ARTICLE ZERO-POINT-TWO:
An Introduction to a Guy Looking to Craft a Strong Final Act
If you’re reading this, then I have already published an article titled ARTICLE ZERO.
Master of Obvious Statements.
Among the things I intend to establish about myself over my coming course as a communicator is a genuine detachment from outcome. Writers write, as they say. I have failed in that while often counting myself among the number of world scribes throughout my life.
There will be plenty of opportunities to detail my fractured history as I move forward.
At this stage, I’m laying groundwork in Cartesian fashion. Establishing bedrock. And coming to terms with as many hard realities as I can before moving forward.
If you care to check out ARTICLE ZERO, you will note that it’s a short, stark citation of what I consider to be foundational philosophies. Just a few hundred words. Offered “without commentary.”
This, then, would be “some commentary.”
The subtitle to ARTICLE ZERO is “Core Principles from a Half-Century of Living”.
Hard Reality #1: I’m 50 years old.
As the world seems to me at this moment in history, for numerous reasons — including, perhaps primarily, my age — I hold no expectations of becoming culturally relevant. Hard Reality #2.
That suits me just fine.
In a prior life (as old people like to say), I did a little stand-up comedy.
There’s a cliche about comedians. They can be “killing”, as entertainment industry slang labels it. Also “destroying”. Audience laughter peeling the paint off the walls.
Doing exceedingly well.
Yet, what the comedian sees — the only thing they’re capable of focusing on — is that sour-faced individual sitting close. Close enough to remain unwashed-out by the glare of the stage lights. Their arms folded. NOT laughing.
One might argue it’s a psychotic point-of-view.
On the other hand, it’s fuel. The truly driven comic is never satisfied. Always improving craft. Comedians live a life of shark-like focus, always trolling for available stage time. Devouring it. Day in, day out.
I don’t have what it takes to be a great comedian. (No, I’m not going to keep enumerating every Hard Reality — eventually, we run out of numbers.)
When I did pursue stand-up, I often got the somewhat backhanded compliment from peers that “wish I could write like you.”
As I say, 50 years old. Always have considered myself a writer. Haven’t been doing it. Already covered that territory.
Probably should have been Hard Reality #1.
I’m definitely imperfect.
You keep score.
My life as a writer begins now.
I haven’t done zero writing. I’ve done just enough to keep bullshitting myself that I have been working towards writing. Insidious lies we tell ourselves.
And one day you wake up and you’re 50.
I love crafting words. I love telling stories. I love movies — screenwriting is a true passion. I have found screenwriting’s lean, sexy cousin in graphic novel & comics writing within the framework of a partnership with a talented illustrator. I’m adept at various modes of writing for business — web content, etc.
Most importantly, I have both the clarity to focus on molding myself into a wordsmith & storyteller as well as the opportunity to do so.
Stay tuned for more on all of that. (“Stay tuned” is old people speak for “keep reading my shit if you want to understand more.” Refers to dead tech.)
Alright, but you lost me on the ‘Core Principles’ stuff…
Understood.
Over the course of time and future articles, my online presence will evolve and take shape. Nature of the beast.
At this new launch… re-launch… reboot of a human being as a communicator, whatever this is, the goal is to stand naked before the world.
Oh, gawd, NO!
Relax.
Pants are on. Figuratively speaking naked.
But you knew that.
I absolutely will acknowledge as many Hard Realities about myself as are required. The Message, if you will, is how I have taken ownership of who I am. It’s actually a very positive one. Despite those Hard Realities, even at 50, it’s possible to arrive. To not let the past define you.
I am not my past.
I am not my failures.
Somewhere along the line, I decided to embrace authenticity and release blame, self or otherwise.
And it began to pay dividends.
You don’t have to wait until you’re 50. I would hope you wouldn’t.
There was something I never latched onto as a stand-up performer. I had good material. Often I did well. But just as often there was something lost in translation. I accept that performing is not my passion nor my strength.
I could have doggedly pursued stand-up and improved my live performance game. True. I very likely could have made it to a relative level of success. Grinding away at it.
But there is another essential ingredient I spoke about earlier that might also have been a fatal flaw for me in the comedy biz:
I never really had that folded-arm-obsessed component.
I was happy when I did well with the majority of the room. Yeah, I saw that sour-puss. They’re always there.
But there was something in me that always understood a pearl of wisdom that says “play to your audience.”
The market decides who your audience is.
You’re either authentic to yourself or you sell out.
Not the same as saying we don’t improve. There’s a thing called the 10,000-hour rule that cannot be circumvented. You have to be willing to put in the work to achieve mastery.
But the mastery is mastery in being you. Authentically you.
These Core Principles lie at the heart of it for me.
I’m going to write on many topics. Hopefully, something in what I have to communicate finds kindred spirits and resonates for them. Though I am well aware that standing naked before the world — especially in 2021 and beyond — holds a clear risk of offending people.
I don’t enjoy causing agita.
But it might & likely will be unavoidable. That’s part of the game.
I hope to inspire dialog. At least to contribute to the ongoing discussion. Again, I’m leaving details for future pieces, but those who care to follow & read are likely to find me one who generally believes most public discussion is improperly framed & focused.
I’m not likely to weigh in on specific politics or events of the day. The world is clogged with that ongoing bloviating partisan negativity.
Generally speaking, the commonly held opinions forwarded by the most amplified “thought leaders” — those socio-political platforms of mediocrity — are rarely formed around a sincere agenda to bring brighter days. Not for most of us. And not with a clear vision.
I certainly don’t posture myself as a keyboard messiah. You come to me for a Cheap Seats Perspective. I promise to give you the best my 50 years of observation and, frankly, far too much introspection has to offer.
And I welcome your viewpoint in kind.
Whatever the conversation, whenever you hear me & think, ol’ Cap’n Ramblelips has lost the plot — when you find us at odds — I only ask you do us both the courtesy of referring back to Article Zero. Whatever my motivation might seem to be in the moment, those Core Principles drive me. Or they should be.
I don’t mind being called out on my bullshit. Just be fair about to whom the bovine deposits belong.
Thanks for letting me bend yer ear.