If you’ve stumbled across this corner of Gant News, you might be wondering what exactly you’ve gotten yourself into. Honestly? So am I.
When the boss gave me the official green light to write a bi-weekly column, a healthy dose of pure, unadulterated anxiety immediately set in. It’s one thing to pitch a grand idea in a meeting; it’s entirely different to sit down, stare at a blinking cursor, and realize you actually have to deliver something interesting.
The “experts” will tell you that to be a successful columnist, you have to find your “voice:” that distinct, authentic personality you bring to the page. It’s supposed to be the invisible bridge that connects a writer to a reader through a myriad of pixels and code.
Which brings me to the absolute dread of trying to name this thing. The name of a column is everything. Pick a dud, and you’re saddled with it forever. I spent days trying to overthink a title that sounded sufficiently clever, polished, and profound.
But let’s be real: trying to pretend I have it all together is utterly exhausting.
I’ve always been a semi-decent writer—it’s kinda been my thing. I’ll never be ranked among Hemingway, Poe, Twain, or Fitzgerald, but I can tell a good story if you feed me enough coffee. I certainly write better than I swim the butterfly. Don’t believe me? Pop into the pool some day when I’m making a determined, yet extremely rudimentary attempt at a butterfly set. At best, I look like a cross between a brain-damaged chicken and a bug that got squashed on your car windshield. At worst, I suck in half the pool, cough out my guts, and doggie-paddle the remaining length.
Nobody wants to read a columnist who comes across as a snooty, preachy know-it-all anyway. My sense of humor is a bit quirky, and my charm definitely has its limits. In a world absolutely obsessed with filters, algorithms, and simulated digital perfection, I’d rather just take a gamble on the truth.
I’m just me. I’m going to screw up. I’m going to write things that don’t always land, but I’d rather be messy and real than over-polished and fake.
And that is how I finally solved the naming dilemma. That’s the entire blueprint for this space. No pretension, no lectures, just a regular human being navigating the chaos of life with a bit of wit and a lot of honesty.
So here I am; fabulously flawed, slightly terrified, and ready to roll. Welcome to Unapologetically Me. Let’s see where this road takes us.
