First Post

     I will run on the assumption that a first post should, for all intents and purposes, explain what the overall plan is for this blog. I hope the descriptor at the top of the page is enough to have brought you this far. If so, I might as well properly introduce myself. 

     My name really is Von and I really am a trucker. I drive for a long haul trucking company and travel all across the continental United States. I am a record collector and a recovering musician. I also collect stories. Stories behind stories, music, film, art, sports, you name it. I find people and characters fascinating. All of this, hopefully will factor into the creation of this ongoing project.

     Which brings us to what I hope this blog will entail. Years ago, a writing professor named Juanita Smart told me that writing is a journey of discovery. Sharing this, here, is me inviting you, the reader to accompany me on this journey. My intent will be to share thoughts and reflections on numerous subjects that wind their way through our pop culture with the purpose of sparking meaningful dialogue.

     This year of 2016 is a Presidential election year,  Not only that, it's also one of the most interesting elections this country has seen in decades. We could very well see two political outsiders vying for the highest office in the land. Things are tense and the topics contentious. They hit both sides right in the gut and cause knee jerk reactions. As uncomfortable as these topics are, they do require calm meaningful dialogue in order to make sense.  

     Let's just step aside and define "meaningful dialogue" real quick: If you read anything I write, here, and the most eloquent thing you can come up with is "fuck you"...that is not meaningful dialogue.

     Along with trying to spark meaningful dialogue, I will share stories of my travels across this great land, music that I enjoy (it might not always be music you know, but it will be music you should know),* literature, films, art, etc...

     There will be stories, too, some true stories and some random acts of fiction, poetry, and odd musings that come from fits of insomnia or creativity (sometimes simultaneously). Occasionally, I'll share play lists and (when possible) the occasional "mix tape."

     I should give a reason for doing this, there is one main reason, a few years back, my friend Jennie from St. Louis suggested that I should share some of my stories, which I have on occasion on a Facebook page. More recently, My friend Leo, suggested that I should start a blog, which is how I wound up, here, at 03:00 est, writing this intro and hoping I'll be able to put my money where my mouth is. 

     As for the name, well, those that know me know that this name makes sense given current circumstances. However, there is more to this as well. This name already has some exposure from a few phone calls that I made over the past few months to The Goddamn Dave Hill Show on WFMU.  Why waste a name with that kind of exposure, right?

     

     With that I will leave you with my favourite closing words by the late Dave Allen: "Good night and may your god go with you."

*Quick acknowledgement to Danny O'Nitrous for that phrase.