Pretty Good. Pretty Good.

Rule #1 – you become a better writer by writing. I’ve written a lot since college, a lot more than I suspected I would after losing most of my confidence in senior English as the whuppin’ boy for Gracie Sullivan. She caused me to stop reading novels. I didn’t read a novel after high school until Xmas vacation in my senior year at Brandeis.

I did, for some strange reason, join the school newspaper, and I started writing if not reading. In addition to writing regularly, I did a lot of editing – I know I’m a better editor than a writer, partly because I get so much practice editing my own stuff.

I get a lot of compliments from the BABI crowd on this blog. I used to get a lot of compliments from the PEFA boys when I published for about 15 years the weekly PEFANews (well, weekly during the fantasy football season). Compared to most people, I’ve had a lot of practice writing, and I’ve gotten fairly good at it.

Good at it in the way I’m a pretty good singer. Yeah, I sing a little. I was in the college choir in those years long ago when I could squeeze out a high G (those were the days). And when I have an opportunity to sing, I get a lot of compliments.

What I really get are compliments from musically challenged people. Good singers know better. Hell, I know better. Good ear, not so good voice. I’m better than the clowns who really are clowns on American Idol. But I’m not as good as the singers who make it into the top 24*, and I’m not as good as most of the singers on Idol who sound pretty good during Hollywood week, and you’re surprised when they kick them out. I’m good if you don’t know any better.

*I’m probably as good as Sanjaya. And I used to have hair as long as his.

I think that’s the kind of writer I am. I’m practiced, and pretty funny, but not great. Good enough if the price is FREE.

I forget that sometimes. And then I read someone like Joe Posnanski, who has way more practice and he also has way more talent. Kind of like the big slugger in the slow pitch softball league watching Al Pujols lash a double. The big slugger looks pretty good when everyone is pulling a beer out of the ice tub after the game, but he’s not Good.

Joe is Good.

There is a link on the left to his blog. There is another link to his columns at the Kansas City Star. Everyone should spend some time with Joe. That is real writing.

I’ve killed some time today reading Joe’s blog. Hey, anything except real work!

There is this beautiful piece about Stan Musial.

And this hilarious piece about the longest day in his life.

And this tribute to Evel Knievel after he died.

OK, back to work. And my next piece will be our analysis of the 2009 keeper list of the Cartel.

Sigh.