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Wed, Sep 10, 2025

4:07pm EDT

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From My Mind to....

by JACE

Rated: GC · Book · Personal · #1503918

A blog of no uncertain musings. What goes on in my mind is often a source of wonder to me.

My mind and my life are wonderous things ... as are yours, I'm sure. I have more slips of paper and pages of notebooks with musings and thoughts than I really know what to do with. Someone, actually several someones, have suggested I start a blog ... or a journal as a means of focusing some of this mental energy.

To be honest, I don't even know what the difference between a 'journal' and 'blog' is--or if there even is a difference. Read on, my friends, and you can judge for yourself whether it even matters.

And so....

Me on top of Mount Desert Island, Acadia National Park, off the coast of Maine

I'm JACE. Yep ... that's me! And somewhere in all my writings my last name may be posted. But I'll just leave it at Jace for right now. I'm 70 years old and heading full tilt to 71. It's strange that while I'm going through some rather serious medical issues, I still consider myself to be in the prime of my life--pretty good shape physically AND mentally, though I don't run for competition anymore

. I love to ... dang, if I put this stuff here, I won't have anything for my blog.

Guess you just have to be patient until such stuff leaks out.

Perhaps 2025, having embraced my retirement, will see more participation in my journaling efforts.

Well, one can hope....

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

StephBee

Sep 7, 2025 at 12:49pm
In response to "How I Got Here"

Thanks for sharing your journey, Jace! I'd been a writer before I entered the Army, but didn't really use any of those skills until I became a Staff Sergeant and deployed to Hungary. It's amazing how that creative writing class really touched your life. I think we've all had similar pivot moments.

Sum1

Sep 7, 2025 at 11:59am
In response to "How I Got Here"

In the Navy, and the field I was in, the manuals had detailed steps. I remember one time we were going to discharge Reactor Coolant to an external holding tank. The manual said to open the valve 1/4 turn to begin the flow. Of course we had done a valve lineup first to make sure it would go to the holding tank and no where else. I got in a little bit of trouble a couple of days earlier because I wasn't aware that opening a specific valve would discharge fluid. You can bet that I learned that system inside and out. This way, when we opened or closed any valve, I knew what would happen. I should have known that mucxh earlier.

That kind of knowledge came in handy during my second shore tour. I was on leave when a boat's crew came to Trident Training Facility (where I was stationed) to perform what was called a 'cross crew' event. I never did learn what happened, or how it happened, but the tongue of a fairly large circuit breaker (it could carry 2000 amps max) was slightly bent. Since I was the Master Instructor for the class that was used in, I was tasked with replacing the inner workings. As I started to do it, a step in the procedure directed the technician (me) to perform a step. If that had been done, the technician would have had his hand crushed and likely lost it. I ended up writing a 33 page report (1987, still no computers to write this on) that was sent to NAVSEA and implemented in its entirety as a change to the manual. That was probably the most shining moment in my career.

JACE

Sep 7, 2025 at 11:47am
In response to "How I Got Here"

Sum1

- That was a good friend. And I do wish I still had some of the first stories I ever wrote. Then again, I might cry after re-reading some of those efforts.

Stik to My Own Beat

- Very interesting take on the tech writing. My biggest problem when writing SOPs was wanting to explain things instead of just telling subordinates to do what needed to be done. That was always a struggle.

Stik to My Own Beat

Sep 7, 2025 at 11:31am
In response to "How I Got Here"

Your mentioning of writing SOPs and orders reminds me of the tech writing course I took during my college years. I loved that class! While I did more creative writing work in my youth, that tech writing course has stuck with me for a long time. It was the first place where I learned to not assume intelligence levels when writing things like instructions. Working in tech has reinforced this lesson, but having that initial exposure in college has made navigating this frustrating reality a little easier.

Sum1

Sep 7, 2025 at 11:29am
In response to "How I Got Here"

I took a Creative Writing Class in the 10th grade. Like you, I had to take an English Class that year, and chose that one. Back then (1970) we didn't have computers, so everything was hand written. I remember having to write a story of a certain length. I managed to get it written, but dang if I know where it is today. That was my first start at writing, but it was put far back on the back burner until about 30 years ago. A friend who had read some of my stories said I needed more exposure, and sent me the link to WDC. And here I am....

JACE

Sep 6, 2025 at 4:29pm
In response to "Travel Bucket List"

iKïyå§ama-Happy 25th!

- God willing, I'm on the road again. Seriously, we schedule one major trip per year, three or four out of state, and numerous day or overnight trip within the state. We want no regrets for missing out.

Sum1

- Actually, I agree with you about Chicago. I keep pushing that destination down the list. You need a travel bucket list of your own to go along with your new ride.

Who knows, maybe one day you guys will be traveling in your van, stopping at a rest area in some distant state, and we'll be there. That actually happened to me once: seeing an old friend from many years before at a rest stop in a state neither of us was from. What a shock!

Sum1

Sep 6, 2025 at 3:19pm
In response to "Travel Bucket List"

Wow, once again, we are in agreement on places on our bucket list! I could put a heart of agreement on your entire list, except #9, Chicago. No thank you, you can have it. I lived in the suburbs for 15 years. If you ask me, the people of Chicago can be very rude, and seem to drive with the idea that 'you are not going ahead of me'. If you drive there, don't hit your turn signal for a lane change until you start to move. Otherwise they will move up to block you so you can't get in. Courtesy or being polite on the road? Forget it, it doesn't exist there.

I too want to get to the Crater Of Diamonds State Park for the same reasons. Maybe with this new van we'll get there!

Kathy retired well before I did, she's gotten very used to remaining home all the time. I do mean ALL. THE. TIME. I have a hard time getting her out of the house! A little bit of work there for me.

This comment is attached to a private entry, so it is not available.

iKïyå§ama-Happy 25th!

Sep 4, 2025 at 1:30pm
In response to "Travel Bucket List"

This pretty much says 'I want to see all of America before I kick the bucket!'

And they're all do-able too, so here's to you accomplishing most of them eventually.
Thanks for sharing!

Legerdemain

Sep 3, 2025 at 11:28am
In response to "Music of my Life"

I had no idea he was original musician...thanks for this!

September 7, 2025 at 10:10am

#1096854

How I Got Here

An essay in response to a prompt, General Merit Badges-#1, for "Earn the Badge - Open"

My writing journey didn't start when I learned my first letters. It didn't startwith the papers I had to write in school. It certainly didn't start from all the adventures I had with my friends.

It started when I was dragged kicking and screaming into an English class that I required to graduate--one that had been overlooked during each of my four years of college, possible because of the numerous academic advisors over four disciplines because I changed majors a number of times. Well, they caught that oversight about three weeks from graduation.

I didn't walk that stage.

Of course, by the time I was told about the snafu, all available English summer courses were filled. I would have to come back in the Fall. I decided to work and earn some extra money for my final semester, which turned out to be the Spring semester.

That creative writing course, which satisfied my English requirement, turned me onto writing. That's where my love for writing and reading essays happened. I learned about the four major types of essays--argumentative, expository, narrative (or personal), and descriptive. There are many variations, of course.

I went into the US Army straight from graduation, and learned a lot of writing operations orders and standing operating procedures (SOPs). Though my personal writing journey was tamped down, I could effectively communicate through the written word. Even as I started and grew my woodworking business after the army, writing was more of a by-product.

But as my business became established, I was able to begin writing about things that interested me. The stories were there; but where was I to post them? In the early days of the internet, there were few sites for my work. Sites came, and sites disappeared. I wish I knew what I was doing when WDC first appeared. It took me eight years to discover Writing.Com

I wonder, can a person have a regret over not doing something he never knew existed? I do wish I'd found WDC earlier. But, I do what I can do now. And to those joining now, I say--better now than never. Welcome aboard!

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