Slice #2 The Beetle

This year, I'm going to spend 31 days writing about places.  In my profession, I talk about place-based writing quite a bit.  I frame it like this when I share:  We believe in the power of including spaces in the process of writing.  Place-based writing is the concept that the place where we write may influence our thinking, impacting the writer’s perspective, engagement, ownership, and/or purpose.  I'm really jazzed up, thinking where I will spend time as a writer in 31 different spaces this month and how I can use each post to share a little slice of my day. 

Today, my car.

Most mornings, my three pooches (the Golden Gals) get a walk in the park... which also means they get a ride in the car.  It's gloomy in St. Louis today, so I wasn't sure I'd take them out.  I was typing away on a project this morning when little whimpers started escaping from the dog bed at my feet.  Sheesh, these dogs are pushy.  So, I took them out in the misty morning.  We piled in the car and took a walk at Tower Grove Park.

The dogs are pushy, but I really do love our morning walks.  It's my 'think time' and will likely be where I generate a lot of ideas for blog writing this month.  As we strolled along, I thought out my day and which location might be a good one for a spark of writing today.  I settled on my office (I have so much to say about this space!), but then, when we got in the car, the best song came on.

So, I knew I'd have to come home and write about the car ride this morning as my little slice of the day.  Recently, a buddy bought me a tiny symbol and drum stick for my car (pictured below).  It's a silly gift, and the silliness does refelct my personality, but it reflects what I do in my car even more.

Yes, I use the car to drive the dogs to the park most mornings.  Yes, I use this car to do all sorts of tasks & it's a blessing in so many ways... it's paid off, it's cute, it's dependable.  Also, yes.  I use this place to do all sorts of things... listen to pod casts, have long talks with friends while on road trips, and eat forbidden fast food.

What I do best though is sing.  So when a great tune came on this morning, I cranked it up and sang along.  This place in my life is a blessing because it's where I get to listen to music really loudly, sing unabashedly, and occasionally even play a little drum solo.