I think I could write a book if I wanted.  Although I have done that once before, I always lacked confidence to try to write at that length.  If nothing else, working on this newspaper is proving that I am able to write often and at a high level through any occasion.

It makes me wonder how much we miss when we don't test ourselves.  I'm surprised by what I have learned, and about what is simple and what is hard.  Putting together stories is easy; it is finding yourself caring about what happens to so many people that really takes energy.  It is inspirational, yet still a challenge.

As a result, I find my own behaviors changing.  Now I spend much more time and money in local establishments, and less in chains.  It might not be as convenient or quite as cheap, but my reasoning is that the independent entrepreneurs need help.  We're better when we have communities where people buy local, and where there is a social network.

Growing up in an unremarkable suburb means I missed having any sense of community growing up.  Truthfully, I always lived as and embraced the role of outsider.  But maybe, just maybe, it is time for me to fit in.

On my own terms, of course.
 
 
I am changing the name of this blog from the somewhat generic title of "Selected Thoughts" to "Off the Record".  While I think it qualitatively sounds cooler than what I was using previously, I am making this change to reflect two things.  Firstly, it is a celebration of my newly launched business, a newspaper of no ill repute, and secondly, it is a rediscovery of myself in many ways.

Perhaps I have been playing politics too many years and have become too image conscious.  I don't mean being well dressed so much as just watching and gauging the impact of my every word.  There is a certain wariness that develops in those who play the game too much, and you stop letting yourself be free.  I find that being that way doesn't suit me so much.  While there is always a place for tact and discretion, perhaps honesty deserves a seat closer to the head of the table also.

So, off the record it is.  And, I have to tell you, the best conversations are often off the record.  One of the challenges of writing in a newspaper is that when you're busy selecting what content will be sufficiently interesting or relevant to publish, that there are so many really fascinating conversations that go by the wayside.  With articles like the one on pizza delivery, I try to share a bit of the flavor of these, and maybe it shows my inner dork.  I am learning that even though I'm nearly thirty, that I'm still curious about the world and how it works.

An example:  I spent ten minutes this Sunday learning about how people buy ice cream.  It sounds like it wouldn't be that interesting, but there are always surprises to be found.  For instance, did you know that people don't like buying ice cream when the temperature is beyond 85 degrees?  At first, I thought that was ridiculous as summer, heat, and ice cream are all linked in my mind, but the gist of the problem is it melts too fast and people don't want the embarrassment of spilling ice cream.  Though some cups are purchase, cones rule the day and sales plummet.

So, I learned something.  It doesn't change the world, but it was cool.  And I see that in a million new ways, and I learn what people think, and what they need.  I'm not sure if this will make me more successful, though I'm feeling good about what we're doing with the paper.  I am sure it will make me a better person, and that's something I am happy to write home about.
 
 
As you might know, I've been following the dissembling of the college football conferences.  With reports today suggesting that Nebraska (along with Missouri) about to bolt to the Big Ten, and the Big Twelve stumbling westward with Texas, the Pac-10 is sitting in a very good position.  While current suggestions are to have a conference that includes Texas, Texas Tech, Texas A&M, and some combination of Colorado, Baylor, and Oklahoma State admitted, maybe something even bigger would work better.  What if the PAC-10 went to 20 teams, with two divisions of 10.

The Western Division would feature the current Pac-10 members.
The Eastern Division would include the aforementioned Big XII schools and add Kansas, Kansas State, and a third school (maybe Utah).

Each team would play in division for football, reducing travel time, and the conference championship would be between the winners of the two divisions.  There would be 9 games in conference for each team, and the conference championship.  It would make money like crazy, keep regional alliances, but also make for a super conference with a team in the competition for a national championship each year.

For the record, I think 4 sixteen team superconferences are much more likely, and set up well for a national playoff, a moneymaker for all involved.  But, it's a fun idea, and it would make financial sense for all involved.