Diminishing Returns

Somewhat of a prophetic title for today's post (or is it pathetic?)  I spent far too many hours working on a post this past weekend, thinking about the topic, researching, finding the right pictures, figuring out just how I wanted to say it, writing and then rewriting because it just wasn't coming out like I wanted.  But it never really set up- kind of like liquid jello that just wouldn't solidify-  sure, you can eat it, well- drink it, but it isn't what you had planned.

So the whole post soured on me and I started to get very frustrated.  

I supposed it would be somewhat interesting even if I had posted it, but it wasn't interesting to me. While telling my stories, ranting a bit, sometimes a lot, sharing funny situations, cool airplane pictures, and so on, I think I do it mainly because I enjoy it.  I like reading the comments, checking the post more than a few times after I've published it to see if the regulars have commented, finding a little joy when a new commenter comes up.  Playing stump the chump when I come up with a Tuesday trivia post is fun for me, as is finding "Something Completely Different" that seemed to get even more hits than anything else, back when I had something completely different to share.

But I just haven't been feeling it recently, at least not the more entertaining items that I like to post. Sure, we're getting hot and heavy into the political campaign season, and the Iowa caucuses are just around the corner, so it's not like I don't have material for my pithy political opines. But, 

Speaking of which.  Did any of you watch the Democratic Debate?  No?  Why not?  Is it because you had better things to do on a Saturday night? More likely because, like me, you don't give a rat's arse about what they have to say, but I think of Sun Tzu- know your enemy as yourself.  It was a DNC scheduled debate, in Iowa- where the first primary in the nation is held, but on a Saturday evening, at the same time as the undefeated Iowa Hawkeyes were playing.  Does that reek of excrement to you?

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Don't worry, the next one will be at a much better date and time- Saturday Dec 19th!!! That's the weekend before Christmas! What is the DNC thinking?  They won't get any decent ratings, and their base won't be able to hear what the candidates are saying, what their positions are, and how they handle the mostly softball, and a few hard hitting- questions the moderators throw at them.  Oh, they were thinking that people wouldn't watch, because they don't actually want people to think.  Hillary has already been crowned the candidate, (and if Trump stays in- Madam Prez.) and I guess Debbie Wasserman Shultz doesn't want the Dems to win based on how their views resonate with the voters, how their platform is supposedly superior, how they can get the country back on track, etc.  They just want the power of the office, in order to keep their progressive, yet purulently adolescent agenda on track.  Meanwhile the adults of the world who want to deal with the non-emotional issues that affect the entire nation are stymied by a fully biased and hostile media, and a democratic base that cares nothing about facts, nothing about morality or personal responsibility, while accepting blatantly obvious character flaws and unchecked criminal behavior, as long as the free stuff keeps coming!

Makes me want to bang my head against the wall.

Meanwhile, we've got kids in college that are as uninformed as any educated person can be, ignoring free speech and due process while celebrating their ignorance.



Quote of the day: College 'campuses are a theatrical mashup of 1984 and Lord of the Flies performed by people who don't understand those references.'

My post for today, the one I originally intended to write, was going to discuss some of these issues, as well as what happened in France, tying them all together, but it just wouldn't work, either due to lack of a true connection, or me just being a little burned out.

Yeah, I said that.  I'm a little burned out.  I just don't seem to have the same excitement for the writing recently.  I used to have much more to say, but now I struggle.  And the political posts, despite the material, just sounds like I'm complaining, and I'm doing so to you kind folks who probably feel the same way.  I'm not changing anyone's mind, or swaying anyone's opinion on an issue, so I wonder if I'm making any sort of difference at all.  Not that The Chant is some bi-partisan media giant that attracts the 10% on either side of the political middle- the ones that need to be convinced of who to vote for, but still.  When I put up a post, I do so to entertain and maybe educate, but recently I feel that neither are really happening.  I'm like the old guy yelling at neighbor kids to "Get off my lawn!"

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I realize that that comes and goes though, my creative juices ebb and flow, and that's fine.  Sarge is a pretty understanding boss, one who puts no pressure on me whatsoever to meet any sort of deadline, but I do feel a little obligated since my name is up on the marquee.  Therefore, I might put something together late on a Monday, not really putting my full effort into it, either due to a lack of time, or my waning interest in doing so.

However, the biggest problem, and one that I can't reconcile is my inattentiveness towards my familial duties.  No, I'm not ignoring my wife or kids to put together a Tuesday Trivia or some other post, but I am being a little too neglectful in doing stuff around the house. On Sunday, when I worked on the original post, I procrastinated about doing all sorts of household chores, getting almost nothing done.  My wife didn't say a thing, but I felt bad nevertheless.  At the end of my failed writing session, I looked out the window and saw that the sun had already gone down, and my Fit-bit was still almost eight-thousand steps from the daily goal of 10k.  So in addition to being a lousy husband, I've been a lazy and sedentary one too.

What's this mean?  I'm not sure.  A leave of absence?  Maybe.  Less frequent posts?  Probably- at least until I'm caught up.  We're hosting the family for Thanksgiving next week (~40) and in preparation, we're having the interior walls painted.  That means wall hangings taken down, furniture moved away from the walls, some sanding and prepping.  Lots of cleaning is ahead of us as well.  So, for now I'm leaving the Tuesdays open for the rest of the team.  I do have some Fall/Turkey Day trivia which might make it onto these pages, but I make no promises.

Whatever happens, I'll see you eventually.  Have a Happy Thanksgiving.  Maybe Merry Christmas as well.

One last snippet of "Something Completely Different" first though- A vision of a land-based carrier for Seaplanes!

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