the key,

they say, to becoming a better writer is to write even when you don't want to write. Well, that's what I'm doing now. It's 11 30, I'm tired, but this blog is important to me, and thus i need to be consistent.

I feel that part of the reason I've been apprehensive to write in this since its inception is that i feel i don't have that much to talk about, or that i don't have a lot to talk about when it comes to what I've been doing. Most of my conversations regarding my deferral involve what I'm going to be doing (going down to New Orleans), but for now I'm just sort of hitting the daily grind--working in Trenton during the week, going out on the weekends, repeat.

But, for those of you who don't know what I'm planning this deferral (a lot of people think I'm up at Boston University), this is it:

In a little less than a month I'll be heading down to New Orleans for an indefinite amount of time, but at least four or five months. I'm planning on volunteering for a few months with Hands-On New Orleans (a well organized volunteer group--check them out), long enough to pick up some new skills, and learn the city a little better. When I'm ready, I'll leave, get a job for a contractor, and then get my own apartment.

The possibilities in this vague, idealistic plan are endless. I'm excited. I'm excited to see all the things that'll work out, excited to see what it will be like to have to work to put food on the table, to be self sufficient. But I'm also curious to see what's going to go wrong, what parts of my plan I'll have to change or compromise. So far things are going pretty well. The volunteer stuff is fallen into place, I have a job available to me in New Orleans, and apartment prices are reasonable.

I've also been corresponding with the editor of the Times-Picayune, pitching him the idea of writing a bi-weekly editorial for them writing from the eyes of a Katrina volunteer. It's a long shot, and he said there are no guarantees, but he asked for a writing sample. Who knows, i might, might, might just get to write something for the New Orleans Times-Picayune

I'm off. I promise to spice up this blog, but for now I need to set up the ground work. Wait for the end of November. I will have stories

Peace!