Live to Blog, or Blog to Live?
Blogging goes through periods of varying frequencies, as with most aspects of life.
Sometimes, I post with a frequency which indicates a vast surplus of available time, available mental energy, or both.
Occasionally, as this month, my own self-imposed goals (weekly postings on Friday, at a minimum) aren't met because other rhythms have disrupted the schedule.
My vacation from Heinlein Friday will continue for another week, but its long-term status as a permanent weekly commitment is in doubt. I have more to write, but the very decision to start so huge a project as the Law of War post, which produced dozens and dozens of paragraphs with inadequate planning on how to tame them, has placed an unfortunate obstacle in the path of continued easy posts.
I may want to withdraw it, and prepare a more modest HF post. It wouldn't be the first time I've done this: my last major blawgging project was to be a Scalia Mega-Post, in which I dealt with each and every things about Scalia's jurisprudence (and personal style, and irritating statements) which annoyed or frustrated or infuriated or troubled me. As it turns out, that kind of project involves more than just brainstorming, writing, and collecting links.
To take on a really massive writing project, there needs to be some thoughtful editing, at the planning stage. What gets in, and what is excluded? What's the right order? How does one section relate to another?
I've seldom constructed such open-ended writing projects, and when I have, failure to adequately edit my own structure has been at least as big a problem as inability to find words.
I'm also better at starting projects than finishing them, but of course it's easy to finish a task when you can see its goal clearly and therefore understand the nature of the work that will accomplish it.
Writing a brief is easy by comparison. It's got to have the requisite pieces, to comply with the Federal Rules or local practice or the judge's orders. There's only one way to organize it - the right way, with first things first, all the necessary prefatory and preparatory announcements (introduction, statement of jurisdiction, statutes involved, etc.). A motion for class certification has a form that's virtually pre-ordained, just because it has to comply with Rule 23, or its state law equivalent - see the discussion in this long-ago post. August 5, 2005? It's been a while.
===================
What else is on my mind?
I try not to journal too much, this being a Blawg and all, but it's so pleasant to write down observations and get them out of the mental buffer. Nobody has to spend time reading about what my cat did today (she's nonexistent, so pretty much the same things she does every day, or rather doesn't do, or perhaps even doesn't not do). But some observations are worthwhilier than others.
Philadelphia's weather has turned distinctly dismal. Temps in the 80s or above (with miserably high humidity) have been replaced by highs in the low 70s, with a distinct overcast. Summer's over. The season has changed, and we can look forward to months of complaining and wishing it was unpleasantly hot again.
Politics in Philly is about to get increasingly unavoidable. I haven't heard from the Lynn Swann candidacy lately, but I assume he's still running against incumbent Governor Ed Rendell (who is married to Third Circuit Judge Midge - er, Marjorie O. Rendell). I haven't seen any lying commercials from Santorum lately - although I hear there's an accurate one going around about how often his Democratic opponent, Bob Casey, Jr., has sought different offices. Well played, Santorum campaign. Keep trying to distract us from the issues of character, philosophy, politics, trust, and substantive issues.
Philly car share, I can now report, is a lovely thing. It may not be competitive with Zip Cars or the other nationwide car-sharing programs. PCS is a nonprofit which (presumably for good and valid and insurance-related reasons) can't let you take one of their cars into D.C. or New York or Baltimore or otherwise outside the Area. But, I think it does finally eliminate the need of many students, many professionals, and most city-dwellers to actually buy, own, maintain, gas, insure, and find permanent parking for their vehicles. Google them if you're in Philly and haven't already considered joining. Many have - and many have sold their cars and finally rid themselves of that albatross, car ownership.
That reminds me, I can buy a new transpass today - why not be able to ride any bus OR check out a car with an hour's notice? It's affordable, as owning and insuring a car in the city isn't.
Life beckons, much as it intruded last week. Off I go, to face another long, dreary, wearying Friday, followed immediately by a three day weekend and then a four day week. Wait, that's not too cumbersome after all.
Posting will resume on or after the weekend.
Sometimes, I post with a frequency which indicates a vast surplus of available time, available mental energy, or both.
Occasionally, as this month, my own self-imposed goals (weekly postings on Friday, at a minimum) aren't met because other rhythms have disrupted the schedule.
My vacation from Heinlein Friday will continue for another week, but its long-term status as a permanent weekly commitment is in doubt. I have more to write, but the very decision to start so huge a project as the Law of War post, which produced dozens and dozens of paragraphs with inadequate planning on how to tame them, has placed an unfortunate obstacle in the path of continued easy posts.
I may want to withdraw it, and prepare a more modest HF post. It wouldn't be the first time I've done this: my last major blawgging project was to be a Scalia Mega-Post, in which I dealt with each and every things about Scalia's jurisprudence (and personal style, and irritating statements) which annoyed or frustrated or infuriated or troubled me. As it turns out, that kind of project involves more than just brainstorming, writing, and collecting links.
To take on a really massive writing project, there needs to be some thoughtful editing, at the planning stage. What gets in, and what is excluded? What's the right order? How does one section relate to another?
I've seldom constructed such open-ended writing projects, and when I have, failure to adequately edit my own structure has been at least as big a problem as inability to find words.
I'm also better at starting projects than finishing them, but of course it's easy to finish a task when you can see its goal clearly and therefore understand the nature of the work that will accomplish it.
Writing a brief is easy by comparison. It's got to have the requisite pieces, to comply with the Federal Rules or local practice or the judge's orders. There's only one way to organize it - the right way, with first things first, all the necessary prefatory and preparatory announcements (introduction, statement of jurisdiction, statutes involved, etc.). A motion for class certification has a form that's virtually pre-ordained, just because it has to comply with Rule 23, or its state law equivalent - see the discussion in this long-ago post. August 5, 2005? It's been a while.
===================
What else is on my mind?
I try not to journal too much, this being a Blawg and all, but it's so pleasant to write down observations and get them out of the mental buffer. Nobody has to spend time reading about what my cat did today (she's nonexistent, so pretty much the same things she does every day, or rather doesn't do, or perhaps even doesn't not do). But some observations are worthwhilier than others.
Philadelphia's weather has turned distinctly dismal. Temps in the 80s or above (with miserably high humidity) have been replaced by highs in the low 70s, with a distinct overcast. Summer's over. The season has changed, and we can look forward to months of complaining and wishing it was unpleasantly hot again.
Politics in Philly is about to get increasingly unavoidable. I haven't heard from the Lynn Swann candidacy lately, but I assume he's still running against incumbent Governor Ed Rendell (who is married to Third Circuit Judge Midge - er, Marjorie O. Rendell). I haven't seen any lying commercials from Santorum lately - although I hear there's an accurate one going around about how often his Democratic opponent, Bob Casey, Jr., has sought different offices. Well played, Santorum campaign. Keep trying to distract us from the issues of character, philosophy, politics, trust, and substantive issues.
Philly car share, I can now report, is a lovely thing. It may not be competitive with Zip Cars or the other nationwide car-sharing programs. PCS is a nonprofit which (presumably for good and valid and insurance-related reasons) can't let you take one of their cars into D.C. or New York or Baltimore or otherwise outside the Area. But, I think it does finally eliminate the need of many students, many professionals, and most city-dwellers to actually buy, own, maintain, gas, insure, and find permanent parking for their vehicles. Google them if you're in Philly and haven't already considered joining. Many have - and many have sold their cars and finally rid themselves of that albatross, car ownership.
That reminds me, I can buy a new transpass today - why not be able to ride any bus OR check out a car with an hour's notice? It's affordable, as owning and insuring a car in the city isn't.
Life beckons, much as it intruded last week. Off I go, to face another long, dreary, wearying Friday, followed immediately by a three day weekend and then a four day week. Wait, that's not too cumbersome after all.
Posting will resume on or after the weekend.
Posted by Eh Nonymous on
Friday September 1, 2006 at 8:01am
*Not all comments welcome. Flippant, facetious, fierce, or fatuous, fine. Fraudulent, felonious, fabricated, facially insufficient, and farkin' futile, fuggeddaboutit.