Notes from the other side

You know how sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night, and unlike those other times (when you really wish you were still asleep), on these occasions... well... you don't mind being awake? Partly because you're not fully awake. Your eyes are still closed, you're snuggled under the covers, and you're just... comfortable laying there. And your thoughts are good, and you're making sense to yourself, and you feel like you could write a book or be on Oprah or make a pie from scratch... (?)

I had one of those moments recently. It was like 2:40am and I'd had a good six hours of sleep already. I felt good, and it simply felt good just to lay there...

I'm not entirely sure if my mind did this on its own or if I sort of took it there, but I had some great thoughts about... WHAT TO NAME MY SUBSTACK!

Have I mentioned that I finally set up a substack page? I have yet to write anything there. And I don't know how it's any different than a blog (or if it even is). I just didn't want all the other Danny Horwedels out there to take it.

Maybe it could be a more "grown up" version of this blog. You know, one that had a little more... direction. Focused rather than just random every day stuff. Maybe. I don't know...

Anyway, I've been thinking about what it is that I might have to offer the world as far as writing. What do I know about? 

[Geez, how long is this awkward pause going to last?]

Well, I actually don't mind the tag line for this blog: "...thoughts from beyond middle age - as I wonder/wander through life." But how do I shorten it? And what if it's not just about getting older, but the struggle to get better too? Which, I know is a bit of a joke because no one could accuse me of getting better at anything. However, what if it's about the struggle? The struggle to not be "of this world," as the bible alludes. What if I wrote about my attempts at living life from the "other side"? Not only the other side of middle age, but the other side of... I don't know... worldliness? Living a life of faith; defying the politics of civil religion; going against the grain of capitalistic pursuits, etc. I mean, "descending into holiness" sounds a bit far fetched for me, but that's sort of what I had in mind. The other side of the American dream!

I don't want to live the "american dream." I think it's a myth; a fallacy; a dead-end intent on sucking the life out of us prematurely and certainly having nothing to do with God's will and/or Kingdom living. I don't want that. I want the other! 

I dunno... that's a lot of words, and it was so much clearer when all tucked away in my bed, but I'm thinking of a title like...

Notes from the other side

I read this piece last week (Writing, Riffs & Relationships). I don't have research to offer, expert advice, or anything of the sort. But I can jot down some notes... and maybe I could keep the substack more focused on these pursuits. Maybe even share a thing or two on social media from time to time.

Meh, I probably won't ever do it. Maybe it's best to keep wiling my anonymity away in this unknown corner of the webs. It's certainly safer.

Ah, not unlike those dreams we have laying in bed... All too often fading into "reality."

What if they didn't?