Scott Burtness's Blog: Scott's Thoughts, page 9

If I knew then...

I don't think my late teens to early 20's were that unusual. But then again, maybe they were.

I spent almost 5 years flunking out of the U of MN- Twin Cities. I worked multiple part-time jobs to afford tuition and took a full load of classes every quarter. At least, I registered and paid for the classes. I can't really say with any conviction that I did much more than that. Looking back, I'm still astounded by the amount of time, energy and money I burned through, especially when I feel like I only accomplished one noteworthy achievement in those 4 1/2 years: a really sweet behind-the-leg hacky sack stall on the instep of my left foot, followed by a light toss and tap up to my forehead, then a light drop to the back of my neck, and finally a half-twist and an outstep kick to send the hacky sack over my head and back into the circle...

OK. Let's pause for a moment. Even if that was the only really significant accomplishment spanning a 4 1/2 year stint at a great big university, you have to admit it's pretty frickin' sweet.

Anyway, all through those college years, I was a night owl. I'd roll out of bed around 10 or 11am, and crawl back into the covers usually around 3 or 4am the next morning. I don't think I saw a single sunrise between the ages of 17 and 30.

This morning, I was up at 5am like I usually am. First, I headed to the gym for a workout. When I got home, I had coffee and a light breakfast with my wife and then we grabbed the dog and headed to the Mill Ruins and Stone Arch Bridge by the Mississippi River. We were walking the dog by quarter to 8am on an absolutely beautiful morning.

Now here's when the magic happens...

At 8am on Saturday morning, the Mill City Farmers Market opens up. Frank (our pitty) loves the market, so we toodled through, grabbed a coffee and a fresh-baked chocolate croissant, and sat on the steps of the Guthrie Theater looking over the Stone Arch Bridge. (Google it - you'll find plenty of pictures). The morning was cool, slightly overcast, and smelled of ozone from the night's rain and fresh-cut vegetables and flowers.

By 8:30am I had already had an absolutely amazing day.

I wonder sometimes what made me such a moody little slacker when I was a teen/20-something. I wonder why I was always at work on time so I could afford tuition, but never went to class. I wonder why the idea of getting up before the sunrise and drinking in the start of a new day was such an abhorrent idea. Would things have been different back then if I'd been a morning person?

I'll never know the answer to that question. But I do know this:

Youth really is wasted on the young... And so are mornings.

So far, so good

My goal with this blog was to make sure it isn't helpful to authors at all.

So far, I think it's going really well.