Summer Writing Project

Today is the summer solstice, marking the first day of summer and the halfway point in the year. It’s the day where most people in the northern hemisphere will look out their windows, shake their head, and say, “how the hell is it still light out?”

Being halfway through anything is bittersweet, but whether it’s bitter or sweet depends on how you look at it. I’m 42, which is considered middle aged. I could focus on the fact that half of my life might be over and I’ve only just now started eating fiber; or I could focus on the fact that I’m in good health—thanks, fiber!—and have, at the very least, this moment to enjoy. I could focus on the fact that I haven’t achieved the things I’ve wanted to achieve—international stardom and financial independence—but over the last 42 years I’ve learned things that will help me make the best of whatever remains.

I could choose to focus on how I frittered away much of the first half of the year or I could look at it differently: even though we’re halfway to the end, it’s a new beginning.

In the name of new beginnings, I’m starting a little project called the Summer Writing Project. It’s something Wiff proposed a few days ago, and a bandwagon I wholeheartedly jumped on. The project is simple: write every day. That’s it. No rules. No regulations. No requirements. No other r words. Just write. It can be about whatever you want. It can be a blog entry, work on your manuscript. I’m choosing to make mine public—we all need to laugh at something—but you can keeps yours private. If you’d like to join, you’re more than welcome. You can even link to your Summer Writing Project in the comments below.