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October 21, 2003Responding #3 - ThinkingThere have been many of you gentle readers who added comments that express the notion that I think too much about these subjects. My response is as follows: Well, yeah. Of course. When one writes about any topic, particularly for public consumption, he or she is well advised to put a great deal of thought into it. Failure to do so runs the great risk of being made to look like a fool. For example, I did not post the “Number” post until I had the “Investing” piece ready to follow. Truth be told, I embargoed the “Investing” piece longer than initially planned because of the great discussion created by the “Number” piece. I cannot claim the same on the response pieces. I literally did not find time to write any response until Sunday evening. So gentle readers, certainly I have given a lot of thought to these topics. Granted, it is easy to see why some would think that I am preoccupied the subject matter. Especially with new readers it can seem that way. However, as I have advised before, it is helpful to explore the archives to see the variety of subjects tackled by your humble correspondent. Still, as we explored with the “Brand” piece, the relationship and dating genre is an integral part of this blog’s niche. As Sugarmama said, “your blog is centered around your quest to meet ‘The One’.” I may not be particularly more qualified to pen missives on such topics as others, but as it is, I am one of few filling this particular nicheamng blogs that I am aware of. Anyone who dares to fill any niche best be prepared to invest time in thinking through the subjects they would address. Further, the aforementioned does not broach the mechanics writing and reading has on expressing thoughts. The very nature of putting pen to paper or fingertips to keyboard influences the thought process. Writing is slower than speaking and it both forces and allows us to more completely and thoroughly discuss a subject. A similar dynamic is illustrated in the difference between watching television and reading. Science has discovered that our brains are much more active while reading than when watching television. The brain is more actively engaged while reading. To wit, read the following: “Research into brain wave patterns confirm these differences. Studies of both children's and adults' brain wave patterns while viewing TV confirm that brain activity switches from beta (indicating alert and conscious attention) to alpha waves within thirty seconds of turning the set on. Greatly increased alpha waves resulted regardless of whether children were interested in the program or not. The electrical responses of the brain while viewing resemble those which do not normally occur when the eyes are open.” With the brain engaged so while reading (and perhaps writing), allow me to share with you the process I use for writing the vast majority of the lengthier missives. The first draft is written longhand—the old fashioned way with pen and paper. It is written away from the internet and a computer. When I am ready to post it, I first have to find time to read my scrawl and type it into my word processor (Word). As I type it, I edit, add, delete, and so on. When I have finished with the piece in the word processor, I scan it quickly to determine the best point to separate it from the main page to the “continue reading” page. It is then cut and paste into the blog publishing software (Movable Type). I then re-read it again to add links, bolds, and italics. After all of this is completed, I often preview it before posting. In each step, I edit and re-think some items. All told each substantive piece is given as many as five treatments before it is available for public consumption. Has a great deal of thought gone into each lengthy piece? I think the mechanics of my blog publishing alone can give us the how and why. When one considers the sensitivity that their words will be available for all to see there is an added element of caution to ensure that each work is well thought out. If you consider the process my words go through before I post them here, it's pretty clear that they have had a lot of attention. The old friend I referred to in the “Investing” and “Gold” pieces asked me what I tried to accomplish with this site. Was I trying to change people’s minds or stimulate discussion and thought. To be honest, I’m not sure. Clearly, the latter has occurred and I am uncertain if any minds have been changed. It began as an outlet to develop my writing and that goal has certainly been achieved. Along the way, I’ve made some friends and grown as a person. Gentle readers and fellow bloggers have shared in the quest’s adventures. Has there been a lot / too much thought invested? Sure. Has it made me a better writer? Yep. Has it made me a better person. Absolutely. I owe each of you a debt of gratitude.
Comments
Wow, you write things out in longhand. Somewhere along the way, I converted from writing to typing. I think there is a direct conduit between my brain and the keyboard, but that wasn't always so. Posted by: sugarmama at October 21, 2003 03:08 PMI've lost the ability to write effectively. By hand, I mean. Ever since I started using a computer for most of my essay/creative writing (about 10 years ago, give or take), and as soon as I realized that I could type much MUCH faster than I could write by hand, my handwriting has degenerated both in speed, and legibility. Posted by: Ryan Waddell at October 21, 2003 04:13 PMI'm pretty adept with the typing, but I also enjoy writing longhand. I write a lot of letters, and for those I put a pen to nice stationery. I think it's a nice touch. People like it. And it keeps my handwriting neat. Posted by: lotus at October 21, 2003 04:49 PMI am a lefty and physically write with my hand to satisfy a 2nd grade teacher. During the "Blue Book" exams my hand would cramp so badly I could barely write after the first hour or so. Post a comment
 
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