A Writer

I am a writer.

I figured that out this weekend, prompted by a question from a teacher: Name one thing you are good at. "Writing" I responded. "I have written a 400-500 word blog posting 5 days a week for the last 3 years or so."

I think that's the first time that I have ever consciously admitted - out loud - that I think that I can write.

I have also started the exercise of writing early in the morning, after I get up. I get up a little earlier, but at least I have a sense that I am actually doing something that I like every day. I don't end up writing that much right now- 200 - 500 words - but it is the exercise of doing it and the fact that I can point back to it during my day, especially the really bad parts, and say "I wrote today."

It is also changing my view of my current job. I'm no long "Supreme Paper Pusher", I'm a writer who happens to be supporting himself doing Supreme Paper Pushing. On the one hand it enables me to take a step back (very small at times) from my current job and say "This is a job; it's not my career". On the other hand, it frees me to actually invest more of myself during the day in my job, as I have something to look forward beyond 9 hours of seemingly meaningless work every day.

I have a larger life.

I am a writer.