by Pa Rock
Determined Typist
I recently took some time to look back to the early entries in this blog, those that I wrote in late 2007, and as a result of that digression I came away with the sense that Pa Rock's Ramble was losing its sense of direction. I began the blog in an attempt to archive writings that were literally stuffed in every nook and cranny of my apartment in Phoenix, some old stuff that went back years. I also wanted to preserve bits of personal and family history and stories for my descendants to enjoy or be appalled by.
But the effort to turn the blog into something of a personal journal was overridden on day one by my interest in politics. That first column was a promotion of Barack Obama, a Democratic presidential contender who was still a year out from being elected President. As I dug through my personal stuff and managed to get most of it preserved in the blog, I would often turn to the news, and particularly politics, when I needed something to fill in between family tales and questionable literary efforts.
Writing about politics and the day's news was enjoyable, and perhaps even invigorating, back in the day when much of the news was good - read: during the Obama presidency. But this past year there was not much in the way of joyful noise to talk about. The re-emergence of fascism in America was hard not to watch - like a proverbial train wreck - but it was also very painful to talk about day-after-day. Donald Trump presented as such a poisonous creature that I found myself in constant emotional distress. He was hard to write about, and he was equally hard not to write about - and Pa Rock's Ramble, for me, was becoming more painful than therapeutic or useful.
This year I am vowing to waste far less time in capturing and preserving the mean-spiritedness and absurdity of Donald John Trump, and, in the process of ignoring Trump, try to return the blog to a bit of higher ground. I want to spend my time writing about things that interest me and/or which may have some positive impact on my children and grandchildren.
I am going to devote more time to collecting and preserving my genealogy and family history, and through that effort I know that I will come across tales that will fit nicely into The Ramble. I also want to spend a good part of my time traveling (Hawaii later this month!) and realize those adventures will also serve up grist for the blog.
What I don't want to do is spend any more of my limited time on the planet obsessing over the evil machinations of Donald Trump.
That said, I do realize that the national press offers more than enough ink and air time to covering Trump and his crime syndicate, and I also realize that the constant anti-Trump hum in social media is an important part of the resistance - so I am not planning on quitting Trump cold-turkey. Right now I am thinking about preserving one day a week in which to air all of my anger toward Dear Leader that has accumulated during the previous seven days. I am considering venting my spleen on "Trump Trash Thursdays." Exceptions to the Thursdays-only approach to covering Trump on The Ramble will be made in the event of his sudden demise, arrest, or impeachment, but basically any and all Trump outrages will be dealt with on Thursdays.
Bear with me, it's going to be a rocky year!
Determined Typist
I recently took some time to look back to the early entries in this blog, those that I wrote in late 2007, and as a result of that digression I came away with the sense that Pa Rock's Ramble was losing its sense of direction. I began the blog in an attempt to archive writings that were literally stuffed in every nook and cranny of my apartment in Phoenix, some old stuff that went back years. I also wanted to preserve bits of personal and family history and stories for my descendants to enjoy or be appalled by.
But the effort to turn the blog into something of a personal journal was overridden on day one by my interest in politics. That first column was a promotion of Barack Obama, a Democratic presidential contender who was still a year out from being elected President. As I dug through my personal stuff and managed to get most of it preserved in the blog, I would often turn to the news, and particularly politics, when I needed something to fill in between family tales and questionable literary efforts.
Writing about politics and the day's news was enjoyable, and perhaps even invigorating, back in the day when much of the news was good - read: during the Obama presidency. But this past year there was not much in the way of joyful noise to talk about. The re-emergence of fascism in America was hard not to watch - like a proverbial train wreck - but it was also very painful to talk about day-after-day. Donald Trump presented as such a poisonous creature that I found myself in constant emotional distress. He was hard to write about, and he was equally hard not to write about - and Pa Rock's Ramble, for me, was becoming more painful than therapeutic or useful.
This year I am vowing to waste far less time in capturing and preserving the mean-spiritedness and absurdity of Donald John Trump, and, in the process of ignoring Trump, try to return the blog to a bit of higher ground. I want to spend my time writing about things that interest me and/or which may have some positive impact on my children and grandchildren.
I am going to devote more time to collecting and preserving my genealogy and family history, and through that effort I know that I will come across tales that will fit nicely into The Ramble. I also want to spend a good part of my time traveling (Hawaii later this month!) and realize those adventures will also serve up grist for the blog.
What I don't want to do is spend any more of my limited time on the planet obsessing over the evil machinations of Donald Trump.
That said, I do realize that the national press offers more than enough ink and air time to covering Trump and his crime syndicate, and I also realize that the constant anti-Trump hum in social media is an important part of the resistance - so I am not planning on quitting Trump cold-turkey. Right now I am thinking about preserving one day a week in which to air all of my anger toward Dear Leader that has accumulated during the previous seven days. I am considering venting my spleen on "Trump Trash Thursdays." Exceptions to the Thursdays-only approach to covering Trump on The Ramble will be made in the event of his sudden demise, arrest, or impeachment, but basically any and all Trump outrages will be dealt with on Thursdays.
Bear with me, it's going to be a rocky year!
1 comment:
Personally I have missed the original tales you've spun and the interesting characters you've invented to illustrate the points you made. Whether you write about the weather, the garden, or fishing your readers are with you.
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