BLOG ANNIVERSARY WITH 2500TH POST TODAY

Like any anniversary, from birthday to wedding to funeral, a blog anniversary marks time.

From gym reviews to book reviews, restaurant reviews to David review, I’ve laid it down.

On good days and bad days, I’ve laid it down. From joy to heartbreak, I’ve laid it down.

And not once, not one sentence in one post over the years, has anyone heard me lament and whine about how hard it all is.

Turns out that’s a unique characteristic among certain bloggers.

Why is that, you ask? Okay, if you’ve been here before, then you know you don’t need to ask a question to get an answer. I do both.

First of all, some people think a sixty-six year old man ought to have better pursuits than pounding out blog posts for a reluctant audience.

I happen to think everyone ought to do some regular writing, so I disagree.

When it comes up I hear, “But Blogger Dave, I don’t have anything to write about.”

The secret is neither does anyone else, but they still find things to write about.

My favorite writers have nothing to write about, so they write about writing. What’s more educational than someone who hasn’t published, or published much of anything, giving writing advice?

But that’s not me. I’ve been published in magazines, newspapers, museum monthly’s, and college circulars. I’ve collected posts with similar themes and self-published a few books on amazon. So I’ve got that going for me, which is nice on a blog anniversary.

Boomerpdx Writing Advice

Find a writer you like and read all of their books. If possible, follow them on twitter. I recommend @tcboyle.

Look around where you live for topics.

Since I’ve got a meth-house two doors down that the local authorities are having trouble getting a handle on, the topics come fast and furious.

Tigard Police showed up one afternoon on a tip and brought the heat, along with Baxter the police dog.

It was an event that produced a few posts. This is the second. There is a third post, and also the overview.

Which isn’t to say it all ends happily ever after. Two years ago the city and county police forces combined for a big morning raid in the dark the included flash-band grenades at the front door, an ambulance, a troop carrier, a SWAT team, and a dog.

One man was served with a two year stretch in prison. Now he’s out, back at home, and the late night meth traffic is picking up again.

What’s next? One opinion is execution, but we don’ t live in the Philippines. An opposing opinion calls for mental health care, which seems a likely path since they didn’t learn anything in prison.

The writer’s job here is trying to understand the origins of poor judgement and bad results. Probably better to avoid talking about writing to the neighbors in case they don’t like your attitude. You don’t need a manic meth-dude on your back.

Blog Anniversary Educational Review

The last thing you want to associate with, quote, or forward links from, is an unreputable blogger.

Reputation is based on perception most of the time because writers want their work to stand alone without their help.

At the same time it’s nice to know who you’re dealing with.

Your boy here is a high school graduate, a college graduate, an Army veteran, and logged twenty years as a museum professional. I’m a former high school wrestling state champ and all-American with college experience and a try-out on the All-Army Wrestling team. I’ve run a marathon and Hood To Coast, as well as rode my bike from Eugene to Portland.

I have one wife, two kids, one daughter in-law, one grandchild, and a potential new daughter in-law in the works. This is important to know if you don’t want to read, subscribe to this blog, only to find you don’t like the writer. How do you like me so far?

I’ve taken writing classes from University of Iowa Writers Workshop grads, from working screenwriters, and from University of Oregon and Portland State faculty. I’ve belonged to Willamette Writers for years, been to readings, and stalked Ken Kesey at UofO wrestling matches.

A road tested writer, I’ve moved back and forth coast to coast four times.

Through it all, I’ve never lost my desire, or drive, to make a permanent mark in writing. Not teaching writing, or complaining about how hard writing is, I want to nail a big story like it’s never been nailed.

I want to write a story with a hero who gets knocked down, falls down, crawls around, and gets back up. And I’ve finally got one in my current work in progress.

It’s an awkward story about a man who feels cheated after a cancer diagnosis of HPV 16, the oral sex cancer, and doesn’t want to tell his wife.

“Other cancer patients get off easy since no one blames lung cancer, or liver cancer, on oral.”

This is my story and I’m sticking to it. I think of The Great Gatsby’s last line when I feel stuck.

“So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past.”

The tricky part is moving forward at the same time. Until the next blog anniversary, keep reading.