On Distractions

By now most people have figured out that we are meant to be distracted by the outrage-of-the-day committed by the Trump Administration.

Is the media sniffing around your Russian connections? Start talking about voter fraud. Is that not enough? Sign an order that purports to start building your crazy border wall.

Are you planning to pith the NSC and install your Svengali in place of actual national security professionals? Kick up a mess with a ban on Muslims.

Do these things on a Friday for added effect.

Hopefully you have internalized the idea that you are being distracted and that there are bigger things afoot that will take focus, drive, and discernment to uncover and understand. You’ve had the entire campaign to learn that lesson relative to Trump (and decades previously about other politicians). This past week was pretty much a cram session for the lazy students in the back.

Are you ready for the next part?

Trump is the distraction.

From what? Well, that’s your homework…

Figure it out, and fast.

“The President in particular is very much a figurehead—he wields no real power whatsoever. […] His job is not to wield power but to draw attention away from it.”

Douglas Adams, The HitchHiker’s Guide to the Galaxy

Writing Challenge

I am in the middle of week two of a month-long writing challenge, being hosted by the sister of one of my best friends from college. You commit to writing at least 400 words per day, five days per week. By the end of the month, you have at least 8,000 words of (hopefully) useable writing. A few of us are doing creative writing. Others are doing more academic work.

Just knowing other people out there are struggling and striving to carve out the time for 400 words each day is inspiration enough to get me to put butt in chair and type.

Now to stop procrastinating, set the timer for 15 minutes, and see what I can accomplish today.