To keep my author rights.

Blogs are a funny thing to me.  I tried blogging in college.  I didn't realize quite how many times I tried until I sat down with Abbie a couple of years ago and tried to start a new blog (only to discover that I had already "started" blogs at multiple sites).  Sadly, every blog address we tried was already taken (by me) and I couldn't remember any of the passwords.  www.brandonwentzel.blogspot.com, taken.  brandonwentzel.wordpress.com, taken.  One attempt after another helped me to realize that maybe I am just not cut out for this whole thing.

I did keep a blog while traveling around the world after college.  I really enjoyed it.  It had purpose--a running narrative of my adventures.  It was more for me than any audience.  A way to process the day and reflect upon all that I was seeing and experiencing.  Some people read it and seemed to appreciate the way I wrote about my experiences.  I did have some individuals (namely my family) concerned when, very early in the trip, I wrote about getting a free massage on a beach in Argentina from a white-haired, leathery skinned, expat sixty year- old man named "Baby" Goldstein.  Only to find out after the massage, it wasn't free like I had somehow anticipated.  "Baby" didn't speak English, but I could tell he wasn't happy when he mentioned "policia" and reached for my camera and wallet.  After reassuring my loved ones that I wasn't going to die on the trip, and after promising to make good decisions, the trip (and the blog) continued.  I was devastated to find out recently that blog too fell victim to the fate of inactivity and has since been removed.  If you know how to recover dead blogs, please let me know.  Seriously.

That's "Baby", my masseuse. I snapped this photo after fleeing the scene.

All this to say...I guess I need inspiration.  I could write about my students.  Teaching middle school Physical Education is certainly entertaining.  Though, I am not sure it is appropriate or even legal to write about students without their permission.  Those of you (as if someone will read this) with more information about the moral and/or legal ramifications of such blogging, please advise.  If I am not writing about my students, I am not sure what it will be...and maybe that's alright.  Perhaps I will find purpose or motivation along the way.  Abbie has been patiently urging me to blog a post since this particular site's inception.  I haven't been avoiding it, just lacking a particular topic worthy of writing about.  Last night she inadvertently threatened to erase the blog if I didn't step up to co-author like I had said I would.  I saw my window closing, rather quickly at that.  I am secretly hoping that I can write just enough to encourage her to continue blogging.

I don't think I have ever told Abbie this, but her blogs can be partially credited with me falling in love with her.  Back when we were just ol' college buddies, she was blogging regularly and I couldn't get enough.  If she wasn't blogging about something utterly absurd that happened to her, she was articulately and beautifully detailing her thoughts regarding the challenges of leading a life following Jesus.  She was (and continues be to) the full package and certainly far out of my league.  Sadly, it seems right about the time our relationship turned serious is about when the blogging slowed down for Abbie.  And, I miss it.  I know she does too, and I would love to partner with her in this journey of blogging about life.  Even if it is just us (and maybe our parents) that read it.

It might be foolish of me to juxtapose my writing next to that of a Creative Writing major.  But, if it means she'll continue writing...I'm in!  For all the P.E. teachers out there thinking they'll never stack up, this post is for you.  Ha!

B.W.