Hi everyone. Thanks for hanging on and for sticking with me through all the sudden changes around here.
I did decide to change the name of my blog and newsletter to “Annalytical.” I cannot resist a play on words, so I’m taking advantage of my namesake to brand myself. I can’t take full credit for the name, though. My husband told me years ago I needed a blog or podcast called “Annalytical” where I could put all my metathoughts and metaobservation about media, current events and other nerdom I can’t keep inside.
So, welcome to Annalytical. I hope you like the new name and share it with your friends.
Keep it between the ditches
When I was a kid, my grandfather gave me some essential driving advice. He unfortunately didn’t live to see me get my driver’s license, but I did drive his car for two years before I got my own car when I went to college.
“Just keep it between the ditches,” he would say before turning to his right and smiling at me and the rest of the cousins smashed into the bench seat of his 80s Toyota extended cab truck (no, it’s not for sale–it’s a family relic).
Of course, there’s a lot more to driving than keeping it between the ditches, but the basic idea of driving is to keep the car on the road and moving forward, hopefully closer and closer to your destination.
I’d like to think of society and democracy the same way. It doesn’t always work that way, but as a member of reality, I hope we can push toward common sense. Hopefully, that means we’ll keep society’s metaphorical car “between the ditches.”
The reason why I started writing and keep writing despite *gestures at everything* is because of my deep belief in keeping it between the ditches. I’ve found myself in ditches of belief at various points in my life. I was led into that ditch by my own blindness, the blindness of others and even my own ignorance despite watching the vehicle swerve.
“Annalytical” is a place for curiosity, questions and unlikely answers. I hope you’ll send me your musings either in the comments, on social media or in my email inbox. I check it obsessively, and would love to hear from you.
*tap tap* is this thing on?
As a not so newly laid off journalist, I worry about becoming insignificant.
Is my work insignificant? Is that why I was laid off?
Is the news insignificant? Is the news worth paying for?
Am I worth paying to write the news? Am I old news? What is news?
I feel like the news writing I have done is important — very important — otherwise I wouldn’t have insisted I be allowed to write about The Duggars, my youth group or penises spraypainted on city streets.
It all feels too wacky to be real, but too real to avoid, so I keep writing even though it feels insane.
Sometimes my better judgment pops in and asks me to consider if anything really matters. This better judgment often sends me deep into nihilism—an ugly demon I’ve been trying to pry off my back since I was a teenager.
If I won’t have to deal with the world I helped build while I was alive, does it matter to make the world better?
What the fuck do I do when two people’s idea of “better” looks completely different, but they’re both so certain of what is right?
Oh bother.
It can be confusing where to draw the line between “human being with their own experiences and opinions” and “journalist who must be 100% fair.” I’m tired of pretending that I am 100% objective and neutral because I’m not. None of us are.
The reason I keep running my mouth online is because I feel like I have something to say and something that my perspective can offer to make your understanding of the world a little bigger. Is this megalomania?
Maybe? Not?
Either way, Annalytical is absolutely going to continue addressing issues around religion, gender and sexuality. We can’t avoid it. I can’t avoid it. I’m going to talk about it until my last breath because I’m tired of avoiding this conversation.
What I have to say is not insignificant. Your questions are not insignificant.
News you need
Woof there’s a lot of news this week and plenty of unhinged political discussion to go around. Here’s what I’ve been reading:
The Tampon Act: Bill would ban forever chemicals in menstrual products, KCRA
Anti-sex trafficking advocate accuses GOP Sen. Katie Britt of distorting her story, NPR
Alabama official calls for firing of transgender Space Camp employee after parent speaks out, AL.com
A note
Thank you for reading the first edition of Annalytical. There’s so much more coming and I’m glad you’re here :)
Keep wandering
Anna