The whole thing took no more than a few seconds.
“I think I want to write a column.”
“OK, send me something.”
That’s the conversation I had with a former features editor at The Evening Sun a little more than 10 years ago. A couple of weeks later, my column started to fill this space. Or some space in the paper because I have moved around from time to time.
The whole motivation came from one place – habit. After about 16 months outside of the newspaper business, I missed writing on a regular basis. My PR job let me write, but I did not get the same feeling of excitement or engagement.
We had a 1-year-old running around the house, and I felt I might have some stories to share. So I did it. With a few exceptions, I have managed to put something in the paper every week since.
Now those 150 or so words might sound like a setup for a farewell column, but nothing could be further from my mind. I just wanted to reflect a little bit on how things have changed from a 33-year-old guy chasing a toddler around the house to a chubbier 43-year-old struggling with the reality of a growing tween.
One thing has not changed in that time. I still have almost no idea what I will write each week until I sit down at the computer. Having dealt with the flow of copy at a newspaper before, I know that my skin of my teeth attitude regarding deadlines probably doesn’t go over well.
I just don’t know any other way to do it. I don’t have any agenda. I don’t think I’m some amazing fountain of information. I just think I can put together 500 words to make people laugh or emit some noise that can be possibly construed as positive emotion.
Like any normal person, I like when people tell me they enjoy my work. Even though I write the words, I don’t like to take the credit. I’m just trying to share a little piece of my world, a world of trips to the grocery store, car trouble and trying to find the right TV show.
That’s why I chose the title Regular Guy. I didn’t have any more answers than my readers. I knew that for sure. I just like to laugh and tell stories. I don’t like to take things too seriously even though I have to pretend to sometimes.
OK, I also like to get fake angry about TV shows and laugh at people who don’t realize their own hubris, but in my book, that’s as regular as you can get.
I might chalk this up to fatherhood, but the moment we think we have all the answers or can tune out those who might offer a new perspective is the moment that we need to take a step back. It’s not about who gets credit, it’s about who doesn’t want the credit.
Hanover always makes me remember those things. Sure, there are miserable souls who just want to have their way, but for each one of them, I have met countless more who make me want to try and share a funny story each week. That’s what keeps me going.
Just don’t expect me to have an idea too early. That would be irregular.