The best ability is accountability. Some folks will try to tell you it’s availability, but I’ve always viewed that as falling under the umbrella of accountability. I like to think of myself as a hand-up guy. So, hand up—I’m sorry I haven’t been writing for the blog.

Without diving into specifics, I’ll just say that I took a hiatus from blogging to focus more on prose and rediscovering joy in writing. The pieces that have brought me the most pleasure on this site have always been the most irrelevant and the farthest removed from reality—things like The Gumbo Gumshoe or Bad Burgers.

However, I do check the analytics, and the articles that brought in the most new and returning users were mostly gambling-related or anything that mentioned politics—one topic I love and another I despise. That drained the joy out of writing for the site.

I got frustrated and wanted to lock in on the craft. And I did… sort of. Turns out, without feedback, deadlines, and relentless rewriting, it’s pretty easy to quit on pieces. I’ve been looking into some workshops or courses that can help create deadlines for me, while also providing feedback and insight. I’m excited about that direction and will continue pursuing it.

But to improve overall, I need to get shots up (blogs). It helps hone the craft and makes everything else better. It’s also wildly therapeutic. That being said, I’m going to get silly on this site moving forward. I’ll still throw in some gambling content because I enjoy it, but I want to write about it more from an entertainment standpoint. And while it gets clicks, I won’t touch on politics at all. I’ve opted out.

I get it—the world we live in has politicized every event, milestone, and disaster. But I won’t. I refuse. We live in a nation of broken brains, where people fought over fires and plane crashes like they were some kind of told-you-so moment instead of tragedies. I’m not with that, my friends.

So buckle up, oddballs. We’re gonna get silly on this site moving forward. I’m returning to give you something to read that, at the very least, pulls you out of whatever doom scroll, in-law argument, or dread-filled moment you’re experiencing. And at best, makes you smile. Or, hopefully reminds you that you share a condition with every person you agree or disagree with—it’s called life.

Love ya. See you here.

Cal