FIRST TAKE: SECOND LOOK #1
Welcome to a new section of Compass Star Wordsmith
My concept here is multi-layered, much like life. In this 24/7 talking head environment, I get overwhelmed by too much too often. Often with no context or follow-up. And certainly no dedicated space to address grievances, remove feet from mouth, say I told you so, or sometimes, to just apologize for a mistake.Â
So this is that space for me. Call it a safe space (mock if you must). Here's a foot out of mouth moment I will start with. I mocked and ridiculed those calling for safe spaces. We can quibble about where and when and how, but at the end of the day, everyone needs a safe space.Â
I considered calling it First Glance/Upon Review, but I like what I call it now.Â
I created this one for the community I created here on Substack. Thanks for visiting, and I hope you feel like hanging out.
Ric
FIRST TAKE
When I created my Substack Platform, the delusions of grandeur were spectacularly swirling about, unrealistically feeding my ego.
More than a year on, and after three years of Covid & Crap, et al, the delusions have shifted topics and the grind of a weekly publication has settled in. Make no mistake, I love doing this and will continue for the rest of my life.
I have experimented with format, topic, theme, graphics. I have changed the name of my banner. Soon it will be audio, Callin, Rumble. I tested paid vs free content. I went all free.
The intention here is to keep all content free for at least the next six months. Should I decide to create a paywall, then I will look back at this new post as my first step in that direction.
For a guy so obsessed with organization, why am I so scatter-brained, especially at my desk. Those are all great ideas right there. Much like the sign in the photo that I chose for this section’s banner. It illustrates the trouble of too-much.
Post-its. Thought-trees. Flow-charts. Idea-Swimming. Dream-Shopping. Nah, I made up the last two. But they kinda sound like the rest. Just a bunch of little notes, random ideas, disconnected thoughts, neither collected nor collated.
This section will attempt to remedy that. Or at least store all of my confusion in one place. Chronologically.
My regular post will continue to drop on Fridays. My plan is to drop this later on Monday. My process is to wrestle the demons over the weekend and into Monday to grapple the theme of that weeks post from the jaws of overload.
The ideas could go any direction and may end up as a future post in any section. I will use this space to make announcements on collaborations and joint projects. I will also use this space to make announcements about my platform.
As usual, all emails are opt-out simply by adjusting the settings. If you are enjoying my posts, please show that support.
First Take:
I have come up with the greatest act of civil disobedience, especially for a convicted felon with a record and a desire not to be on the baton-side of Johnny Law.
We should all drive in the Carpool Lanes. No Fastpass. No extra person or driving-dummy. No empty carseat with a blanket over it. Just out in the open single driver in the carpool lane.
Fuck Authority! Johnny Law cannot stop and ticket all of us. But this has to be a combined sustained effort. Imagine the feeling of shaking off the bonds and shackles of repressive government overreach. Take back our freeways.
After all, the cost of Freeway is not always Free. That is injustice. It must change.
Stand with me. Or rather, drive alone alongside of me. Or behind me. But I will see you in the carpool lane. All alone and loving it.
Long live freedom,
Ric
I’ll close with this tease. Please check out this fellow artist here on Substack. His name is Nishant. He is a talented artist and content creator. His post inspired this new section. Enjoy.
Insider #25 - What I Learned from being a Substack Fellow
and how I think about this publication.
Nishant Jain