Wednesday, October 5, 2011

I am Jack's Complete Lack of Effort

It's the last quarter of 2011 and you're at the moment where you realize with panic-laced nostalgia that nine months are up. The end of the year beckons like the neighbourhood rottweiler you always kind of hated, rearing up on its hindleg, teeth bared, growl afoot; a reminder that another year in your life is soon to pass and what the hell have you been doing all this time anyway. And when I say 'you', I really mean 'me'. Or I suppose if you've been feeling that way too then here's a canapé, don't hog the wine at this pity party.

True to my remarkably lazy and realistic nature, I made two resolutions at the start of the year. The first, to make a better effort in keeping in contact with friends, which I'm glad to say has been fairly successful, though unfortunately really limited to friends on Whatsapp; and even then I'm that "it's instant messaging, why the hell would anyone take 2 days to reply" person you bitch about. The second, to work on my fitness level, which given the minimal effort, I'd rate at a resounding B+ thus far. It would appear that I'm on track so far to finishing out the year with a small pat on the back.

But what I forgot to include, a rather important number three I should add, was the need to keep on writing. I used to write more at work, but since March, I've mostly been editing and crafting stories instead. I've been feeling the need to put pen to paper lately, figurative or not, but the kicker is a good friend sitting me down and telling me that I need to get back into it. He reminded me about some truths I hold to be true - writing is a discipline and much like language, if you don't use it, you lose it. So this is my attempt to instill some discipline and flex that limp noodle of a creative muscle of mine.

In an ideal world, I'd be six-pec a-gunnin' come year end. But realistically, I'm thinking it best to aim for Seth Rogen's weight loss in The Green Hornet; not completely impossible if you keep hacking away at it. So here's to fresh starts and keeping the panic at bay, for at least a little while longer; to learning discipline and reloving the written word; and most of all, refreshing my annual membership to the alliteration association. You have been warned.