Introduction

Some people say that the beginning is the hardest part, but I disagree. I've discovered, over time, that I'm what they call a "starter." It means that I can easily kick things off and get them going, but it's finishing the job, seeing it all the way through that really bogs me down and drains my energy. For instance, I love games. All games. Anything. It doesn't matter if it's on something like a PS2, the internet, the playground, or the kitchen table (you know, board games), if it's a game, I want in. But for as much as I love games, I have a dozen of them sitting in my entertainment center right now that I've never had the pleasure of finishing. I have no idea what happens at the end, all I know is that at some point, somewhere, I lost interest and simply walked away. So, all that being said, I have no problem starting this thing, and I've easily wasted a paragraph simply talking about starting it. How's that for a start? Hooked yet?

I suppose at some point I'll have to write about something tangible, meaningful, something that will really touch your life and make you think, "Wow, that was really insightful," and, hey, you might have already done that, so kudos to me if that's the case. In the meantime, the rest of you are wondering when I'll stop rambling and you can start getting some substance out of this. Is it now? The paragraph after this? Maybe on the second page or so? Now you're wondering how the hell I'm going to drag this out over two pages, let alone more. That, of course, brings me to another one of my favorite past times: dragging things on.

I can't tell you how many conversations I've had with work friends across the country where they've been ready to get off the phone but I've decided to have a little fun, extending the call an extra ten, fifteen, twenty minutes or so. And for those of you who know me, that seems pretty contradictory to my phone stigma. I hate talking on the phone. If someone calls me for no reason, just to chat, they better keep it under 5-10 minutes or they'll just make me upset. That being said, if I'm in that playful mood and eager to have some fun with someone, I may do just that. Ask around, it's happened.

OK, now where was I? Oh, right, insightful.

I'm not going to pretend that I've started this thing to make some sort of sense out of life. I'm not trying to delve deep into the human soul and get some deeper understanding of what makes man tick. I just like to write. I enjoy hearing myself talk, and enjoy reading myself write even more. I've found that the written word has its uses. You can think before you type, and even go back and delete things if they turn out to be over the line. That right there is something that the spoken word has been betraying me on all my life. I can't tell you how many sideways glances and embarrassed looks my wife has given me over the five plus years that we've been together. But here? Here, I can slow myself down, make myself think about it, and just take... it... easy... And that's what I want to leave you all with. I can't let you go without something, so I'll leave you with that, my parting words in so many e-mails, notes, letters and conversations. It's a motto to live by, and something to think about when life just gets going way too fast for you. It's what I repeat in my head when things start to get me a little flustered and I find myself getting frustrated. It's simple.

Take it easy.