for writing's sake

My best friend Bart is one of the most annoying people on the planet. Every time I see him he asks the same annoying question, knowing full-well he's going to receive the same answer though clenched teeth, "No, Bart! I haven't written anything new lately!" Then, to top it all off, he has the nerve to ask for a new piece of writing from me as his Christmas present! Geez!

My best friend Bart is one of the most incredible friends a person could ever ask for. I am so blessed to have him in my life. Yes, he annoys the hell out of me-- but that's because he knows me so well. The reason this blog has been so bare, the reason I haven't written lately in journals or on napkins or on anything, the reason I submitted old pieces instead of new ones to last semester's writing contests is that I received a hard blow, and I crumbled. So, in perfect Bart fashion, he listened patiently, nudged lovingly, then kicked my sorry ass up off the ground.

I am no longer going to receive special honors at graduation. I removed myself from the program. This is a completely separate matter from me not writing anymore, for the most part. But somewhere in the battle I fought for the last month with the English Honors department, I got it stuck in my head that I sucked and shouldn't even try to write. So I didn't. But I didn't even realize that this is why I wasn't writing. I told myself (and everyone else, for that matter) that I had nothing to write about and that I'd write later. Bart saw through the act, asked the hard questions, figured it all out, and then he kicked me.

Thanks, Bart. Keep it coming.