I was working in a office. I'd sit and organize the various knick-knacks on my desk and once spent a considerable amount of time pining for a desk pad/blotter, which I eventually bought at K-Mart or Wilmington Dry Goods, maybe the same night I bought the soundtrack to the movie, The Hindenburg, for $0.39 ("Fin Repair Sequence"--it's a mind-blower).

Yeah, I was weird.

Gradually, the idea of playing office evolved into an obsession with filing things. I loved manilla folders and sorting all of my very important papers and filing them, so I'd know exactly where each paper was the next time I needed it.

Flash forward: I have now spent 22 years working in an office and the thrill is decidedly gone. I have also had plenty of time to deal with actual important papers that need to be filed and, over the course of the years, I have to admit I've lost my administrative touch. I've gotten sluggish in my organizational capabilities and, I'l be honest, I've paid a price for that (and when I say "paid a price," I'm not being entirely metaphorical).

Recently though, I've had a welcome blast of creative energy. It's not always as focused as I'd like it to be--I'm making notebooks, I'm compiling books and developing book proposals, I'm taking daily photos, I'm training to become a cemetery tour guide, etc.--but the energy is there nonetheless and I'm enjoying it.

I'm realizing that part of this energy is the result of me recognizing--and reclaming--some of my quirkier childhood ways and making them work for me as an adult. I think this may have been what prompted Jimmy to mention recently that he thinks it's cool that I'm not one of those "peaked in high school" guys, i.e., that I'm still an interesting human being decades after my 18th birthday.

Recently, I've decided to re-embrace the administrative skills I so aptly demonstrated in my days of playing office. This is why, after Chris and I visited Montgomery Cemetery the other night (more about that in an upcoming entry) we drove up to the Impact Thrift Store in Norristown. I had been there earlier in the day, looking to buy a filing cabinet. Having spied the cabinet I desired, but not having time during lunch to buy it, I headed back to clinch the deal.

And what deal it was. A four-drawer, locking filing cabinet for just 30 bucks. However, during a brief conversation with one of the guys at the store, I was able to score the drawer for just $20!

There was a catch though--the cabinet's key had gone missing. I was willing to forgo the key, but the Impact guys warned me not to push in the lock at the top of the cabinet, for obvious reasons. I was a little paranoid that I'd do just that, but I twisted the locking mechanism in just such a way (actually, I just plain broke the thing) that the cabinet isn't going to lock up on me anytime soon.

Now, after borrowing my buddy Matt's handtruck, the filing cabinet has found an inconspicuous place in my bedroom closet. I've emptied out a smaller two-drawer cabinet, which I now intend to use for all my important home/business/financial stuff.

The new cabinet is for my creative work, past and present: the bits and pieces of book ideas, the high school/college newspapers, the journal that I've kept for 30+ years. And not just my own creative projects: I've also made room for the artifacts from the correspondence art course my dad took in 1960 (when he was 19) and a hunting journal that Dad seems to have compiled later in his life.

I need to emphasize that filing all of this stuff is not the same as filing it away. I fully intend to use and/or re-use much of what is contained in this filing cabinet. I think my journal/blog and my other projects can be mined for ideas in any number of ways, but the key to this, for me, is having all of it in a centralized physical location. Like, for example, an inexpensive but sturdy filing cabinet in my bedroom closet.

Bottom line: I'm back to playing office. And it's fun again.

I am not certain how often this will happen, but I happened to visit two Pennsylvania governors this week. The first was our second governor, Thomas McKean, in Philadelphia's Laurel Hill Cemetery. While Laurel Hill is a relatively easy trip into Philadephia, visiting Governor #23 is even easier, just a walk down the street from my house!

Meet Pennsylvania's 23rd governor, Phoenixville's own Samuel W. Pennypacker:



Samuel W. Pennypacker
April 9, 1843-Sept.2, 1916

Sam Pennypacker was a Republican and served as governor from Jan. 20, 1903 through Jan. 15, 1907. Pennypacker is noted for creating the Pennsylvania State Police and for overseeing the completion of Pennsylvania's capitol building in Harrisburg. Interestingly, Pennypacker also vetoed what would have been the first compulsory sterilzation law in the United States.

Born in Phoenixville (where I now live), Pennypacker had much Pennsylvania history in his blood even before he became governor. As a private in Company F of the 26th Pennsylvania Volunteer Militia, Pennypacker fought in a skirmish at Witmer Farm, north of Gettysburg on June 26, 1863. He later served as a judge in Pennsylvania and was president of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania.


Here I am at the gravesite of Samuel Pennypacker at Morris Cemetery, which is just three blocks away from our home. His gravestone notes the contributions to Pennsylvania history that I mention above.

This has been a beautiful weekend so my younger son Chris and I walked over to Morris yesterday afternoon. Chris has recently developed his dad's interest in old cemeteries (though his interest is primarily on statues, in cemeteries or otherwise) so a walk to visit our local governor seemed to be in order.


While Governor Pennypacker is the most famous person in Morris, there are many interesting gravesites. As I told Chris, each one has a story to tell. One mystery that I'd like to unravel is that of Anthony Shimer, who is buried beneath an impressive monument that is topped by a statue of Shimer holding what appears to be a flower pot. I haven't dug up any information yet on Shimer (I tried a Google search a few months ago, but it didn't yield any results) but I plan on taking a trip to the Phoenixville Historical Society soon to investigate.


When I went to the training workshop at Laurel Hill recently, I learned a bit about gravestone symbolism that was common during the Victorian era. While symbols specific to that era such as broken columns (signifying a life ended abruptly) are no longer commonly used, more modern symbols still exist. In this particular case, a well-known character has been carved onto the tombstone of a local baker, who died just a few years ago.


A Civil War memorial is the tallest monument in Morris Cemetery. It was struck by lightning last year. I'm pretty sure I heard the blast that accompanied the strike. When this happened, the head of the statue on the top of the monument was blown off and a rifle that he was holding was destroyed. The monument also has a number of cracks in it now, though I'm not certain these came from the lightning strike.

Here is a video that Chris and I made yesterday, in which we talk about the lightning strike. Chris' narration is somewhat discursive and my handwork is a little unsteady, but you might be interested in taking a look.

Thanks to the world of social media, I have met several other fans of presidential gravesites over the past few years. We often compare notes and photos on our travels.

At least three of these friends, Pat, Tim and Josh, have begun visiting the gravesites of their home states' governors (New York, Ohio and Tennessee, respectively). You can check out their governor sites in my links list on the right.

These three guys inspired me to begin visiting Pennsylvania governors. Afterall, I have lived in Pennsylvania my entire life (nearly 47 years) and, for as much of a history buff as I claim to be, there is still much I don't know about my home state. "Collecting" the governors will give me an opportunity to travel to Pennsylvania regions, near and far, that I haven't had the opportunity to visit. And, of course, the journey is often just as important as the destination.

This is an extremely longterm project for me, with no deadline for completion in sight. However, there are a number of governors within my grasp here in southeastern Pennsylvania (including one just three blocks from my house!) so I will visit and report on them when I can, starting with today's report.

Meet Thomas McKean, Pennsylvania's second governor:


Thomas McKean (March 19, 1734-June 24, 1817)
as painted by Charles Willson Peale

It is my plan to include a brief biography of each governor in these entries but in the case of Governor McKean, I can really just note a few of the highlights of his eventful life. Even though McKean never saw a surfboard, he reminds me of a character from a Beach Boys song because he got around!

Thomas McKean was a persuasive proponent of breaking away from Great Britain. McKean was a signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. He was one of the presidents of Congress under the Articles (making him of one those pre-Washington "presidents" that pop up in trivia questions). He wrote Delaware's constitution, which led to Delaware's distinction of being "the first state." He was chief justice of Pennsylvania and he served as Pennsylvania's second governor, from Dec. 17, 1799 through Dec. 20, 1808.

Perhaps because his contemporaries were Washington, Adams, Jefferson, Franklin and Madison, McKean might seem to be a "lesser light" of the American Revolution, but I think his large and varied record as a patriot in service to the newly formed United States argues otherwise.

Thomas McKean died in 1817 and was buried at the First Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. In 1843, McKean's body was moved to Laurel Hill Cemetery (founded in 1836), which was then a "rural cemetery" outside Philadelphia's border. This was a fairly common occurrence, as many Philadelphia families had their ancestor's remains removed to Laurel Hill in the first decades after it opened.

Laurel Hill is where I recently caught up with Thomas McKean:







Typically, I'll probably write a bit about the cemeteries where the governors reside but since I've already written about Laurel Hill and I'll be writing about it again on a semi-regular basis as I go through training to become a tour guide, I'm focusing this entry on Governor McKean.

This week on the Five Ws and the H: My bracket! Onions and Gumbo! Stephen King! Laurel Hill Cemetery! and more!

Who? If it wasn't for Jimmy Wilhelm, I wouldn't have made a March Madness bracket. But, as he did last year, Jim insisted I make my picks.

Last year, I caused Jim a certain amount of consternation when I used an online coin-flipping program to determine my winners and losers. This year, I skipped the random method, though I am still coming at this as a rank amateur, which I'm sure will be proven as soon as the games start. In a rare fit of "be true to your school," I have chosen Temple to win the Big Dance or whatever they call it.

What I really need to do is sit down with Jim and find out what his bracket picking methodology is.

So, here's my bracket:


What? ...have I been listening to? As usual, I've been listening to all kinds of things, but I'll get into more detail with that next week.

...have I been reading? Right now, it's Stephen King's On Writing, which people have been encouraging me to pick up for years. I finally did, via biblio.com, an excellent way to buy cheap used books. Humorously, I didn't read the fine print when I ordered On Writing, since I accidentally bought a large print edition of the book. It's not distracting me, though it is reminding me that I should probably schedule an eye exam.

As for the book itself, it's great. I understand why it has been so highly recommended. My two favorite lines so far are: "When you're six, most of your Bingo balls are still floating around in the draw-tank," and "Life isn't a support system for art. It's the other way around." Speaking of art...

When? Chris has been going to an art group that meets on Tuesday afternoons at Steel City Coffeehouse. The group is called Onions and Gumbo and it is run by Erin and Adrienne, both of whom have a nice gift for bringing out creativity in children. Each week a bunch of kids gather at Steel City and take on a different art project. It's been a great artistic outlet for all the kids and Chris is enjoying it. Here he is in action:


Where? I spent most of my Saturday at Laurel Hill Cemetery, attending an initial training session on becoming a tour guide for the cemetery, which is a National Historic Landmark. It was an impressive workshop that touched on the history of Laurel Hill and the type of tours and events that happen there year-round. After lunch, we had a mini-tour that made stops at a few key sites.

My Saturday at Laurel Hill probably deserves an entry all its own and I'll try to report on what I do there as I move through the process of becoming a guide. The next step for me is to attend three tours, so I hope to get back to Laurel Hill soon to get started.

In the meantime, here's a few photos I shot on Saturday:


This is just one part of an elaborate family plot, but this sculpture, of an angel assisting the departed as his soul begins the journey to the afterlife, is one of the most photographed objects in the cemetery.


This is part of Millionaire's Row, where many of Philadelphia's most elite families spend eternity in a series of fabulous mausoleums.


This is Adrian Balboa's gravestone. Yes, she of "Yo, Adrian" fame. Scenes from Rocky Balboa were shot at Laurel Hill and this prop tombstone for Rocky's departed wife was left behind when production ended. This stone sits just outside the main office for the cemetery. You'll note that we were attending the workshop on Adrian's birthday. Yo, Adrian, happy birthday!

Why? I'm finding that "Why?" is the hardest question to answer, maybe because there is such an abstract, philosophical element to "Why?" And lately, I've been wanting to simply Be and Do and not worry so much about the why. So, we'll follow-up on "Why?" another time.

How? I've got a number of writing projects at the moment and you might be thinking to yourself, "Well, I wonder how Rich is doing on those writing projects?" It's too soon to say much about a couple of them, but I will note that I am in "get 'er done" mode for Surreal Record Hop, the book that will compile my Cool and Strange Music Magazine articles. I hope to have even more to say about that soon.

That's it for this week. Thanks for your support!

The confluence of certain events--watching home movies (actually videos) over the weekend, reading Stephen King's On Writing, noting the fourth anniversary of my grandmother's death today--has put me in a certain mental and emotional place right now. This place is not about wanting to return to "simpler times" (whatever that phrase means), even as my mind is tricking me into thinking that things were easier then. It's also not about mourning the lost past, even as I remember those who are no longer with us.

No, this place I'm in is about The Present, which is essentially a memory generator for my children. I simply want to make sure that The Present is a place that my kids will want to remember (even with the occasional pain, sorrow and frustration) once it has been long since replaced by a New Present (that is, The Future).

That's all for now.

It was probably in my first college journalism class--now that I think of it, my first high school journalism class--that I learned the Five Ws and the H rule, which is essentially that the six questions you want to make sure you ask for any story you're covering are "Who?," "What?," "When?," "Where?," "Why?" and "How?". It occurred to me this evening that using those questions might be a cool way to update this online journal on some kind of semi-regular basis. It stands to reason that one of the core tenets of jounalism ought to apply to "journal-ism" as well. So, here's what I've been up to recently (questions and answers in bold)...

Who? On March 2, 1962, Wilt Chamberlain of the Philadelphia Warriors scored 100 points in a game against the New York Knicks. Obviously the Warriors won. Fifty years to the day (this past Friday), Donna, Jimmy, Chris and I joined 20,000 other specators as the Sixers celebrated Chamberlain's 100-point anniversary during their victorious game against the Golden State Warriors.

I'm not a huge sports guy, but I do think basketball is an exciting sport to watch and being part of the anniversary celebration was fun. The 100-point game is so mythological now (in part, because it wasn't filmed; all that exists in terms of documentation is the radio broadcast and some still photos) that even non-sports people like me are aware of it, so being at the game felt like an event to me.

Donna and I enjoyed it, but seeing how much Jimmy and Chris liked the game was the best part. Jimmy was understated about it but he's got a love of sports and a sense of history that made this game a pretty big deal for him. Chris was more excited than I thought he'd be, paticularly since his autism spectrum situation has made big crowds a dicey proposition at best. But, aside from a brief fear of heights when we got to our seats, which were fine but nosebleed level (I felt a wave of vertigo at first too, but it passed), Chris loved the game, which was just one component of his "big day." Other components being: Dr Seuss' birthday and the ski club pizza party.

To top it off, everyone at the game got this, a piece of the original floor on which the 100-point game was played:



What? What have I been listening to? What have I been reading? I will tell you.

I recently read Elisabeth Vincentelli's ABBA Gold, an in-depth reflection on the titular compilation of Sweden's favorite export (Ace of Base notwithstanding). The book is part of a series called 33 1/3, each volume of which examines one specific album. I'm attempting to track a few more of them down and I'll report on them when I can.

As for ABBA Gold, I think Vincentelli presents plenty of evidence to show how that particular compilation shifted the perception of ABBA in many people's minds.

Music-wise, there is always more than I can get into at any one time, but I was very happy to discover This May Be My Last Time Singing--Raw African-American Gospel on 45 RPM 1957-1982. This three-disc collection of obscure gospel tunes was compiled by Mike McGonigal as a follow-up to a previous triple disc collection, Fire In My Bones--Raw + Rare + Other Worldly African-American Gospel (1944-2007). Both collections are on the Tompkins Square label and both are seriously worth checking out if you, like me, occasionally find yourself on a search for great "lost" music. And believe me, you don't have to be religious in the strictest sense to be stirred by these songs.

It's going to take me awhile to absorb This May Be... but it is clearly a worthy sequel to Fire In My Bones (which, truthfully, I'm still absorbing a few years down the line). I'm particularly loving that all these songs were originally released in the lowly 45-rpm-single format.

When? I have recently been able to take in two live music events at Steel City Coffeehouse, here in Phoenixville. Back in January, Donna and I caught Marshall Crenshaw, with our friend, Cliff Hillis, opening the show. Then, just last week, I saw Cliff, with long-standing Harrisburg, Pennsylvania band, the Jellybricks opening. Of course I'd seen and enjoyed Cliff and Marshall (each several times now), but this was my first Jellybricks show and I liked them very much. Check out their latest EP, Suckers, particularly the song "Beryllium."

Where? Chris and I spent a whirlwind 90 minutes at the Philadelphia Museum of Art a few Saturday afternoons ago. Chris has become interested in statues and there are plenty of them at the museum, so we went and he took photos like this (I took this one, but he took most of the rest):



After our visit, we strolled outside to another famous statue:



Two days later, on President's Day, the whole family headed up the pike to the fun-filled Roadside America, where we encountered these just slightly frightening statues:



Future trips to Roadside America are in the cards, for sure.

Why? So why the big update journal entry? I think because, after some soul-searching (as detailed a few blog entries ago), I've decided that I need to get back to the all-purpose nature of this here blog. So there you go.

How? I've recently decided to ramp up my creativity activity though I haven't answered the question of how this is going to happen, given other things going on in my life. Honestly, I can't really get into too much detail here, but I'll discuss further as certain things happen and progress.

I realize the why and the how are short and vague answers, but I think they'll do for now. If you've stuck with this longish entry, thanks for tuning in. More entries like this to follow, I hope. This was fun.

A few summers ago, I ran a series of entries called "Seven Questions About Creativity," in which I asked friends and friends-of-friends about their creative activities. I am very happy to revive that series tonight, thanks to my good friend, musician Michael Kropp. I could describe what Michael does--I've seen him perform several times now, in most of his incarnations--but I'll let him do that instead:

1. Who are you and what do you do?
I’m Michael Kropp and I am a full-time musician – that’s fun to say. I play solo acoustic cover gigs several nights a week in local bars & restaurants. I am also a licensee of Makin’ Music Rockin’ Rhythms, a wonderful music enrichment program designed for preschool children. In addition to teaching Makin’ Music classes, I am also the “music guy” at many area preschools, daycare centers, libraries, etc. One additional component of what I do is to play afternoon gigs at some of the area senior centers. Adding that piece to the puzzle allows me to say that I really do perform for all ages.

2. When did you first discover and begin to develop your creativity?
I come from a musical family, my Dad played in a popular Top 40 cover band for as far back as I can remember. I was into music from a very early age and took piano lessons for many years. I also took drum lessons at school and loved that. In sixth grade, on a whim, I entered my grade school’s talent show. Other kids were doing dance routines, singing show tunes, or something “entertaining” – I chose to play piano and sing Peter Frampton’s “Show Me The Way”. It was a great experience, and I think that a seed was planted that didn’t really manifest itself for many more years.

3. Can you tell us a little bit about your creative process and the role, if any, that improvisation plays in your work?
For my bar gigs, I play acoustic covers of songs that I love. As a solo player, I can’t very well replicate the exact recordings of a full band, so I have developed my own interpretations. I also provide a sample songlist on a sheet of paper in order to help elicit requests. I don’t work with a setlist, so it’s all pretty loose and I try real hard to honor requests, even if they don’t come from those song sheets. My intention is also to try and establish a rapport with the patrons, even while realizing that for most of them I am background. I guess I strive to be enjoyable background.

Flexibility is very important. This really comes into focus when I am working with kids. Preschool children are among the most demanding of audiences – not necessarily in what they want to hear, but they can spot a phony a mile away and you really have to be on top of your game at all times. Not only that, they really want to be included. That is why I love working “with” them as opposed to playing “to” them.

4. Name some of your influences both within your field and possibly outside of it as well?
I have so many influences and favorite musicians that it is hard to choose some over others, but I will narrow it down to these three: The Beatles, Ben Vaughn, and Nick Lowe.

(1) I love The Beatles for their sheer brilliance – every record is incredible and inventive. In less than ten years as a recording unit, their growth is staggering. Plus, I truly believe that they are a part of me and their influence on the world is so vast and is still being felt.
(2) While I very much love his records, I cite Ben Vaughn primarily as an influence on me as a performer. I have seen Ben perform more than any other musician and I will always do my best to catch him any time that I can. He is an incredibly engaging and fantastic live act.
(3) Nick Lowe is simply an astounding songwriter and performer. Like The Beatles, Nick has shown an incredible range of styles without having it seem forced or put-on. I love Nick’s latest batch of records as much as I love his pub-rock records from the late 1970’s, and they are stylistically worlds apart. Nick has shown me that you can age gracefully and be incredibly comfortable in your own skin – no matter what anyone else says.

I am also very much influenced by my family. My wife, Teri, and our daughter, Marley, are tremendously supportive and encouraging in everything that I do. They also play a big part in a lot of the behind-the-scenes stuff that enables me to get things done. I owe them a lot.

5. Where is the best place for readers to view/read/hear/otherwise experience your creative work?
The best way to catch up with me these days is on Facebook. I have three pages (!) – one is a regular “this is what I’m thinking, listening to, or watching” kind of thing where I also promote my shows, another is a “Fan Page” (Facebook’s name for it, not mine) which is where I also promote my shows and keep an up-to-date listing of every upcoming gig, and the third is my Makin’ Music Gilbertsville page which includes everything to do with my children’s music.

6. What do you consider the importance of creativity to be?
Being yourself. That might sound strange coming from someone who makes a living playing other people’s music, but while I do often invoke a Paul McCartney vocal mannerism or a Ben Vaughn stage move, ultimately it’s just me and my guitar playing songs and I like to think that my own personality comes through. Arranging the songs to fit my personality is a great help.

7. Any further thoughts?
I just love what I do and am always encouraged when others enjoy it, too. It's a good job.

And here's Michael performing the Dead Milkmen's classic, "Punk Rock Girl," at the Phoenixville Farmer's Market last summer. (Cameo by my son Chris and his Legos.)

The title of this entry overstates the case by at least two exclamation points. Maybe three. And it's kind of ridiculous to call it a "crisis." Or "major."

But "Blogging" is not a very descriptive title, now is it?

Here's what this is about: I don't really know what I'm doing with the blog at the moment. I've got all these various components of my life right now, many of which I do cover (or would like to) with an "online presence" somewhere. Here are some of the activities I'm talking about:

1) Photo a Day. This is where I take a photo each day and post it to this blog, often with a short description of the photo.

2) Music. I've got all these different records I'm listening to and I like to write about them.

3) K-Tel Music. Really a subgenre of #2 of course, but I've set out on a course to listen to a big stack of K-Tel/Ronco-Adam VIII albums, each from beginning to end, and write about what I fin.

4) Book compiling/developing/publication. In the past year, I've decided I want to publish some books, "indie-style." I realized that, within the overall collection of writing I've done in the last 30 or so years, there are books. Books that I could compile, develop, write, etc. In fact, I've got three different potential books in my head at this very moment.

5) Historic travel/cemetery visiting. Inspired by my grave-hunting Facebook friends, I've discovered a resurgence in my interest in tracking down historic/cool/interesting gravesites and other places. This is, of course, something I'd like to blog about more often than I do.

6) Really Cool Notebooks. I started making these notebooks out of album covers, cassette sleeves/inserts, VHS boxes, etc. This has led to an Etsy site, on which I sell these notebooks.

7) Thrift Store Confidential. I am a [sadly, very] occasional contributor to an excellent website devoted to thrift shopping. I the music correspondent and I have several very cool ideas for columns I want to write for them very soon.

8) Cheap Red Wine. For awhile I made these YouTube videos, called "Cheap Red Wine." I wouldn't mind doing some kind of video again sometime.

There is more I'm sure, but you get the idea. When I think about all this and try to sort it out (should I be doing this things, should I be blogging about these things, do all these things belong on the same blog or should I get into microblogging, etc?) the question that emerges is: why now? Why, at 46 years old, am I experiencing this sudden onrushing interest in, well in practically everything around me? And what am I going to do about it?

Just this week, my friend Beth introduced me to a website called "Middle Mojo" that seems highly relevant to this conversation that I'm having with myself (and, now, with you, the reader. Hi, Reader!). "Middle Mojo" describes itself as a website the is about what happens when creative people get older and older people get creative. The website is curated by a woman who used to do music newspaper writing, but is now trying to write some songs herself; she's also interviewing middle-aged musicians such as Aimee Mann and Frank Black to get their insights on creativity and middle age. Though I'm hardly a well-known musician (or even a well-known blogger), I can relate complete to what's going over at Middle Mojo.

In the midst of all this, I've noticed that I've lost whatever interest I may have had in writing in any great detail about my family life/the lives of my kids. There are plenty of Dad Bloggers out there, and even more Mom Bloggers, but I think my kids, especially my older son, have reached ages at which they want their privacy. This is not to say that I'll never mention Jimmy and Chris or feature them in photos of the day (when/if I get back to that). It's just that I've realized that chronicling my journey through fatherhood doesn't rank all that highly on my list of priorities as a public writer (a.k.a. "blogger," never a term I've been exactly comfortable with).

Nor do I really feel like I want to write that much about my own inner pyschological workings and how such workings manifest in my daily life. I'd much rather have "memoir"/"autobiography" seep into the context of the various categories I've listed above than sit down and tell you, Dear Reader, How I'm Feeling Today and What I'm Going To Do About How I'm Feeling.

What am I going to do about this? At this moment, I don't have a clue. But posting this entry will be a start toward some clarity, I think.