Nice To Be Back
You may have noticed I haven’t posted in a while. I took a few days off to recharge. While I was gone I actually got some rest. I hung out with old friends and did a lot of revisiting places of my past. Grad school, news shops, ex-girlfriend, you get the picture. Normally people don’t spend their vacations going to places they’ve already been but for me it was necessary.
My friends have been telling me I’ve been more irritable lately. I thought it was the usual burn out, but it was actually something more than that. Every once in a while I ask myself “does what we do here really matter?” Does anyone actually get it? It was that feeling of beating your head against the wall on big issues and wondering if any change will ever really happen? Toss that in with a murder spree that would make Detroit blush and the thought of going somewhere and practicing law full time in a nice quiet place, and coming home to my wife and four children looked real attractive.
And then I rediscovered my past.
I saw friends from high school who I haven’t seen in nearly 20 years. None of them were surprised I was in talk radio. I ran into the man who taught me everything I know about covering government and after coffee and an hour worth of talking considered me an equal. I ran into statewide elected officials I used to cover back in Illinois who told me that the coverage hasn’t been the same since I focused on Indianapolis instead of Springfield. But I guess most importantly, a conversation with the woman I almost married (and to show you how smart she is, she didn’t) reminded me why I got in this business in the first place and how I wouldn’t be happy doing anything else.
And the more I thought about it, she was right.
I probably wouldn’t be happy unless I had a forum to tell you about how the recent controversies surrounding the Marion County Jail were just the tip of the iceberg.
I probably wouldn’t be happy unless I had a forum to tell you about the apparent split between 7th Congressional District Candidate Eric Dickerson and his own local party, which from a strategic perspective might actually be a good idea.
I probably wouldn’t be happy unless I had a forum to tell you how there may not be an incumbent in next year’s mayoral race in Indianapolis.
I probably wouldn’t be happy unless I had a forum to tell you how some major changes are coming to the Daniels administration as the Governor starts a recruitment drive for new talent.
And I probably wouldn’t be happy unless I had a forum to tell you how an election in a nearby state could have major consequences for Indiana.
It’s amazing it took 10 days and 800 miles to rediscover that as long as I have a forum, I’m happy.
It’s great to be back.
