Life does that sometimes - rushes in when we least expect it, snatching away something easily taken for granted, something held onto with clenched fists and closed eyes. I try not to slack off on Yellowtree, even during the more hectic seasons of life, and so it's usually this blog's consistency that suffers as a result.
On a brighter note, I've also been taking a brief break from this blog throughout the month of February to join two of my lovely friends, Patrick and Anne, in starting up our own collective blog entitled, Together at the Table. This blog doesn't really have a specific theme, only that it functions like an actual table - a place where people can come to write and dream and disagree and collaborate on their ideas of life and God and art and everything in between. The goal is to have a new post up each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I'm really excited for this blog, and the consistency it should provide, as well as the chance to write in a collaborative environment.
So far, I've written two posts for Together at the Table. My next one will be coming up on Friday, so make sure to subscribe to get the new ones straight to your inbox! Also make sure to check out Patrick and Anne's posts, as they're superb and incredibly talented writers.
"Meet Anthony"
My blog posts here will not be full of “I know” conclusions. They will play out less like end goal stopping points and more like breathless rest stops along the journey. For there is something comforting and reassuring about slowing down to gather at the table, to break bread and catch a glimpse of beloved community, whether that looks like classic Minnesota hot dish around a crowded apartment table, or an online conversation saturated in grace and humility. It’s in those moments when you look around, and you see the faces of those next to you, and you realize that we’re all still little children at heart, we’ve all got our dark spots grappling with the sunspots, and we’re all still trying to figure out how to best love others, ourselves, and God.
"Lessons from the Piano"
Maybe this is just me, but I tend to think there aren’t many areas where people naturally excel without effort. I’ve always loved to write, but I’ve only matured in the craft by writing pages and pages of crap before something even remotely good emerged from the rummage. Like a muscle being stretched and trained, it’s more about the dirty, daily, long-haul work of showing up versus some glamorous overnight switch. Learning to play the piano was a lot like that for me.
Seeing that I will be posting once a week on Together at the Table, my posting on The Inside Cardboard World will lessen. That being said, I still plan to post here at least twice a month, and will continue to use this site as the main source for Yellowtree updates and the like.
On that note, I am flying out tomorrow for the Re:Write Conference in Austin, Texas, and will return Sunday, the 1st. I applied for a scholarship back in January, and was notified in February that I had received one, which sent me rushing to figure out the logistics of airfare, lodging and travel. Needless to say, it all worked out in the end, and I am so very excited for this conference, focused largely on the shifting publishing industry, and how writers can best build their platforms, reach audiences, and practice innovation in their writing careers.
Expect a debriefing post to come toward the beginning of March. Until then - peace and love to you all, dear friends.
