February | 2012 | scribbled revisions

February 29, 2012

Why I find value in seemingly meaningless trinkets.

I carry a garage door opener on my key chain. I’ve had it for more than a decade. It’s broken, and I have no idea whose garage it opens.

I’m not a freak. I swear.

Flash back 10+ years: Gram [my maternal grandmother] had just bought a used Suzuki Samarai from a local guy on the island I grew up on. The first time she took me for a ride in her new car, I started opening different compartments to explore. When I got to the glove box, I saw something stashed in the back. It looked like a keychain. Read the rest of this entry »

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February 26, 2012

“You have been my friend. That in itself is a tremendous thing.”

I saw the cutest thing today, but I’ll get to that later.

My wife and I had just cleared security on our way back home from vacationing, bought dinner at the airport food court and found a seat outside our gate. I was tired. Sweaty. Hungry. Ready to be home.

An older man and his wife sat down next to us, asking is an array of questions: Do we fly regularly? Where do we live? What do we do for a living? How do we find affordable tickets with Westjet?

I hate small talk. Read the rest of this entry »

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February 23, 2012

On waiting.

I hate waiting.

I’m writing this in an airport terminal. My wife and I heeded to the arrive-two-hours-before-departure tradition anticipating freeway traffic or long security lines to see we’re the only guests in the building.

Hence, the waiting. Read the rest of this entry »

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February 21, 2012

The most liberating thing[s] I’ve ever read.

Some people look at a blank page as exciting, opportunistic, fun. To me, every blank page screams “you don’t have anything worthwhile to say.”

For years I hated writing without a plan, without a strategy, without a vision. I would start, then delete right away. If a sentence was lucky enough to stay on the page, I would immediately scrutinize each word and begin hacking – often before the sentence even saw a period. I made a lifestyle of editing while writing. Terrified of anyone seeing the incomplete text before it reached perfection. Read the rest of this entry »

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February 19, 2012

I wrote a book. I need your help!

A while back, I started planning out a novel. 18 months later, I’m nearly done.

Here is a preview of the first chapter. I’d love for you to read through it and answer the three questions – and offer any other feedback!

Thanks for taking part of this exciting journey with me.

Todd

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February 18, 2012

Second time around.

The bookcase has been bugging me for months.

A while back, my wife and I bought some supplies for a repurposing project, turning an Ikea rolling island into an antique-esque piece of furniture. We made a mixture of black and brown paint and added some stain, which aged the surface so much that you could hardly tell it came from a Swedish warehouse. Read the rest of this entry »

February 17, 2012

New ventures.

I’ve had several blogs in the past. This time, I’m sticking to it. I finally have the motivation.

What motivates me is seeing others who do their craft well. Not just well.

Effectively. Read the rest of this entry »

Month: February, 2012