ISN'T IT AMAZING?!

Generally, when flying, I try to sit in a window seat.  It’s amazing to me, flying.  As I look out the window at the world below, it just strikes me as an incredibly amazing thing.  On any given flight, even when I’m not in the mood to be amazed, I force myself to let the amazement in.  I ask myself as a reminder, as I look out at the cars and buildings, then the rivers and roadways, and eventually the clouds,  “Isn’t it amazing being able to travel through space like this?!”  Of course, the answer is, “Yes, it is incredible and astonishingly amazing.”

9/11 - Remembrances: Then & Now

The 10^th anniversary of the terrorist attack on America is upon us; people everywhere are thinking about it, certainly the mass media is hitching its valuable airtime to a wagon of endless images and personal stories streaming on nearly every television channel and radio station.  And from what I have seen and heard so far, they are doing a good job of keeping it respectful and poignant, and unavoidably very touching. 

It certainly is a painful subject though, isn’t it?  I mean, after all this time, it still is upsetting to relive those dreadful moments that we all lived through one decade ago.  As this recent week wore on, I felt myself becoming quietly anxious, and privately irritable and distracted by the ghost of 9/11.  I really do want September 11, 2011 to pass as quickly as possible; yet I never forget.  

A month or so ago, Yahoo! sent out an invitation to its contributing writer network, asking for personal accounts of 9/11.  More specifically, they wanted to know how the events of 9/11 had changed me, or what it had taught me in its wake.  I tentatively accepted the assignment, submitted my offering, and it was just recently published and included into their month-long special feature entitled “9/11 Remembered” (you can find the link on their main browser page through the month of September), under the “Your Stories” category.  For every entry that was accepted and published, Yahoo! donated $10 to the 9/11 Memorial Fund, up to a maximum of $10,000, which was a nice additional incentive.   

Or, my particular piece -- "Sept. 11 Teaches Us To Live Every Day As If It Were Your Last”, the title that Yahoo! gave it post-submission; (my) original title was “9/11 – Remembrances:  Then & Now”.  None of that matters, of course, because the content remained the same -- can be more easily found by going to my "PUBLISHED ARTICLES" page and clicking on the link.   

(I have dedicated it with thanks to my friends:  firefighters who are on active duty, retired, or no longer with us.)

MY PREMIERE - But Don't Call Me A Blogger

I can admit that I am somewhat technology challenged and inexperienced. I knew what a “blog” was, or at least I had heard of it, but until recently I had never actually seen one up close, and I had little idea of how to make myself into a blogger, or if I even wanted to be one.

Undecided, I did some research into the possibilities. I quickly found that there are several websites whose network supports the Blogger Nation. Some were free of charge to sign up for, so I did, and it was pretty easy to do.

Now I have a blog site – and you know about it – or else you would not be reading this. It is of the free-no-frills variety, but I like the book-lined library backdrop home page that I have settled on. It just screams "WRITER!", doesn't it? I know!

But, no matter what your own perception of what a blog is, or should be, my intentions and aspirations for it are very specific... and perhaps unblogger-like. I am just beginning to discover that there are an assortment of applications for such an internet vehicle as this -- from chat-room-like chatter to favorite recipes to distinguished prose; in my case I will use it to motivate me to share, inspire and propagate my writings.

If you are here reading this, it is very likely that me or someone else that I know personally has steered you to it. Thanks for going along with it! I intend to write as often as possible and post the prose when complete, so please check back in regularly. I truly hope that you can enjoy what you find here and that, on occasion, you are interested enough to share your thoughts with me. Have at me! How else am I expected to learn? Thank you sir/madam, may I have another?!

Again, thanks for being here... and happy reading! - MWM