It seems to always happen to me this time of year. My deadlines are looming and I still am not sure of what to write about. Its not that I can't think of things to write about, it is more the fact that I can't sit down and put those thoughts adequately on the paper. Like everybody else this time of year my thoughts are a bit scattered in preparation of the Christmas season. I could write about the parties I'll be attending, the parade coming up this Saturday, and the wreaths we bought from the Sussex Corner Elementary School, or the fact that I still don't have winter tires on my car.
I usually use my writing though as a place where I can slow down and reflect on what I have been doing and those things I am looking forward to. Don't get me wrong, I am really looking forward to the Christmas holiday, but I have never really enjoyed the hectic pace that has developed along with consumer greed this time of year. I'm as guilty as the next guy, hence the reason I can't focus on writing this column. My mind is racing trying to think of the perfect gift for my wife, my nephews, and my parents. I don't want to disappoint them or show them how cheap I can be.
Typically my column appears in the Sports section of the local weekly paper, so there is no way this will be my story but I truly needed to simply start writing to see what would come out. My effort to focus is appearing futile however and so therefore I may have to change tactics.
I could write about being a hockey coach and how we just handed out our new jerseys to our 5-6year old players. Maybe I could talk about watching the torrential rain fall this afternoon and how I then started wondering about the effectiveness of rain barrels as a flood attenuation tool. You should have seen the rain by the way…Wow! We don't get rain like that here, all that often.
