Wild Bill’s New Plan: That Other Week-Old Challenge Just Didn’t Feel Right

Poor William helping sandbag the weir on the Sunflower River in Clarksdale. Photo by The Delta Bohemian

By POOR WILLIAM

Poor William, with his manic self, has bitten off more challenge than he can chew, and the boy can chew. Damn, he really thought this round of goal setting might work. It didn’t! Some folks don’t respond with resounding success to goals overly defined, and Poor William “are” one.

Bohemians do not need too many restrictions—external or self-imposed. It just really messes with their ability to be creative and happy, two very important adjectives in the Bohemian arsenal. Creative and Happy? Luxuries only non-luxury-focused folks can enjoy. That last sentence sounds like a title for a Pontificus Minimus article.

Being Poor William too often means imbalance. He must strive to balance structure and freedom at all times. Too much structure, the poor lad withers; too little structure, he flounders on the Sea of Too Many Choices.

The purposeful and able adventurer, Dave Cornthwaite, recently inspired Poor William to challenge his fat self to become “more,” or less in his case. He responded to Cornthwaite’s own challenge, which has him setting multiple world records by undertaking 25 journeys of at least a 1,000 miles in length, all done without any form of motorized transportation. Poor William’s response? The gutsy, rugged individualist aspirant, formulated his own challenge worthy of that fellow who went to the South Pole, somewhere below New Orleans.

Now, Poor William ain’t trying to make too damn many excuses, but he got one or two, he does. His able and noble compadre, Mr. Lil John, and Magical Madge, his bride of mythic proportions, were incredibly (that means “very”) encouraging to Poor William when he shared his plan, his original challenge, his supposed-to-be apotheosis. However, they did share concern that the Often-Manic One might be a bit disappointed if he couldn’t achieve all of his blustery intentions.

Sigh! They was right and he were wrong! But they were sweet about it. To have such good friends who always tell you the truth, but also never judge you harshly or even much at all, is about the finest relational present one could receive.

Writing, making love, not eating too late at night, working out, and reading a lot of scripture—he ain’t real used to that lately–were all focal points of Poor William’s original challenge–the one that almost broke him down. The one he is compelled to modify for the betterment of mankind, being the philanthropist he is.

The Plan:

1. Do something physical every day, something strenuous, even if just for 10-20 minutes.
2. Slow down the grocery consumption after dinner.
3. Do something mental every day; I know, I am mental. Learn something on purpose, write something, read a lot.
4. Do something emotional every day—stoke and stroke the passion; connect with someone.
5. Do something spiritual every day—pray, meditate, and read the Bible some.

That’s it! We will see! I am tired just doing all this planning! pw

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