Disciplinary Intangibles

For those who have been trained by it, no discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. However, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.

That's Scriptural, and I quoted it from memory. So what if the main reason I know it is because Bobby McFerrin used it in a song? He happens to be a genius. If he's touring, you'd do yourself a favor to see him perform. So simple, yet brilliant.

Halfway through week four and I'd've ("I would" plus "would have" should have its own contraction) liked to've ("to have" - why not?) thought they'd get easier by now. Like working out. Or running. Once you hit a point where you're doing it every day, you'll miss it when you skip it. Except I've never once in my life regretted the absence of working out or running. Even if writing is my passion, I'm not much of a passionate person.

Is this blog properly absorbing my ideas? I had to think for five minutes of a decent Facebook status update, and I can normally spawn one-liners like an amateur magician on a riverboat. Speaking of which, a friend is holding his 40th birthday party tomorrow, and as gifts, he's asked each of his guests to prepare two minutes of stand up comedy. This should be easy for me. Sarcastic quips and quick shots are first-nature; I have to force myself into the second nature of kindness and gentleness. I even have a "Too Soon" theme - tasteless jokes told too soon after the death of prominent figures. Where is the acceptability line for offensive tributes?

Come to think of it, I used to write "spotlights" for a play-by-mail game, where my theme had less substance than a Seinfeld episode. Nothing about nothing about nothing. I enjoyed writing them, my audience patronized me with compliments, and by the end of it, I had regular contributions about zip. Much like this blog. Five paragraphs already? And what have I said?