Making Familiar Things New

The idea of bringing my blog back to life has been on my heart for the past few months.

I came across a quote today that kind of spurred me on in my quest to find inspiration. English author Samuel Johnson said, "The two most engaging powers of an author are to make new things familiar and familiar things new."

This statement, though not mind-boggling and life-altering, is the perfect response to my insecurities; it has turned my hesitation into action.

The reason I discontinued my blog in the first place was because I felt as if the excitement in my life had come to a screeching halt. When I was studying in Europe, I always had new experiences to share and stories to recount. I somehow felt like my daily whereabouts in the states paled in comparison. The truth is, writing is my outlet — and I was robbing myself of the opportunity to escape — if only for a moment — from the mundane happenings that I felt made up my life.

The essence of a good writer is making familiar life more interesting; to find the humor in common events; to find meaning where it may appear that there is none. My friends tease me for my constantly updated, often quirky Facebook status updates, but it only goes to show you that my brain is forever in "writer mode." Whereas most people would not constantly look for the irony in commercials and the utter ridiculousness of a comment made in the Wal-Mart checkout line, I thrive on these daily activities. I love to take day-to-day occurrences and ponder them. Talking about them with others and even gaining a few laughs keeps me sane and aids in processing daily life.

I can't promise that every blog entry will change your life. I can't promise that every blog entry will make you roll on the floor with laughter. I can promise honesty and a deep look into the idiosyncrasies that make me the Ashton you know (and hopefully) love. Hopefully, if you join me on this journey, I can — in some small way — make the familiar fabulous — and shine a new light on an old routine. All my love, Ashton