Why I Love To Write

Anybody who knows me knows I love to write.  I come from a publishing background after all.  My mother was a columnist, my great grandfather founded the Casey County News, and my father's career at Procter & Gamble pivoted upon his ability to communicate with people all over the world.  Like my sisters before me, I won spelling bees and essay writing contests as well. 

Yep. I love to write, and I especially enjoy writing about arts and activism for Ace Weekly and here in my own lil blog-o-sphere. 

I'm not an expert, though, not about any subject, but I do have a desire to let everyone know how hard people work to bring productions to the stage, or to reveal the passion that lies within folks who truly believe in a worthy cause.  It's nice to know that such people exist, isn't it?

So when I write, I try to be the 'man in the stands.'  Except I'm not a man...and I'm not in the stands.  I am mindful to maintain a semblance of humility when I cover any event, and hope that I will always remain a non-expert, a lifter-upper and not a snarky-snarker or even worse, call myself a 'critic.'  eww...

By the time I click the "publish" button here in Kimmyville or press "send" when I write for Ace, I have already lived and breathed the actual story for days - sometimes weeks - on end.  I often wake up in the middle of the night and go to my computer to write another paragraph about whatever story I'm working on, I stop my friends in mid-conversation to explore a thought or jot down an idea that comes to me, and most of the time those thoughts are my own, but every now and then I'll pinch a word or phrase from my buddies if they say something devastatingly funny or brilliant that is germane to my topic du jour or du week.  heh

But, back to why I'm yammering on about why I love to write.  I love to write because there is a backspace key.  I love to write because I can always revise what I've said if I proof it and see that I sound like a goober. I love to write because there is a beginning and an end to the story.  I love to write because more than a few people might read what I say, and they trust me to tell the truth. I love to write because what I say can make a difference in the lives of my readers.  I love to write because when I choose my words carefully and time my posts properly, it's often brought to my attention by my editor or those about whom I write that I have a voice, that they hear me, and even better, they want to hear what I have to say.  

I'll admit it, though, I love to write because I can. Now, I don't mean to sound conceited when I say that, but it is not beyond my grasp to know that words do matter, and that I have a rare opportunity to do what I love, and to be appreciated for doing so.

Tonight afforded me that very opportunity when I saw SEE JANE QUIT, the brand spanking new play that opened at the Downtown Arts Center.  Even though I had only seen the first act, I knew there were plenty more chuckles to come, and I couldn't wait to find out what happened to poor Jane and her dysfunctional (but very recognizable) family.  So here, on a weeknight in the middle of downtown Lexington, where at the same time, just two  blocks away, the university's top notch basketball team was having a rematch with the only team that beat them this season, parking was atrocious, Jack Frost (or Old Man Winter, take your pick, they're both persistent offenders) was back with his low temperatures and oversized snowflakes, yet a smallish crowd gathered to watch a fantastically funny performance by the cast and crew from Bluegrass Community & Technical College - and guess what?  It was a blast.  From Jane, played with precision by Leah Dick to Philip Sharkey's soft-in-the-slippers Charles to Katie Jo Cox's cheerful but sarcastic announcer, the performances by each and every actor were well timed, well performed and yes, a good time was had by all.  Zach Dearing is to be commended for not breaking up whenever Allie Darden and Kathy Swango spoke, because those two ladies would give anyone the church giggles if exposed to their humor for more than a minute. Director Tim X. Davis has once again become a creative comical chemist and concocted the perfect mixture of talent and text - congratulations to all!

I just wish that more people would have been there to laugh along with us and enjoy a night of theatre that was as easy on the pocketbook (does anyone really use that word anymore?) as it was fun to watch.  All I had to do was show up and feel the love from the cast and crew who trust me and know that I may be a writer, but I always write with a loving pen.  I don't want to be a critic; I don't want to be a performer. I just love to write. The hugs, the thanks, the appreciation, the la-la-la-love is what it's all about, after all - and that works both ways - but it's always gratifying to see that indeed, my message is not lost.

I hope this blog makes a little bit of sense to you. I hope you indeed go SEE JANE QUIT before the run is over... because if you stuck with me this far, and you've read this entire bunch of rambling words, you might just figure out that it's worth a look.  It's only $12, lambchops...and at that price, you can see it a few times and still come away happy.