How Reading and Writing Showed Me How to Live

As part of my time in college, I took English Composition I and had to write a few essays.  Three of them were a major part of my grade.  The first essay was the Personal Narrative Essay which was turned in on Sept. 10th. 2014.

I ended up getting a 98 out of 100 on it.  The final comment said, "Your essay provides ample everyday imagery and detail to fully address the prompt.  Your ideas are complete and engaging.  Watch out for sentence fragments and grammar."

Anyways, many people wanted to read it for themselves, so here it is, I hope you enjoy it!

Free Write 05

Now that I've gone and aced my English Composition I class I've decided to share some of the selections of writing that I had to do in it.  Every Monday morning we had to pull out a sheet of paper and free write an essay over some subject or another for part of the participation grade.  Of course I didn't put dates on any of them so I don't know in what order they are, or when some of them were, but here is the last one I'm sharing.

Not sure exactly what we were asked to write about on this one, but I obviously wrote about how high school kills the joy of reading and writing, along with a great number of other things.  It was one of the basis's of my final paper.

Things that have to happen for me to Enjoy a Book

Everyone that knows me, knows that I’m a picky reader.  Its ingrained in me and nothing will ever change it.  I don’t enjoy wasting my time and I’ve left quite a few theaters because I refused to sit through a movie that was bad.

But movies are one thing, books are another.  Books require a commitment, in fact, any reading does.  It takes your full attention and concentration.  Good ones just yank those from you and push out the world all by themselves.  The fact is, good books are rare, and some of the ‘best’ books in history fall short of me wanting to spend any time on them at all.

The Well is Dry

I hate it when the well runs dry.  Its easy to do, hit a point of art where you’ve just created so much recently, you cannot create anymore.  I loathe to admit it, but its happened quite a bit recently.  I think it comes from transcribing so much of Lisa’s book at once.

I typed around 50 pages in a week, on top of writing blog posts, tweeting, doing facebook, talking on social networks to other bloggers, and watching TV with my wife.  By the end of the week, I looked at my blank WordPerfect screen and threw up my hands....

The End to Comics

Once upon a time, I fell in love with comic books.  Sometimes it seems like so very long ago, but I still remember those days quite fondly.  There are many pros and cons with comics these days, and I’m so very happy to see them getting big screen recognition, along with the great video games.  But in all honesty, I’m glad I no longer read them.

First off, there’s something to be said about an ending.  I know I’m one to talk, since the Emerald Bard series seems like it can go on forever, but someday her story will end.  Whether nor not its passed on, or what, I don’t know, but an ending is inevitable.

(Poem) - Happily Forever After

Bad days aside
Most are pretty good
Some days can even
Be better than they should

Those days are blessed
Wonderful through and through
Because I simply get to spend
All my time with you

I feel like I belong
I feel like part of something
Something far bigger
Than wearing your wedding ring.

Someday the dog doesn’t scratch
The dog doesn’t grunt
She simply lays there
Performing a silent stunt

Harmony can reign
Within this amazing home
There can be a calm
Without the petulant groans

Of a crazy teenage girl
Who is our entire world
That’s not getting her way
As her life is unfurled

Yes, there are days
Where life it truly the best
In fact there are quite a few
That are far better than the rest

The hammock is crying our name
Swaying in the breeze
There’s not very much better
Than reading our Kindles with ease

It almost seems
As if our life is a fantasy
Yet it is most definitely not
This is our reality

A life full of love
A life full of laughter
I love my wife with my entire soul
For now and for happily forever after.

(( FYI, this poem is actually part 3 in my "3 Post Experience" this week. Experience the low point in part 1, where a bad day reeks havoc in Days Like This.   But of course, every bad day becomes just another tomorrow, where you find out that there are no failures, just unfinished successes.  All you have to do is remember There Will Always Be Days Like Yesterday. ))

--Dan

--Want more Poetry?  Check out my Poetry Collection Page!