One good thing I’ve noticed since starting this blog is that I’m thinking about writing more. The downside is that it seems to happen when I can’t write for some reason or another, like on my commute to/from work.
I have to get up very early in the morning for work, and as a result aren’t always as fully awake as I might otherwise be. The mind works in funny ways when tired, and can latch on to the oddest things. I’ll let my mind wander (something it’s very good at), sometimes mulling over things from earlier in the week, and think to myself: “Man, that could be a good blog post!” Often these are complicated subjects, something I’ve tried to puzzle through either by conversing with my girlfriend or brooded on in my own head. The possibility of writing about it seems to focus my thoughts, organizing and streamlining them so they make more sense. I don’t even seem to have to actually write for this to happen; the mere idea of writing smooths things into place. Unfortunately, unless I do get a chance to write, these ordered thoughts quickly dissolve back into the chaotic background cogitation I often even have difficulty recalling what so fascinated me when I finally have a chance to write. This becomes the source of a detracting, neurotic voice, which says “Hey, don’t spend your inspiration when you can’t use it! Save it up, or at least write it down so you can come back to it later!” In the long run, this tends to discourage me from writing and thinking about writing at all.