BLOG CONTENT OR JUST A NORMAL EVENT

Blog content goes one way or another? Noooo.

It’s goes wherever it goes and takes you, and the writer, which is me, along.

Things don’t always match up the way imagined, like writing a post of great importance that gets five hits.

What was it lacking?

As a cautious baby boomer blogger harvesting stories and insights for more than four thousand (4031) blog posts running seven hundred and fifty words each, on average, comes to more than three million words.

Divide that by 90,000, the sweet spot number of words in a novel, and if I were a novelist I’d have written thirty three books by now.

Instead, I wrote, and continue to write, boomerpdx.

For that I blame higher education, college, grades 13-16, or 17, depending on your schedule.

There I was, a happy moron, happy to be dense, happy let it ride any which way life turned.

 

My big wake up came with getting married.

Some girls date a dropout bad boy and move on.

The problems begin when you start feeling attached, you don’t want to move on, but you need to change.

The big man says, “I don’t change for anyone; take me as I am.”

The smart man says, “If I like it I better put a ring on it.”

 

I need no permission, did I mention?
Don’t pay him any attention
‘Cause you had your turn (turn)
But now you gon’ learn
What it really feels like to miss me

‘Cause if you like it, then you shoulda put a ring on it

 

If I didn’t pay attention I would still be saying:

 

Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh-oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh
Whoa, oh, oh, oh

 

With an additional, “Oh no.”

So I went back to college and finished my degree, which was more a relief than a huge accomplishment, but it felt big.

 

Heartbreaking Blog Content?

I steer clear of heartbreaking stories because they’re too obvious.

Sad sack guy loses girl. Again.

That’s not the sort of heartbreak I look for. In fact, I don’t look for any at all, but it still found me.

 

After one of the best weekends imaginable, including a farewell, family, and the embrace of loved ones, I remember thinking: “Now I can die happy.”

It’s a common saying heard from healthy people and it’s funny. I’ve said it before and it felt funny. Not so much this time.

A slight twinge Saturday night, more twinge Sunday morning, then the finale on Monday morning.

Time to book a room at the heartbreak hotel.

“Honey, I need to get checked out.”

If you’re new here, rest assured. I’m an autobiographical blogger on some posts but not a shock blogger.

Not a sensationalist, drama queen, or self-aggrandizing know-it-all.

At least not all at the same time.

 

Good blog content explains things in an understandable way and delivers a call to action.

Find a girl who puts up with you? Put a ring on it.

Listen to someone knock you down after making and keeping a promising not to get up and defend yourself?

You might be headed to the ICU like yours truly.

Great blog content identifies problems with ways to fix them.

 

Use Your Second Chance, Then Your Third, Fourth, Fifth . . .

I joined the Army.

National service. It was a big deal.

 

Me: Dad, I’m not going back to college, I’m joining the Army.

Dad: It’s not the Marines, but at least it’s not the Navy.

Me: I’ll see you in two years.

Mom: If you wait that long you might as well not come home.

Me: If I don’t like it I can get out.

Dad: If you sign up, serve the time you joined for if you want to come home again.

 

 

The message I received: serve with honor.

Do I did.

I went to boot camp and AIT with a bunch of goofy guys, then spent the rest of the time living with Hahnemann medical school students in Philadelphia. (Hey Meyers)

By age twenty-one I’d seen a different side of life and felt pretty good about the view and where I wanted to be.

Since then I’ve leaned into national and local elections like they mean something.

What do they mean?

It means I vote for people who understand how it might feel to be away from home serving your country.

I vote for people who promise to support veterans in their times of need.

I vote for people who find solutions for women and kids in the times of need.

I vote for people who want to help you and I in our times of need, and so should you.

How’s that for a call to action? To vote, or not to vote? Vote.

Willy approves.

 

 

PS:

We have elections in America to get a second chance.

If the person in office is doing a bang-up job and earned your approval, vote for them.

If the person in office is a mouthpiece for someone else, someone who urges voters to imagine it’s him on the ballot, take another look.

 

PSS:

Look at your ballot and vote for the people who seem to understand the job at hand.

Vote for people with the education and experience to do a better job than what’s being done.

Vote for the people endorsed by officials and organizations you’re familiar with.