30 Day Writing Challenge

Today I’m starting a 30-day project to write something — anything — every day and publish it for the world to see.

When I was a kid my entire class and I would sit cross legged on the playground in the sun for assembly’s and announcements at least once a week. As a child of 10 or 11 with as-of-yet undiagnosed ADHD I got bored in these assembly’s very easily and, given my extremely thick glasses I would often use my glasses to burn leaves, twigs and sometimes my own clothes just for something to do. I’ll never forget the small black hole on a gum leaf, the wisp of smoke and sometimes even a flicker of flame while daydreaming of being anywhere else.

Some days I feel I’m the kid with the magnifying glass(es) again, others I’m the leaf.

Coming up, I was told job stability was the only thing that mattered in the world. I would push aside creative ambitions or alternate lifestyle choices and think “I’ll get to do these once I’m ‘stable’” or “settled”. I needed to make sure I could be gainfully employed by a ‘big name’ company so that I could, one day, have a corner office with the city laying at my feet.

Throughout my ‘stable’ career I have had seven distinct vocations: two of which I was made redundant from, another two I left due to toxic management and the final 3 were jobs I left to go to something ‘new and exciting’. I’m averaging a different company and different vocation about every 18 months.

This is where we come back to the kid in the assembly, burning leaves with his glasses. I can’t sit in the baking sun and pay attention. I can’t just sit here and listen passively while it’s so nice outside.

I was never a valedictorian; I never came first in any class and I certainly do not remember the content of any assembly. This may not surprise you.

I remember the leaves and jackets and sticks I burned little holes in with my glasses. I remember the way I made others laugh when I did it. I remember a bunch of kids would all lean over and pass me leaves, bits of bark or pieces of paper to burn holes in.

I remember creating a little fun for others in an equally boring situation and I remember all of us enjoying it.

Perhaps I’ve sat up straight and paid attention for too long. Perhaps I should not try to be a teachers pet anymore. For now, I’m looking forward to burning a few leaves with my glasses and I hope a few of you will get a kick out of it and maybe, just maybe, pass me back something else to burn for a bit of fun.