Hi. My name is Mike. I’m a 39 year old construction worker. I like to write when I have the time. Some people have seen some merit in my writing, and have encouraged me to create this blog in order to reach a larger audience. So here it is, for Zen, Redwick, Jaera, Chris, Nicky, Chuck, Jessica, Sarabeth, Lynda, and all my other friends and family. Especially my wife. If no one ever checks this site besides you guys and gals, I’m mighty fine with that.
I have a wonderful wife and three awesome kids. We’ve been blessed by God in many ways, and He has also deemed us worthy of many challenges. My oldest son has autism. I’ve already had a triple bypass surgery. Construction was not my first career choice and, like many, we have often struggled. I remember six years ago, when my old career crumbled to dust around my feet, our first child was born in September. The only Christmas gift we could afford was an Eyeore doll from the Walmart bargain bin. We didn’t, couldn’t, buy each other gifts.
It was a hard year.
Since then I’ve struggled to reinvent myself. To some degree I’ve succeeded, since I’m drawing a paycheck and supporting my family, if barely.
Throughout it all, I wrote. In the good times, in the bad, writing has always been my primary expressive outlet. I began this journey when my age was still in the single digits. No doubt it will end only when I breathe my last.
As some of you may understand: I Have to Write.
It’s not optional. Sometimes it’s poetry, other times fiction. Actual paper notebooks, Internet message board posts, political rants (I’ll try to spare you from those) or monologuical musings on Facebook: in one form or another I will put my thoughts out there. Sometimes for an audience, sometimes just for myself.
I’ve always thought writers have to be a bit ego-centric. We believe our ideas have merit, that written down they have worth.
One part of me is just as wrapped up in that bullshit as any other writer, and the other half realizes how silly it is to think that me, Michael ‘Pika’ McLarty, has anything to sell you from his basket of vocabular tricks that you haven’t already seen a dozen times, only shinier.
Ego vs. Self Depreciation. I suppose that’s a battle all writers face. I’m certainly no exception.
So anyhow, enough of all this. I hope you find something in my writings that makes your day a bit better, if only for the moment. That’s really the best any writer can hope for.
Rock On,
Mike ‘Pika’ McLarty