»
Main Forums
»
Passions in Prose
»
#20--Assignments from Ms Ginger Michelle Chadwick
| Passions in Prose |
|
#20--Assignments from Ms Ginger Michelle Chadwick |
|
kaile
since 2000-02-06
Posts 5146singapore 
|
20. If I Could Write A Column I used to look at the columns in my newspaper and wonder quite indignantly about why these authors should be privileged enough to impose their point of view on fellow unsuspecting countrymen. I guess the job of a columnist was something that gnawed at me terribly because I wanted it so badly. While I still crave for the job, age has thankfully mellowed my arrogant streak. These days, I'm keenly aware that I would need to acquire certain attributes or habits before I can consider myself to be qualified for hoarding an esteemed space in a national newspaper. If I could write a column, I would need to be attuned enough to "see the bigger picture". Thrust recently into a demanding leadership role and being expected to give impromptu rally speeches, I realise that eloquence is not one of my strengths. Words stubbornly refuse to fall into clarity, even as I plead for them to appear in my blank mind. When I form sentences at last, I feel that I lack a certain punch in my words. This will not do, for columnists are sentries of the nation's psyche. They draw to attention undesirable social realities and clamour for change. They provide an outlet for nationalistic grief when disasters befall the country. They gain profound take-away lessons from seemingly ordinary events and inspire others to better themselves. I'm not quite there yet. If I could write a column, I would need to accumulate as many life experiences as possible. Yet, perhaps weary of mind-numbing gatherings, I find myself increasingly comfortable bumming around at home. I need to regain my inquisitiveness about the world out there, join new activities, meet new people and create new memories (other than afternoon nap dreams and net surfing). If I could write a column, I would need to write. A laugh-out-loud-in-my-face truth perhaps. But there is an article that I have been meaning to write for days and it kills me how I procrastinate day after day, making empty promises to do it soon. Man, The duplicitous nature of the human condition! I dread sitting down in front of the computer to type and I dread taking out pen and paper to laboriously write. I seem to have trapped myself in a Catch-22 situation. If I could write a column, I would need to be brave enough to share a no-holds-barred account of my perspective in an attempt to capture the reader's interest. Well, if you have felt intrigued enough to read to this end, I guess this suggests that I may have something going on for me, despite all my failings above. And I thank you for bearing with my imposition. |
||
| © Copyright 2004 heng kaile - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
Larry C
since 2001-09-10
Posts 10286United States |
kaile, Nice column! And I was intrigued by the self-examination approach. Well done, I enjoyed this a lot.  If tears could build a stairway and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again. |
||
|
Midnitesun
since 2001-05-18
Posts 28647Gaia |
 I would love to read you in a syndicated column! I wrote a column for the local newspaper when I was in high school. LOL, it was basically just letting the community know "What's happening at the school" and to report the sports scores. It really was fun, but SHEESH my mom threw away all those copies when I left home at age 19. I had forgotten to take them with me or to store them. That newspaper is probably non-existent now, so there may not be ANY copies left around. SAVE your work when you get that byline. |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
