Saturday, July 15, 2006

Hiattus or the Hiccups?

It's been a while since my last post, and a while longer since I'd posted before that. I wanted to write something to address why, as I've been getting a few questions about "what happened?"

I've been easing into a new job over the past months. It's a job that has much more substance, and takes a fair amount more time, than what I've been doing previously. It's also a job that allows me to engage in issues of international relations much more than other jobs I could have.

If there is a reason I haven't been writing much lately, then, it is actually two-fold.

First, the job has me working quite a bit. The opportunity to take a 20 minute (or hour-long) break in the middle of the day to put my thoughts into writing isn't often available.

Second, and possibly more significantly, I'm reacting to what goes on in the world differently than I'm used to reacting. I've been in DC for just over a year now. I get innundated with the political vituperation that counts as discourse in our country. And if anyone needed incentive to be turned off to the political process our governmental policies are subject to, that is a big one. A bigger one, though, is working where I work. Because so many of the people who work around me eschew that system and push for policies and actions that might actually make a difference, though there may not be a vote to be gained (or lost) by following through.

A person would be exceptionally fortunate to work around people who were as smart, as dedicated to their work, and less egocentric than those with whom I have the priviledge of working near. Whether its in the air, or something I've picked up on, I find it hard to sit on the outside and simply "lob bombs" at the present system without finding something that would be a viable and improved alternative.

I've also become aware that one of the best ways to kill an alternative to the present system is to bring it to the light of day before there is a constituency for it within the existing system. (This is true of any large, complex bureaucracy.) Any change or alteration will find opposition from those with interests in keeping a system the same.

Those are the two big reasons I haven't been writing much lately. Because I haven't had a lot of time to put thoughts into writing, and when I have had thoughts I want to put into writing, I've been apprehensive about doing so.

I'm going to try to keep up with a post or two a week for the next while, as I start my new job, but not sure how well I'm going to be able to keep it up.

Just to be clear though: I am still alive--Barrister. I'm still having fun. And I'm enjoying life inside the beltway. Please keep sending me thoughts and articles though. It's good to see what Real America is writing and thinking about, because the beltway is kind of like a cloister: it spends a lot of time on internal issues and politicing, and sometimes forgets to address the issues that are actually significant beyond its own walls.

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