That's what it's all about!

"You do the Hokey-Pokey". " You put your right foot in, you put your left foot in...." You know the drill if you've ever been to a wedding that had a DJ doing the dance. And the song/dance lyric always ends with the group singing, "that's what it's all about!"

 What does that have to do with this blog, you might be thinking?

Everything.

Everything because part of doing the Hokey-Pokey is to  "put your whole self in". This is after you've put your left foot, right foot, arm, leg and other appendages including one's back side. It's also everything because I used to DJ wedding dances for one of those mobile DJ services and, forgive me, made a whole bunch of people do the Hokey-Pokey.

At the age of 60,  I am going to attempt to put my whole self into writing this blog. There be will stories and experiences accumulated along the way. There will be observations and expressions from the the here and now. Some will be funny, some will be sad. All will be true. Some may be exaggerated a tad bit to make them more interesting. Names will be changed to protect the innocent.

It will get personal, for me, at least. But if I do my part the best way I know how, it may get personal for you too. My hope is that I will strike a chord, resonate a nerve, jostle a funny bone, create a smirk.

On my wife's book shelf, is a book called "Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart". I think I bought it for her, but I have not read it. The title of the book has floated around in my head since the day I first saw it in some store, probably in an airport bookstore as I hurried to catch yet another plane on the way to somewhere.

Did I grow old too soon? Did I fail to learn along the way?  I don't think so. That's my 2013 answer. Easier to say at 60 than at 30, or 40, or even 50.

I am a storyteller by nature and by craft. I tell most of my stories when I am teaching, coaching and in everyday conversations. I know when I write my stories, reluctantly in part because I'm  poor typist, I get more clear, more honest and more precise. Writing my stories helps me tell them in a more clear, honest and focused manner. Writing will also help me occupy and channel some creative energy that is not being fulfilled in my day job. I'm hoping that's the case, anyway.

So I will write about what I learned along the way,  what I experienced and what I am experiencing and learning today.  Let me know if you are out there.