ANDREW'S WINDOW

I love Andrew Osenga's blog. If for no other reason, it makes me feel less crazy - crazy in that no-one's-life-is-like-yours kind of way. It can be a bit isolating having such an unusual job, my experiences day to day are in many ways not at all like a "normal" person's. My life's generally too easy, I think. I feel a little guilty about that sometimes when I'm standing on a stage somewhere, like in Delaware tonight, doing something I love, playing music for people. People who sometimes even pay money to see me work.

People pay money to watch me do my job. What?

That's too good a life for me.

And Andrew, better than any artist I've run across on the web, is skilled at talking about the normal day-to-day and frustrating and hard and worrisome aspects of this way-too-good life of ours (as well as the good parts) without sounding like a whiner, without making cubicle dwellers everywhere flip off their computer screens in disgust and torch every one of his CDs they own.

Hard to explain, but basically, I like this guy and his way with words. He opens a window every day into his life and I see my life reflected back: Soft rock star. Frustrated writer. Husband who knows he married out of his league. Father of a little person he hates to leave and loves more than seems possible. Musician trying to be himself, hear God, communicate God, remain creative, stay productive, be a good friend and family man and somehow make a living.

That's my life too. I'm just not as good at opening that window. Unlike Andrew, I have a hard time talking about my life without feeling as if I sound presumptive and egotistical. I mean, I'd be scared to write out my life story like he has for fear of someone thinking - Why does this guy think I care? But Andrew's able to write in a way that makes me care. Is it just me? And through his blog I've gotten to know him, or at least I feel like I have. We don't hang out but, on his blog, we kinda do.

Anyway, I liked reading about his life. Check it out. And, at the risk of sounding presumptuous and egotistical, maybe I'll write out my own story sometime too. Maybe you'll see your own life reflected back and feel a little less crazy.