A to Z Challenge Theme Reveal: Unfinished Business

Last night, I was late to kickoff.

Of no fault of my own, mind you. Our schedule set kickoff against the team we’d consider our biggest rivals – if we could beat them, that is. We set off to arrive at 5:15 for a 6 p.m. kickoff on the lush grounds of Gray Stone Day School.

Only, the game was to start at 4:30.

I let Gaby the reborn Pontiac Grand-Am take the country roads between us and them with patience and grace, not willing to imperil myself, my daughter or her teammate – or Gaby, really – because of a “miscommunication.” We’d get there in time.

We’d have a minimal warm up, with an injury-depleted lineup – and we’d take our conference powerhouse to the 72^nd minute before surrendering that fatal ninth goal, the one that the state has set as the standard for a regular-issue mercy-rule victory.

A 9-0 thumping, it turns out, goes down easier when you chase it with a two-piece chicken meal and biscuit with teammates afterward.

Unfinished business: My A to Z Challenge theme

We have unfinished business with Gray Stone. They’re our opponent on Senior Day. We’ll be damned if we’ll get mercy-ruled that day. My band of miscreants is vowing enough. Unfinished business, then, is also the theme for another kickoff for which I’m late.

It’s the A to Z Challenge, a month-long trudge to post every day (but Sundays) in April. It’ll be my third year. It’s a great chance for me to clean out my ideas box, pick the prompts that I’ve neglected long enough. Unfinished business.

I’ve discovered blogs I’d never have found otherwise, thanks to this challenge. Made friends with writers who are still around, popping in for comments or tossing a six-words sentence my way. Some even find their way into the guest-post game with me.

If you’re a writer, will you consider joining us?

You’ll hear a ton about it anyway, so you might as well get in on it. We’ll be persistent as bill collectors and common as busted NCAA brackets. You’ll see us bend the bounds of reason when it comes to the letters Q, X, and Z.

I’ll thank you in advance for coming here during the month. I have a variety of topics to hit, from dream sundaes to more thoughts on compassion. I’m less lonely, more whole when I write, and you’re to thank for being part of it. Gracias.