A Personal Challenge
Debate Week Special:
SimonBob Strikes Back
Article Two of Six: A Personal Challenge
In these enlightened times, it's hard not to find things that we want to do. Sometimes we start on things and then never really get them done, or give up on them, or stop doing them in favour of doing something else. That's why I've challenged myself to start writing more articles, starting with the six (of which this is one) I'm writing during debate week. I figure that if I can get back in the habit of writing on a regular basis, it'll extend to other things in my life, like finishing my forgotten Fanfics.
There are lots of other things I want to do, too. There's rumours of me starting a newsletter. There are a number of small non-EB related writing projects I'd like to get back to work on. And there's the PK Hack scene, which I've just gotten back into, and may even be the subject of a future article.
That's all well and good. Part of the reason I wanted to write this article was to get all that stuff off the ground and into the public consciousness so more people will bug me and I'll end up doing it. (To my future self when you/I read this: It seemed like a good idea at the time, remember?) But there's also a lot of stuff I can't do. I can't draw, I'm not a particularly good rugby player, and I've never been much for world domination. Why am I bringing these things up, then? Because I think they'd be good personal challenges for other people.
If you're anything like me, you're not too bad at something (in my case, it's writing) and you'd like to improve your ability to do it. For me, the answer is writing every day. The advice I hear given to beginning and medium-level artists is "draw every day." I think it's important to do something every day. Maybe you're an aspiring musician looking to improve your skill? Or perhaps you don't think you watch enough television. Take a stand for yourself. Set aside something like ten minutes every day and go do your thing. You'll be surprised how fast you improve.
I'm writing this because right now it seems like there's a lot of pessimistic people hanging around going "oh I can't do such-and-such, I'm not good enough at it." Well, the only thing you're improving by complaining about it is your brain-lip coordination, and you probably get enough of that telling your friends how much you hate the new Old Navy Jeans commercials. I mean, have you seen them? Big hint, guys: NOBODY likes the Dating Game anymore. Let's have fewer jean models and more geography-based public television quiz shows!
Where was I? Oh, yeah. Let this article be the prod in your back. You've got my blessing, now go make yourself a better person and the world a better place. Otherwise, you won't improve and someday a cement truck will hit you, which is the official fate reserved for those people determined to not make something of themselves.
Debate Week Special:
SimonBob Strikes Back
Article Two of Six: A Personal Challenge
In these enlightened times, it's hard not to find things that we want to do. Sometimes we start on things and then never really get them done, or give up on them, or stop doing them in favour of doing something else. That's why I've challenged myself to start writing more articles, starting with the six (of which this is one) I'm writing during debate week. I figure that if I can get back in the habit of writing on a regular basis, it'll extend to other things in my life, like finishing my forgotten Fanfics.
There are lots of other things I want to do, too. There's rumours of me starting a newsletter. There are a number of small non-EB related writing projects I'd like to get back to work on. And there's the PK Hack scene, which I've just gotten back into, and may even be the subject of a future article.
That's all well and good. Part of the reason I wanted to write this article was to get all that stuff off the ground and into the public consciousness so more people will bug me and I'll end up doing it. (To my future self when you/I read this: It seemed like a good idea at the time, remember?) But there's also a lot of stuff I can't do. I can't draw, I'm not a particularly good rugby player, and I've never been much for world domination. Why am I bringing these things up, then? Because I think they'd be good personal challenges for other people.
If you're anything like me, you're not too bad at something (in my case, it's writing) and you'd like to improve your ability to do it. For me, the answer is writing every day. The advice I hear given to beginning and medium-level artists is "draw every day." I think it's important to do something every day. Maybe you're an aspiring musician looking to improve your skill? Or perhaps you don't think you watch enough television. Take a stand for yourself. Set aside something like ten minutes every day and go do your thing. You'll be surprised how fast you improve.
I'm writing this because right now it seems like there's a lot of pessimistic people hanging around going "oh I can't do such-and-such, I'm not good enough at it." Well, the only thing you're improving by complaining about it is your brain-lip coordination, and you probably get enough of that telling your friends how much you hate the new Old Navy Jeans commercials. I mean, have you seen them? Big hint, guys: NOBODY likes the Dating Game anymore. Let's have fewer jean models and more geography-based public television quiz shows!
Where was I? Oh, yeah. Let this article be the prod in your back. You've got my blessing, now go make yourself a better person and the world a better place. Otherwise, you won't improve and someday a cement truck will hit you, which is the official fate reserved for those people determined to not make something of themselves.
