Posted 6/30/08 - Joshua

So at this moment I have writers block, and I have it really bad. Usually on Fridays I write at least two NASCAR posts. I do this as the cup teams practice and qualify. Today that just wasn’t working for me, so I broke my usual routine, grabbed my laptop and hit the road searching for inspiration.

Usually when this happens to me I end up at a cigar store or the local Starbucks and inject myself with coffee and nicotine and find inspiration. After two rather large iced mocha’s I wasn’t feeling it. After spending 50 bucks on cigars I still wasn’t feeling it. (On a side note don’t smoke cigars, they cost more then drugs.)

So I took what was left of my Government stimulus check and went out to get some new ink. As I write this I am getting two of my older tattoo’s touched up, a few new ones and some nice background pieces added to really complete my left shoulder. Ironically, about two weeks ago I tore my rotator cuff in that arm and this is the only thing that has really made me feel better.

So why would I share all of this with you? Well the point here is when you have writers block, and it will happen, don’t panic. We talked earlier about finding things to do to keep your sanity, but we sometimes also need to find things that help to inspire us. Even sports writers have to be creative, and sometimes it is hard to find that creativity.

I am sure my critics in the legitimate media will take this as another swipe at their profession. Well that is fine; I do whatever I need to do to write. I can write anywhere and in almost any situation, and to be more bluntly if the so called legitimate media were doing their job then I wouldn’t have mine.

I don’t let myself get trapped into what people think is normal or traditional. It would be my advice to all of you that do whatever works for you, write what you feel and success will follow.

Look at me getting tattooed as Metallica jams in the background; I am not exactly Walter Cronkite, or Michael Wilbon. Really that is the point. Sports bloggers are a new breed and we do things our way. This is called progress and every time I turn onto PTI on ESPN I hear Wilbon trashing my profession, when really he should be watching his own back cause one day soon one of us will have his job. That and the Washington Post will be out of business.


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