It has been difficult to choose a topic for this first post. I had intended to write a little about Oku no Hosomichi, which is, as you may know, a travelogue by poet Matsuo Basho. Even if you’re less familiar with classical Japanese literature, you will probably understand why from its English title, The Narrow Road to the Deep North. But instead, it may help to clarify where I am, in life, as I start this journey and where I hope to go. Basho would perhaps approve.
I came to this conclusion a couple of weeks ago when my fairly suspect health took a sudden dive. Actually, it was me who took the dive, by the side of the road, requiring the help of passersby and the staff of the medical center I had just visited. It was exactly as glamorous as it sounds. On the positive side, I did get to see firsthand how wonderfully generous people can be to strangers.
There is an element of ego involved in this choice, I admit. Hitting the gravel roadside was a definite low and I hope to chart a path of gradual recovery and progress toward my many aspirations in life. Yes, I love those stories too. Just for the record, it is still unclear what ails me. Apparently, I am going to be around for a while longer, although many days it really doesn’t feel that way. Seriously.
Why a blog?
I am a writer, editor and translator by trade and feel most focused working through ideas in text. Obviously, a lot of mental review goes on first but structured writing requires a level of clarity that helps me lock down my otherwise fairly random thought processes. But, note to self, I also want to maintain as much flow as possible with these posts. I am often overwhelmed with paralysis by analysis.
I have really felt the power of this approach while writing posts for the Sea Change site. In fact, many of the things I look at here will be based on material posted there, both by owner Leo Babauta and other members. Naturally, you don’t need to join Sea Change to put your thoughts down in words but I find its focus on topics such as habit building, meditation and minimalism to be quietly inspiring.
The other main area I would like to consider on Slow dude is navigating our increasingly noisy world as an introvert, particularly one who is also significantly shy. Hopefully this gives you some idea of what I want to achieve with the site. I certainly feel clearer. Things are likely to change over time, as they invariably do, but every journey must begin somewhere.
Post script
After writing the above, I started to think that maybe Slow dude would also be a good place to collect my other work. Over the years, I’ve created an enormous amount of content for both business and pleasure. However, most of it, or at least the part I own the rights to, is scattered to the four corners of the Internet, with some so old that I only have print copies. Yes, pre-Internet.
A lot of the personal work relates to my interest in nutrition and the two decades I spent living in Japan. There are also various commissioned pieces on topics ranging from whisky to the Japanese underwear industry to love hotels. It’s a mixed bag by any definition. The idea of having everything in one place gives me a good, solid feeling so stand by for the addition of archive sections.
Leave a Reply