In 1974, I graduated from a NC University with a degree in English after entering that same University in 1966 after taking a leave of absence to spend a few years in the US Navy stationed at the Little Creek piers associated with the Norfolk Naval Base in Virginia. In essence, it took me four and a half years to complete 4 years of higher education.
Why did I get an English Degree?
Not sure, other than I was interested in all forms of literature which included poetry with which I had been toying.
While my first job had nothing to do with my English degree, I nonetheless continued to write more and more poetry. This typically took place at Hardees around 7:00 am while drinking coffee before work. I would drink a couple of cups of coffee (refills were free) while sitting off by myself writing. This morning writing routine lasted from 1972 until about 2012 and over those 40 years, I managed to write over 42,000 poems...
From 2012 through 2018, I started writing opinion articles over 1,000 words in length that I posted on LINKEDIN under a fake name because I did not want a link to my employer as some of these opinion articles were very pointed towards inappropriate behaviors my my employers that crossed lines of integrity.
In 2018/2019, I decided to turn my attention to writing NOVELS and came up with 4 novel ideas that would have 3 sequels each or 12 novels in total. I actually completed 2 of these novels and was half way through the third novel, when my sister said she was having a hard time reading my first novel... even though it was actually supposed to be a friend of hers who was reading and critiquing it. That comment ruined my motivation and I stopped right then and there completing my 3rd novel.
What I then focused on was my 4 blogs:
- A Journal of Daily Pages - is a blog about thoughts I have
- A Bipolar Scorpion - is a blog about being bipolar
- My Cancer Odyssey - is a blog about living with cancer
- Reflections: White Scorpion - is a blog where I publish my 42,000 poems
What I have noticed about ALL OF MY WRITING is that I seldom edit or rewrite. I suppose that I am flawed if I don't edit or rewrite but I just don't feel that I need to because what I wrote the first time is what I felt at that point-in-time other than correcting punctuation or spelling. This works for poetry but not so much for prose... but, that is my style...
UNFORTUNATELY, none of my poems, articles, or other writings have ever been published professionally... And... while I would like to be published professionally, I write and continue to write because I want to... and no doubt, I will write until die...
WHY?
Not sure what inspires me to do so but I am just compelled to write about something everyday.