In response to The Daily Post’s writing prompt: “Million-Dollar Question.” Why Blog?

This is not my blogging computer. I still use an old laptop with VISTA.

Why do I blog? For the money. All seriousness aside I blog to leave my mark in this world, kind of like an old tomcat.
I’m no brainiac with knowledge seeping out of my pores, I could be considered a senior citizen. I should have had life experiences to share with others that might help them miss some bumps in the road that I have encountered. I was born into a home where there was no drawer full of silver spoons to pass out. I never managed to accumulate much wealth to leave behind, you will see why in the next paragraph. My hope is to possibly leave a legacy of writing.

I have always considered myself a jack of all trades and a master of some. The only formal training I ever had was in the United States Air Force when they turned me into a jet aircraft mechanic for four years. That would have been a very worthy profession for a lifetime but in my life, it wasn’t meant to be. My work experience covered everything from being a caddie at the golf course, to running the pro shop as a youngster. I did farm labor as a young man, five dollars a day. Worked on a commercial fishing crew seining fish under the ice and in open water. I was an apprentice offset press operator for a while, no windows or air. Did day labor to eat. I sold vacuum cleaners door-to-door for a very short time. Sold health and life insurance for two different companies, American Republic and Mutual of Omaha. I enjoyed the work but people always told me there sad tales of woe, having no money left over to buy insurance. Some almost had me ready to dig in my own wallet to help them out. Revelation! I soon realized I was not a very forceful closer and left insurance sales. I worked almost every type of job on highway construction, from flagman to paving machine operator, plumber’s helper setting up a brand-new asphalt hot plant. I ended up spending most of my life driving truck, gravel trucks, transport tanker trucks, refrigerated rigs running from coast-to-coast.

Why do I blog? With the life, I just described what else could I do? I was step-dad to four daughters and now we have thirteen grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren. I seem to have trouble keeping track. If I write something that can be looked back at someday by the grandchildren and they say, “my grandpa wrote that?” That might be my only mark left in this world so others would know I was here. I love life and try to find the humorous side of almost all situations. I have a good feeling writing down my thoughts and turning them loose on the computer screen for the whole world to look at.

When I was younger, if something was written in the newspaper that I didn’t agree with I got out my trusty pencil and paper and sent a note to the editor. There were several newspapers and magazines that got notes from my mighty pencil and notepad. When my handwriting gets cold it would be a chore for the CIA to decipher. I can just picture some of those old editors, reading my pencil written messages to them. They would get puzzled looks on their faces as they said, ” wonder what all of that is about,” before it hit the round file. This great, modern, electronic age has so many writing tools available, I feel like I have to blog. There could be no better time for blogging than there is right now. I hope to keep on blogging as long as I can. I just hope I can write something worthwhile, not that stinks up the place like old Tom the cat. My blog goal is making the day better for someone, with a smile, or helpful information that can be passed on.