There are only so many occasions to do a thing for the first time, and when you hit my age (as Tom Leher said, "When Mozart was my age, he'd been dead thirty years"), the number of available first-time activities is smaller than you might wish - some because you've already done them, and others because you no longer have the ability or chutzpa to try.
Thank God for the Net. It provides everyone, and in this case me, with a feast of new things to try. So here goes a blog. My first time. First words. Feels silly. The way I titled this entry is the way if feels to write these words, the way if felt as a kid up on the diving board, afraid to dive in and afraid not to, worried about the belly flop, worried about the laughs, but knowing that you were going to launch yourself with whatever grace you could muster.
So here's to first times. Thinking about people who started blogging a few years ago, without the excuse of a school exercise, reminds me of earlier thoughts about the first people to do other strange things - eat a lobster, try bungee-jumping, put a stud through your tongue.
But as soon as I press the enter key (or whatever other means this software has for posting an entry), the deed is done. Another first time. Feels good. Now if I can only stop feeling so self-counscious, maybe I'll be able to get back up on the diving board. Because a second time is almost as rare as the first.
8 comments:
Congratulations! You just created your first blog. Stop being self-conscious and get back up on the diving board and this time do some somersaults.
What a lovely first post. I have never considered the idea of "first times" and I think you articulated the feelings that many of us share when learning something new. It gives me a better perspective of what our students must be going through when they enter a classroom to study a subject that may be foreign to them. Regardless of your age it can be a challenge to take that first leap off of the "diving board."
Welcome, Ishmael! I enjoyed reading your first post and I am certainly looking foward to seeing your next! Thanks also for reminding me of Tom Lehrer - I guess I'll have some of his songs in my head all day now...
Yay-- other Tom Lehrer fans, the world's funniest mathematician. Want (a) "proof"? See this animation of his song New Math
I'm impressed and somewhat envious by the eloquence of your post. One reason I'd like to start blogging on a regular basis is to improve my writing. I know you are new to blogging, but do you write often in another format?
If this was your first blog - we are in for a treat. What great expression. So jump in, we're all here in the pool waving you in.
Honest, it gets much easier to 'dive' the more you're "up on the diving board."
Obviously, you like to write, so this should be a piece of cake for you. Soon, you'll be doing a twist, reverse, tuck, forward, perfect high dive. Ok, I'll stop the metaphors! :-)
I loved reading your first posting in your blog. I will keep checking back often to read more.
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