A few stalled attempts...

Our first assignment is to tell you, just as we told Josh: drift around for a few days, try out different random ideas until you find one that naturally generates a surge of words. If you’re feeling blocked, you might try one of these prompts we sometimes give to our seniors to simply to get you going. Any one (or none) will do:

• Stand at the threshold of your room and see if you spot some little thing that’s been there forever that you barely notice anymore, but you would never part with.
• What’s your favorite food? Least favorite? Why?
• Is there something that it would surprise your friends to know about you?
• If you have an unusual screen name, why did you pick it?
• Dare to go against the grain: tell us something you truly suck at.

See? We really do mean anything.

After a few explorations, Josh knew exactly what he wanted to write about and why. It was this “heavenly” little corner of Pennsylvania, where, the summer before he entered high school, thanks to the laid-back outlook of his cool cousin Alan, he’d finally gone out on his first date with a girl.

Your topic takes hold and expands. That’s good.
It means we don’t have to invoke the only rule we have.
DON’T COUNT WORDS!