Friday Writing Response for August 14, 2009

I had originally intended to write something new for this week, but the words proved harder to find. I tried to write about Star Wars, but found that the words reminded me of the essay I wrote back in high school. While they still remain as true today as they did when I was 17, as a writer, I wanted to go with something new and fresh.

So, instead, I give you this little snippet from my writing practice, about musician Andrew McMahon. He's the frontman of Jack's Mannequin and Something Corporate, and aside from being a huge fan of his music, he's a really nice guy and I take a lot of inspiration from him. He fought leukemia and won. His lyrics are profound and amazing and I wish I could write half as well as he could.

Fangirling aside, he's one of my heroes. Here's some of the reasons why.


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If I am to name one man as my hero, it would be Andrew McMahon, not only for his music but for who he is and what he's done. He's three years older than me, 26, same age as Josh. When his music comes out, it speaks of things going on in my life now, even though he lives in an entirely different world than me. And he's a cancer survivor, diagnosed with leukemia the day he finished recording Jack's Mannequin's debut album, Everything in Transit. He's a fighter and an artist, an activist, and everything in between.

Everything in Transit, is, simply put, the album that describes my life. Granted, it speaks of drug use and other moments that don't apply to me, but the overall feeling of the album does. On one level it's a breakup album, detailing how he processed losing a long-term relationship. On another it's a transition record, adapting to the end of one phase in life and learning to start another.

That's the aspect of the record that still speaks to me, even though it came out four years ago this summer. I hear different things now than when it first came out. "I'm Ready" is a good example. Thinking it was a good song but not his best, I usually bypassed it in favor of more melodic tracks like "Bruised" and "Dark Blue."

"I'm Ready" speaks of a life at a crossroads, not knowing where to go next. And that is exactly where I am right now, and I'm not sure when I realized it. "My life is a boring pop song and everyone is singing along" became an anthem for me. I was determined to believe that I am ready for this next phase of life, that I can take this next step. Now, when that song comes on my iPod, I never turn it off.