Author and cartoonist Scott Adams colorfully describes one of the lamentable features of our current society as “two movies, one screen.”
The concept is that our reality has, for practical purposes, split into two. Everyone has access to the same information, but we self-divide into two groups, each coming to believe in a version of actual reality that is mutually exclusive of the other.
This isn’t “glass half-full / glass half-empty.” There, the essential truth remains the same: Both sides agree that 50% of the glass contains water. The significance of what that means is a matter of perspective, but the fundamental premise is not in dispute.
Once upon a time, that’s how politics often worked. Republicans might see a budget deficit and say, “let’s cut taxes and reduce spending (except on defense).” Democrats might see a budget deficit and say, “let’s raise taxes on the wealthy and increase spending (except on defense).”
In that kind of environment, compromise and finding common ground is more likely—or at least possible. Why? Because both sides are anchored in at least one fundamental idea that’s the same. Namely, that deficits are usually undesirable. It’s a shared premise.
I admit this is a peculiar example in 2018, since neither party apparently cares much about deficits anymore, but I digress.
Unfortunately, there are fewer and fewer shared premises from which we proceed. That affects how we process facts, not just how we assign significance to them. This phenomenon eventually creates an unbridgeable gap. We’re seeing that play out in a most dire way in the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation battle. Continue reading
It’s no secret that my grasp of March Madness slipped dramatically as I moved deeper and deeper into my 30s. Even a quick glance at my 
Gun-control proponents have even become aware of this pattern. A Facebook image I’ve seen a dozen times this week, shared mostly by my progressive friends, reflects recognition of this reality. Yet, the people posting it still don’t understand why this cycle persists.
My trusty Galaxy Note 4 had served me well for three years, but it was time for a change.
News flash: I’m not as prolific a blogger as I used to be.
I’m proud to say that I made it to The Last Jedi spoiler-free.
It’s safe to say that I’m a 
Best of 2018
Not to belabor the point, but: When I began this blog in 2011, I divided my attention between a part-time sportswriting gig and a mind-numbing “career” as a contract attorney. As I wound down my tenure at VirginiaPreps, this blog provided a much-needed outlet for (1) things I couldn’t write for that audience and (2) an almost therapeutic exercise necessitated by the insanity-inducing contract work, which utilized no creative energy whatsoever.
Now, I have a much different job. One that is not only time-consuming, but which also (thankfully) affords me a target at which I may focus those creative energies. I freely admit that the blog has necessarily suffered as a result.
But that’s no excuse. I still find tens of hours a month to watch movies or play Red Dead Redemption 2 or catch up on DVR-ed seasons of TV shows that I still watch for reasons that have as much to do with the sunk-cost fallacy as any genuine interest. On top of that, I also still find the time to generate a weekly column at Hogs Haven. Put simply, saying that I have “no time” to write for this blog simply isn’t true.
Because of that reality, here is my vow for 2019: Barring infirmity or an unforeseen change-of-circumstance (such as the total collapse of the American or global economy, just to pull an example out of thin air), I will create at least 24 pieces of original content for this blog. Minimum. They may not publish on a regular schedule, but I will average at least two per month for the year.
Part of the reason I don’t write more is that I usually reserve this blog for longer-form pieces that I know are time-consuming. That creates a self-imposed, mental barrier to entry. In other words, I may have a good idea for a piece, but I’ll think, “Ok, this needs to publish in the next 48 hours due to timeliness, but it will probably take six-to-eight hours to write and edit it.”
If that thought strikes me on, say, a Tuesday, I normally won’t end up writing the piece, because I won’t think I’ll have enough time to do so due to work and sleep requirements. If the thought strikes me on a Friday or Saturday, I’ll think that I would rather just take a break and watch a movie because of all the hard work I put in Monday through Friday. And so on.
It’s a cycle, and one I need to break. It really isn’t that hard to do. I just need to stop rationalizing.
That’s where I am heading into 2019. For now, I’ll highlight just a couple of things I wrote in 2018 that I liked a great deal:
In the Palm of God’s Hand (6/7) – My tribute to our recently-departed friend, Bacon. Six thousand words seems inadequate in some sense, but I do think this captures what he meant to my family.
An Embarrassment of Riches (12/27) – Speaking of tributes, I think this paean to Bruce Allen and Dan Snyder does the Redskins’ leadership duo justice. And then some. Via Hogs Haven.
That’s about it. I wrote some other stuff this year, but that’s a good sampling. As ever, I want to express my sincere thanks to anyone who took the time to read something I wrote this year or any other. And, again, I vow that I will hit that publication mark in 2019. Let’s check back in 365 days and see how I did.
Happy New Year!
Share this: