by Shelley Bennett
This month commemorates my 5th anniversary of writing about the Good Stuff in my hometown. In a perfect world (one without technological difficulties, holidays, illness, busy schedules, and a hip replacement), that would mean I have written this column 260 times.
I would guess it’s actually somewhere between 230-240. Many days, like today, I have no idea what I’ll write about.
I struggle to settle on a topic or delete and re-write one sentence multiple times.
Endings are always tough for me. I want to wrap it up nice and neat like a Christmas package underneath the tree. I feel like most of my conclusions are like a gift bag: stuffed hastily with whatever fits and filled in with tissue paper so nobody will notice that some of the contents might be missing.
It’s easy to be your own worst critic. I remember when local poet Dianna Hennings invited me to attend a Thompson Peak Writers’ Workshop. I almost looked behind me to see who she was talking to. I have the worst imposter syndrome!
I still haven’t attended a meeting, although it is on my list of things I would like to do. I’m afraid my colloquial tone and grammatical rule breaking will stick out awkwardly among their poetic and polished prose.
Other weeks, I have an event or memory or person in mind and the article writes itself. My inner monologue takes over and the words come easily. I bet you never realized that what you’re reading came from the voice inside my head who narrates my day.
Writing for Susanville Stuff has been therapeutic for me. I’ve reminisced about my childhood, bragged on my kids (and others), and shared my perspective on local events.
My son Landon told me recently that when he pledged a fraternity at Cal, they Googled his name to see what came up. Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on your point of view), they found his name lovingly mentioned several times in my articles.
I’m sure that’s why he got a bid to TKE… lol
In conclusion (taking the easy way out, my students will understand), I want to thank Jeremy for encouraging me and offering me my own day of the week, all of you who have been so warm, welcoming, and receptive of what I have to say, and my family for being forced into the spotlight without giving me permission.
Remember when news was ‘newsy’? When you read about weddings, family events and engagement announcements in the newspaper? If you have something that might be newsworthy, please submit it to [email protected] and I’ll do my best to include it here in “The Good Stuff.”
