I don’t like to talk to myself.  I need an audience–not a lot of people, but at least one human being with whom I can converse, in actual out loud words.  And also, I thrive on body language as feedback.  I can discern from people’s facial expressions if they are understanding what I’m saying, if I’m making any sense, if they are mentally approving or rejecting me, etc. 

Sean loves to talk to himself.  When he watches a movie, he gets so into the plot that he literally talks back to the characters as if he were one of them.  It amuses me greatly, mostly because he is completely unaware that he is doing it.  He does this with books, too, or just with whatever dialogue that might be running through his mind.  Shaylea, even at six years old, seems to have inherited this little quirk, although in her pysche it has progressed having invisible friends–and not just one–a whole troupe.  They’ll be touring in town near you real soon.

I remember getting my first award for writing when I was in the first grade.  The essay was entitled, “Why I Have the Best Teacher.”  I proceed to logically outline in 3 sentences how Mrs. Collins was indeed the best teacher because when a student made a good grade on a test, she would “poot it on the wall.”  And you know, even a 1st grader can tell that’s something to be impressed by. 

In the following years, I learned how to spell, and my writing continued to be recognized.  In college, I majored in English, and I had to write so much for class that I lost my joy for it.  And then I became an English teacher and really started to hate it.  Then there were life events–big ones like jobs, and moves, and kids.  So, I haven’t written anything for a long, long time.  But I have these friends (you know who you are) who have been pressuring me to start a blog, and I don’t know…I just never wanted to. 

The thing is–I’m not that good of a writer.  I mean, I really don’t think so.  I read lots of blogs.  Lots.  I think I can say with a high degree of accuracy that I don’t have much to contribute to the whole blogosphere. 

And yet, here I am.  So, whatever, you all win.  Happy now?  You have made me one of you, and now Sean, I can no longer laugh at you when you talk to yourself because lo, I am doing it too.