Rhino Ramblings

Matchbox Rhino Racing Car

When I started this blog a little over a year ago there were certain knowns and certain unknowns. The first known that was the basis for all that followed is that I have always enjoyed writing – as long as it was writing in my style and with whatever topics, thoughts, ideas, etc, that bounce around my head and eventually end up “on paper”.  I also knew that it is the process of writing that is therapeutic for me.  The actuality of what might happen after I ended my part of the process was and is an unknown I put little thought to (and it is extremely rare for me to ever return back to previous writings – once it is done, it is done).  This was a freeing known as I could end up with no-one reading what I wrote and that not be the point.  A few of you are kindly close enough to me to have read from the start but I knew that would likely be a low number that was unlikely to ever move the needle beyond a handful of readers (and that is certainly the still known truth).  An unknown was whether anyone would actually read and enjoy – I appreciate those who have hung in there and those who have joined recently.  Anyway, I knew my process would remain a constant – ideas roam freely in my head until I feel I have a start to a thought to write about.  And then I write away (as is this case). And more often than not I re-read and edit my original writings once (I was accused of being wordier than normal last time-you all can be thankful I edited out a 200 word paragraph on my first and only edit).  On rarer occasions, I go straight from the first writing to publishing without ever re-reading.  The other known from the start was that if I kept writing there were two very personal aspects of me that at least one of which I would likely have to (for me, there is a compulsion element in this writing gig) confront in the blog.  And I pretty much knew which topic it would be – the unknown is what would push me into opening the proverbial Pandora’s box of my life.  The topic is my life in full – not just the me of today which much of the past year’s blogs revolve around (ok – let’s face it, an egocentric viewpoint is a must to have a blog).  Circumstances both close to me and in the more far reaching world (and especially national, though not exclusively so) have been really getting my fingers close to typing away.  And then I noticed my visitor count was getting close to 40 (I know, not quite viral numbers, but at least 35 more than I ever expected).  So I put it out to several people that if any of my blogs hit 50 or more visitors, I will tell my story (well most of it-I reserve the right to conveniently forget some less pleasant aspects).  Since then my last blog reached 43 visitors so just need 7 suckers (oh, I mean interested readers) to join in.  I do this with great trepidation and expectation.  If nothing else, I have a story to tell that will unfold over time– so many aspects and thoughts of both what has been my past, is my present and will be my future; but also, I hope provide insights, thoughts and ideas expanded out and with relevance to everyone who has and will stumble upon my writings.   So the race is on to find those 7 more folks. 

As a side note, a few of you know some of my story, one or two know a lot of my story and a few have no clue what they might be getting themselves into if I hit the 50.  It is in the end all an unknown as to how this will unfold.  As a small hint, I decided I should prepare myself by rechecking key dates, and discovered today that I was off by a day about likely the second most important date in my life (it is hard to not put my actual birth first).  I always thought it was Sept 24, 1997 and it turns out to be Sept 25, 1997.  This is one of the reasons I will never be able to provide a memoir – I can’t keep any details straight. 

As always, thank you for taking the time to read my jumble of words.  I now for the first time have a goal for number of reads (modest though it is).  And I do think it is time for me to take the plunge – so pass on the word (well the URL), and push me over the edge (in a good way)