Beginnertia

Once upon a time, in a 100-level English course, I got magnum-cum-laude-ed by the class for my use, in an essay, of the word “gerous” - which seemed to them to be terribly clever, but it was actually a typo for “generous”. Beginnertia is much like gerous.

I started writing because I was pressed into service; that’s the entire exaggerated romance of that.

Thirty years prior, I had set the entire writing thing aside on account of a girl. I mean, I looked at her and I faked it hard as I could - I tried not to get caught gawking. She wanted to walk beside me. I couldn’t imagine why. I still can’t.

But there’s a reckless element to what I will say to strangers or apparitions. In possibly 2009, a Jinn appeared to me. I told her that I doubted my interest in writing. She wouldn’t forget what I said. At last, some years later, I showed up to a session of her Oregon Coast writing group “Tuesday”.

My guiding Jinn is Jean Esteve, poet of repute. It is her 92nd birthday today. If I ever achieve anything at all as a Writer, it is because of her encouragement. I owe her the WORKS!