"If you can do a half-assed job of anything, you're a one-eyed man in a kingdom of the blind." - Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
If I think of myself as a writer, and I do, then the man who lit the wick, who sparked the spark was Kurt Vonnegut. My English teacher in Junior year of High School had the class read a short story from Vonnegut's collection, "Welcome to the Monkey House." It was a revelation. I had finally found the Oracle, the secret of the universe.
I devoured everything I could find: Breakfast of Champions, God Bless You Mr. Rosewater, Sirens of Titan, Player Piano, Slaughterhouse Five, Cat's Cradle...
These were the standouts for me, but everything he wrote was informed with style, wisdom and sly wit. Thank you Mr. Vonnegut...
Oh yeah, the secret I discovered in the pages of his books - even in the darkest, bleakest moments of life: the universe laughs...it's a mad, silly, life-affirming, death defying, laugh, it rings out...you can hear it even now. Love and Peace Mr. Vonnegut.