Some days I have no idea what to write. I try to preempt those times by emailing and texting myself writing ideas, and then revisiting those ideas when I’m in need of inspiration.

Even today, those files were of no help.

Instead of writing about something moderately interesting, I’m going to write about how reasonably often (who am I kidding, it’s frequent), I have no idea what to write.

Sometimes I have an idea and I force myself to sit down at the computer and crank something out. Sticking to my schedule has created and reinforced the habit of writing, and I’m grateful for it.

Some days, I know exactly what I want to write about, I’m passionate about the subject, I do my research, and voila! Writing is created.

And then sometimes there are days like today; no matter what I try to come up with, nothing seems to work. These days are rare, but they happen, and I try to roll with it. I mean, I may be devoid of interesting thoughts, but these words keep cranking out and showing up on my screen so something is working.

I think writing is a funny thing, honestly. I find it easier to express myself in writing than I do when speaking. This holds true for my correspondence as well. I may find it difficult to express to someone how I feel about them and their friendship/support/kindness, but in writing it is significantly easier. Of course, my correspondence ease is offset by the fact that writing by hand is super difficult for me (I try very hard to be legible but my handwriting often isn’t), so I wonder if the recipient can read what I’ve written at all.

Communication is hard.

Here on my website, I can take as much time (or as many words) as I need or want to express whatever it is I’ve set that particular piece to. As someone who was often interrupted and rarely listened to growing up, it isn’t hard to connect the dots when figuring out why writing appealed to me in the first place. I also love reading (I read daily), and I feel like both reading and writing are these intimate experiences, yet they are both (usually) meant to be shared.

I like the fundamental concepts at work there.

I’m not one to usually quote things, but years ago I read the following quote by Fitzgerald:

“You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.”

I try to stand behind that sentiment.

I will admit, since I keep to my writing schedule of creating content four days a week, not every single one of those days (over 600 at this point) did I have something I particularly wanted to say. I think the underlying current of my writing is that I want to connect and engage with people. I initially started writing because I felt so strongly about the ways in which video games bring us together. I still feel that way, increasingly so, honestly, but my writing has begun to spread like a wagon wheel with spokes that touch various other topics.

Maybe I’m rambling. Maybe I’m using too many words to say, simply: I love connecting and engaging with people. Writing allows me to do that. I’m grateful for that, and for each of you who finds your way here. I appreciate every single comment and reply in kind because your words and time have merit to me.

If I could have found a real life stump, I would have tried sitting on it to write this so I could have been stumped on a stump (which would have amused me greatly), alas, in the urban area I live in, no stumps came to mind.

Maybe next time. Here’s hoping I can avoid the future stump altogether.