The Product of Too Much Thought: Indy Democrat Blog 2.0

Well, I guess it's time to start writing again.

For approximately 10 years, I wrote here (the blogosphere) daily at times...weekly at times about the trials and tribulations of politics in all its grandeur. I focused mostly on the local political scene, but I also talked national and international politics.

It was all great...with too many ellipses.

Then, it got old. It got to be a burden. I'd read a post and wouldn't feel a connection to it. It was the definition of wash, rinse and repeat. Politically, I felt old. I found myself in my early 40's feeling like an baseball player who had lost his fast ball. It didn't fulfill me any more the way it used to, and I felt as if I'd taken this blog's first version as far as I could go with it. Tired, frustrated, you name it. I hit delete and that blog is gone forever.

For the first few months, I didn't regret it. I no longer felt a burden to post, and I honestly didn't miss the politics. I still got to exercise my political muscles when I felt I needed to on social media. It worked. It's a lot easier to come up with an interesting social media post than a four or five paragraph blog post that is factually accurate and interesting.

Inevitably, I got the itch again, and I've been trying to scratch that blogging itch when it nags with this new iteration of the blog. Oftentimes, I start a post and then I don't finish it. I still don't feel that mojo yet. I haven't rekindled whatever it is that Jon Easter of 2008 felt.

Enter the pandemic.

As my friends know, I'm a loner. While it has been tough sacrificing trips to try new restaurants, I have become accustomed to quarantine life. I've had a chance to work on some of my cities on Cities Skylines. I've done some ancestry work. I've written some stories (that no one will ever see). I've also worked a lot on the day job of being a teacher.

What I think I've done the most is think. I like to turn off the lights in my house sometimes and listen to the silence and think. Recently, I've been thinking about my place in the world and what I want to do with my remainder of time on this earth rather it be long or short.

I don't know who that man will be in 10-15-20 years. I don't know what exactly I want to do when I retire, but I have to lead with my strong suit. I feel as if I am a good blogger. I feel as if I have some things to say, and I feel as if I want to say them again.

I don't know if this blog can ever be what it was, but I guess I'll never know if I don't start again. I know I won't be that happy-go-lucky "Pollyanna" type figure I was when I entered politics and immersed myself in it. Politics will make you cynical if you hang around it too long and get too deep into it. I don't want to get back there again.

What I do want to do is use this platform to discuss politics as I did before. They'll be my opinions. Hopefully, I'll get some scoops again, but I think I can enjoy this again if I keep my wits about me and practice proper social distancing from it when I feel burned out.

At long last, I'm back. Thank you to those of you who have stuck around.