Steve recently asked me when I was going to start posting more often. I guess it's fairly obvious that the contributions have been on the anemic side. I attribute that to Train A that left Chicago at 2PM and travels at 55 MPH—getting a new job this past summer—and Train B that left St. Louis at 12PM and travels at 60 MPH—people don't really care about Phil's personal take on the world. Those trains collided on or near September of '07. After that, this place has seen only bits and pieces. A notable death, here. A Barry Bonds note, there. But, nothing of any real interest.
It would be expected and trite for me to write that, on this day, January 2nd, I resolve to commit myself to posting more regularly. Or, just the opposite, one might expect that, with the declination in posts, it was high time to shut this sucker down. Phil's lost interest and it's time to pack it in. Well, I'm not ready to lean in either direction just yet.
Part of my diminishing production is due to the reality that my day-to-day life has changed so dramatically. My bread-and-butter working hours have shifted from the typical 8-to-5 schedule to one of 6-to-3. This has meant that my wheelhouse of creativity hours—8am to 10am—have shifted to the contribution of the bottom line of my current employer. Try coming home at the end of that day, after getting up at 5am, and writing a quasi-meaningful essay for a "rabid fan base." It's difficult at best and impossible at worst.
Another issue has been a modification of my writing tool. My previous job afforded me the luxury of having a laptop from which to work. This allowed me the freedom to write from different places, including my favorite bars and coffee shops. Now, I have to hack this thing out on the trusty, ole desktop. Something about having to write this at my desk squeezes the creative juices right out of the process.
In the last few years, there has been increasingly more written on the subject of the question of continuing to blog, particularly by those whose blogs don't generate any income. I feel the pull of that sentiment's industrial-strength tractor beam. Who really reads these things anymore, anyway? But, then, I suppose there are possibly one or two readers still lurking in the shadows out there, still curious to see what's on Phil's mind. I suppose that's reason enough to keep on doing it, even if the effort has been lacking lately.
I guess I need to continue to hone my craft or peddle my crap, whichever you prefer. Besides, I have so much to say.
