On spectating less and acting more

Sometimes I feel as though I spend a lot of time observing -- apart from the crowd.

Sitting on the sidelines of the Colosseum, pen (or iPad) in hand, I watch, and wait, and chronicle.

And oh yes, I think. I do a lot of analyzing, picking up the big questions (and sometimes the smaller ones) that confront us, and taking them apart.

Today I gave some thought to jobs, stocks, marriage and pornography -- when I really should be organizing my list of editors who may have freelance work - and then contacting them. That actually should wait until next week, when I am back in the company of my p.c. at our home.

And I mowed the lawn, almost always an escapist activity for someone who prefer dreaming to daring (sometimes). And put off the book review I could write now, as opposed to later (isn't later usually better?)

I also avoided making a phone call to reschedule a date that I should have made, and waited for one that I am hoping will come.

Not presuming, mind you.

Forgive me. I'm still climbing out of a ditch, and I'm a little scraped and bruised in places.

But not for long, or not for much longer, anyway. I might miss a few phone calls, but I'm not avoiding them anymore.

Here's half a smile for September, the active tense...

and hope.