Monthly Archives: January 2014

The Muffler Guy

I’ve thought for sometime that I would start a blog. But I never quite knew where or how to begin. I created a page on WordPress several months ago, but had done nothing with it. Then I saw a message from WordPress about lessons on writing a blog. Zero to Hero: 30 days to a better blog, http://dailypost.wordpress.com/zero-to-hero/  I decided to commit to the 30 days of assignments and see if I could get this thing off the ground. 

So tonight my assignment is to use a new element (video, photo, tweet). I chose to add a photo. I enjoy finding odd and quirky objects to take pictures of. And today I tracked down this quirky little guy. I say “tracked down” because I actually saw him last week but didn’t have the time to stop for a picture. So today I returned to the area I had spotted him in and sure enough….he was still there, waiting for his photo shoot!

Image

I’m not sure what it is about these little guys, made up of welded together scrap, but I think they are fun. I often times notice them outside car repair shops and admire the skills involved to create them. Even though they are not pieces of art that will find their way to a cultured art museum….I do believe they are art.

I’m not totally sure how or if this little guy is going to fit into the overall theme of my blog….but I like his appearance and I think his smile is quite charming. So here he is, a man of few words and a snappy hat!

Why This Blog?

After reading a daily meditation that challenged people to express their thankfulness throughout the year, not just during the month of November, I chose to start a daily “thankful” post on Facebook. A few people asked why Facebook? Why publicly? To me the answer was simple. I am naturally optimistic and I believe it is important to find the lesson or the blessing in all situations. But I realize not all people are able to see the good in situations that are difficult. My hope was to shed some light on the good things that might go overlooked in this crazy busy world we all are sharing. 

After several months friends began commenting on the posts and sharing with me how much the posts meant to them. As I closed in on the last few months of the “year of thanks” friends that had been following the posts were asking me to continue. As a result I started a separate Facebook page called 365 Days and Counting  with the intention of eventually starting a blog. At this time the daily posts are giving me a chance to find out what people like and what people react to. In the first 40 days I have gained 176 followers. 

As I considered whether to start a blog I spoke to several old friends. One of those friends and I have wanted to write together for many years. We finally decided THIS would be our writing project. We hope to create conversations based on topics that are important to us and hopefully important to those that choose to read the blog.