I wish I was like you, easily amused

In the last post I alluded to my new dream job, an op-ed columnist. Screw law school and a cushy job at a huge firm. Who wants to do that anyway? On second thought, maybe not an op-ed columnist. You’re basically stuck writing about political issues. At least that’s all you find in The New York Times or The Washington Post op-ed sections. Instead, I think the perfect job would be as one of those writers that gets the back page column at a big magazine. Like Rick Reilly’s old column for Sports Illustrated. Only I would want to write on whatever topic I felt like that week, not just sports. I guess those people are called “lifestyle writers.” I think the back page in a magazine like New York or Vanity Fair sounds about right. Then I could also write a blog on their website and then freelance pieces for other big mags like The Atlantic or National Review. That would be an amazing job. Write about whatever you want and get paid for it.

Two reasons for the career path change. First, it comes out of the passing of William F. Buckley, editor and owner of National Review. He was a titan. He is the reason the conservative movement has dominated the American political landscape for the last 40 years or so. Well, dominated it until George W. Bush came through and destroyed it. He moved political discourse with his writing like no one has or ever will again. Not only were his ideas incredibly well-thought out, there was a lyricism to his writing that is so often neglected in the cut and dry world of political writing. Though I disagreed with most of his ideology, reading his essays make me almost want to embrace his beliefs.

After reading the many pieces on Buckley since his passing by great writers from all parts of the political spectrum, I think I started to fully grasp the importance of this man. The power his words held was absolutely awesome. Think Barack Obama’s “Yes We Can Speech” after the New Hampshire Primary or Reagan’s “A Time For Choosing” at the 1964 Republican National Convention. Buckley would give you that feeling, only he’d do it without tone or cadence, just words. That’s a quality that I lack and envy. If I had even a tenth of his ability, I’d be on the back page of Vanity Fair. He is undeniably one of the biggest inspirations to two generations of columnists and reporters.

Second, my friend Tina and I have been sending pieces back and forth to read with the express purpose of marveling at the lyricism that prose can elicit. It’s a powerful thing. If you had that ability wouldn’t you want to write for a living? There’s also the added perk that you work whenever you want. The rest of your time is spent reading, sleeping, skiing, traveling. Whatever you want. I really don’t think it gets much better than that.

Now, if someone could give me some talent, I can be right on my way.

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At work, if I don’t have anything to do, I sit on the Internet and read. I read news. I read blogs. I read columns. I read stuff that people send me. As I mentioned already, Tina and I have been sending pieces back and forth. At one point she sent me the obituary for Anais Nin’s lover. I got halfway through and griped something about her being a huge slut for having two husbands. At the same time. Unaware of each other. She shot back “APPRECIATE THE PROSE!” to me. So I shut up and finished the piece. I appreciated the prose. It’s something we preface pieces with now if we think they are especially notable. In that vein, I’m starting a new thing here. If I happen to read something I really like, I’m gonna share it so you, too, can appreciate the prose. So here are a few pieces to get this going.

Appreciate the prose:

Obituary for Rupert Pole, writer Anais Nin’s lover.

Rembering the Mentor, a piece on William F. Buckley by David Brooks.

I Just Wanted You To Comfort Me, When I Called You Late Last Night You See…, a post from local D.C. blogger Velvet in Dupont. If you’ve ever been in a relationship, you know exactly what she’s talking about.