The Writing Kind Of Groove

And I quote…..“This week for Take It and Blog Friday we’re asking you to drum your five most popular blog posts and share them with the rest of us. And because we don’t get a peek at your blog’s statistics, you get to decide what your most popular blog posts are: Maybe they get statistically the most hits, maybe they get the most comments, maybe you just like them and want to share them with the rest of the Springfield blogosphere. Whatever the case, we want to read your five most popular posts. Now, it would be good form if, instead of just posting a list of titles, you gave a little description of each one or explained why these posts are so popular.” –SGF BLOGS most recent mandate to its members.

Nothing I’ve written could ever be described as “so popular”. After all, I’m writing a blog; it’s not as though the pro scouts are banging down my door with offers to go up to the big leagues. That being said, here are the five posts that have gotten some decent feedback be it in person or in the form of little old ladies flipping me the bird at busy intersections. I hope they make you at least chuckle out loud…..cause we all know that no one is really “laughing out loud” or, for Gods’ sake “rolling on the floor, laughing (my) ass off.” That’s just weird.

5. A Love Letter To Santa Barbara. This was my very first blog post, and I was capturing the vile and bittersweet emotions I harbor towards my hometown on the coast. It’s hard to go home when you can’t afford it anymore, and I think more than one person can relate to this one. It took me 10 minutes to write it up and 2 hours to work up the nerve to hit the “publish” button. I was shaking like a dog shitting peach pits as I awaited any feedback at all. The first phone call came 5 minutes later.

4. 911 Cliff Notes. People seem to love stories about the fire service, and what may seem mundane and routine to firehouse life is often somewhat hilarious when taken into proper perspective. I always get more hits when it’s about station shenanigans, so there’s yet another reason I shouldn’t quit my day job.

3. Diary Of Insanity. I wrote this one as my love affair with CrossFit was in the honeymoon phase. Plus, it highlights the Short Attention Span Theatre that is my thought process. It firmly cemented my place as the least sane member of the cult. Now, who wants waffles?

2. 343 Reasons To Mourn. Once in a dog’s age there is a shred of seriousness in my writing. The events of September 11th will always be a somber bookmark in my career as a fireman. Perhaps because I was a wet-behind-the-ears rookie, it struck me in a way is rare in my life; few people in my eyes are actual heroes. These firefighters had to have known the odds were not good for them coming back out of those towers. That’s the kind of courage I’d never witnessed in my lifetime, especially in an era that worships celebrity above all.

1.) Smokers, Jokers and The Dog. This post was the result of my first effort of actually getting off my ass for an “assignment” that started out as a joke between myself and Chad Harris of Fair City News. I spent hours in line waiting for a shot at the hillbilly hero of Hawaii and his loud-mouthed, unhinged wife (upon whom I have a raging hate-crush). I met some really funny people and actually had more fun than I would have anticipated. As it turns out, the readers of Half Past Awesome are delighted to hear tales of me making an even more substantial ass of myself in public than usual. And you know what? For them, I’d do just about anything. Except spend time in Arkansas. That never ends well.

There you have it. If people keep coming back to the site, then I’ll consider that a twisted sliver of victory. I hope it keeps you amused in that five minute segment where you can’t remember the next website you’re supposed to be looking at….somewhere a little more respectable, no doubt.