Today we are pushed to focus on the job at hand, focus on your passions and to focus on whatever someone is telling you to focus on. Now focus can be a good thing – it breeds attention to detail and is integral to a job done well. But there is a flip side to this. And on the flip side come the times we miss what is around us that can bring joy that we will never know. 

I think about how, as geeks, we like to focus on our fandoms and our preferences. I mean, it is through our preferences and fandoms that we interact with the world, and escape from it, too. But, we can miss so much. If you only listen to one style of music, you are missing out on something new that could bring you equal enjoyment. Or, if you only read one type of book or comic, you’re missing out on enriching your existence by exposing yourself to other genres and characters. It used to be that people were encouraged to explore outside of their experiences, but not so much now.

I think that’s why I love to travel by car. I get to see this country, or any other that I may be in, up close. I get to immerse myself in the backroads and side streets and mom and pop convenience stores. I get to see and experience real people. Being a writer, that is essential to me. It feels good to get off of the interstates and take the less travelled roads and learn more about people… and myself. So, I’m challenging you to listen to a different genre of music or an independent artist, take a different path home, or read something outside of your experience… it’s good for ya.