I sort of fell into my career as a Realtor. I wanted to buy a home so I got my real estate license. That way I could get paid to buy the house I was buying. Twenty-plus years later I’m still selling houses, just for other folks. Having done that for so long, I realized something. I’m really not a Realtor. What I am is a full time psychologist who sells homes every now and then. Even so, being a realtor wasn’t my dream, I wanted to be a writer, a humorist writer to be specific. I’m not sure why I have to keep reminding people that humor is what these articles are about though. I had a plan, but what I didn’t have was the skill set. So I surrounded myself with people that could help me accomplish my dream. I needed an editor, and I found one. She has been wonderful in helping me, but this month marks 22 months I’ve been writing for several major newspapers and she’s losing her patience. Just last week she sent me a link to an on-line class on basic writing techniques. Back in July, she said if I don’t figure out the correct usage of your, you’re, there, they’re, their, its and it’s she was going to reach through the phone a strangle something out of me (specifics which I can’t mention in this family friendly paper). Other actual comments over the last year from her include: Omg. Basic writing skills Greg! How did you get this gig? Do you want me to re-write the whole article so it makes sense? She’s even gone as far as to say ,”You do know you’re just a “Wordsmith”. Thinking it was a compliment I thanked her before I looked up the definition of wordsmith. Webster’s dictionary describes it as one who makes up crap on the spot. If she wasn’t my cousin I would probably fire her for her obvious disrespect of my creative writing skills. I reminded her that I have a combined reader base of over 100,000 people. She responded that she just saw a 10 second video of a dog licking itself that had over 5 million views so until I reach a few more followers I should probably stop being a bone head and listen to her.
Greg Rosen is a humorist writer for the Pamplin Group newspapers and the Hoodview news. If you like what you see please share.