Who Do I Think I Am??

This one's about a lot of you in the world.

THE PROMPT: "What inspires you to write?"

Good afternoon friends...don't let last week's weather and today's blistering sunshine fool you. According to The Weather Channel app on the Blackberry, it's a downright unfair 37 degrees out there in The 'Lo. But I will refrain from any further complaints about not wearing shorts in March or already needing to weed the patio and gardens because I'm not in the mood to complain. Kinda.

I took a few days off from taxing my creative energy, to ensure I still have something in the tank come this time next month during an official "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS"  contest run, and it's helped, I can say without doubt. While writing can be considered a muscle in that you have to exercise it in order for it to grow, you need to be careful as to not overwork it. That's why I enjoy the unofficial challenges as much as the official ones...I'm allowed to work at my own pace to stay in shape until it's time to do the heavy lifting an official challenge requires.

So this prompt...what inspires me? Many things, dear readers. Many things. Anyone who's a regular around these parts of internet infantry knows I can take cues from just about anything and spit out a thousand words that become humorous pixels of words dancing in front of your eyes on your selected screen of choice. There's no formula for success in that regard, however. Sometimes it's a combination of luck and skill, just like anything else we do. Hey, even the best chefs in the world can fuck up a peanut butter and jelly sandwich once in awhile. I don't quite know where I was going with that analogy, but you'll have that...primarily because it's tasty. Or something.

But I digress...the main key of inspiration is having the wherewithal to just be able to do it. If I didn't like it or want to do it, I simply wouldn't. It's as simple of a premise as sharing and relating. I feel the need, so I act upon it. Those who can, do, and those who can't, well, they don't...it's that easy (to paraphrase something else I heard a long time ago).

Inspiration also takes many forms. It's much easier for me to write from a prompt, especially one I can relate to, speak to, converse with, or somehow bastardize. But how? Inspiration is all around us...you just have to be able to see it. The combination of a solid prompt and a good story, situation, event or otherwise can and usually leads to something decently successful (in my head).

Personally speaking, it's easy for me to take a lot of inspiration from the stupid people I encounter on an almost-daily basis. You'd already know that if you read even 10% of the things I write in this collection of mass-insanity. Now mind you, I'm not immune from this phenomenon. I've done my fair share of stupid things and have suffered occasionally from poor decision-making. I've irritated people (intentionally and unintentionally, and I have to live with that knowledge). But sometimes there's nothing better than a good rant about general idiocity, ignorance, or other people's problems. And unofficial studies have shown that when I have something good to rant about, people tend to respond. It's almost a gift and a curse, I think.

But enough about me regarding this prompt. What else inspires me? The competitor in me. I'm a competitive person, no matter what the stakes. I'm not a sore loser, but let's face it, I don't like to lose. Anything. I've always felt like an underdog in a lot of things I've done. And I've proved a lot of people wrong. Something like the "30-Day Blogging Challenge ON HIATUS"  may seem like no big deal to most folks that aren't a part of it, but I've never entered it just to waste an hour of my time every day for a month. I enter it because I want to win it. Shit, if I entered an ass-kicking contest and only had one leg, I'd still be trying my damnedest to win that thing. If there were a penny-licking contest, I'd deal with spitting copper for weeks after just by trying to win. That's my mindset. That's how I'm wired. I want to be the best in everything I do...in everything I set my mind to. Once I latch on to something, I'm all-in. Nothing can stop me, and I refuse to be stood up to.

That said, I'm also inspired by WDC as well. There's no shortage of talent on this site, that's for sure. My goal, my mission, besides providing readable, thought-provoking content that occasionally makes you laugh, cry, or (pick your emoticon), is to be remembered amongst his peers for doing something great in his medium. I see things and I say to myself "Self, how can I make that better?" I've been on these internet pages for a lot of years; probably more than many of the people I've encountered. And it's the same thing...to be respected among the elite that have digitally graced the walls of WDC. Maybe it's more "motivation" than "inspiration", but it is what it is...and as much as it's me typing out consecutive words that people love to read, it's also the other people doing it that keep me going on, doing what I do. I give a lot of credit to the talented individuals who aren't afraid to share their words...their art...with the rest of the world via WDC. You start out blind...nameless and faceless, cultivating a personality. Eventually it becomes you; it's who you are. Liked or hated, you've made an imprint somehow, somewhere, on somebody.

Before I start to ramble, I'll just wrap this up. I've come across many great people on my WDC journey. I've even been able to meet a few in person, and it's been a wonderful experience. I want to thank all of you for being who you are, doing what you do, and encouraging me in what I do. My biggest inspiration? It's knowing that without you people, I'm just a guy bangin' keys on a laptop that wouldn't be heard otherwise.

MUSICAL BREAK!!

With the Sabres embroiled in a nasty chase for the final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference, I came across this the other day. I had totally forgotten about it. I love it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufEtQcisrgg

VITAL STATS:

It's been a slow month for me, and I'll take it. Never let the highs get too high nor the lows get too low, cuz there's always somethin' goin' in the perifs of the middle that you never know what might jump up and hit ya. Words to live by, folks. Peace, and GOODNIGHT NOW!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s8UL_9R_W-Y