Manton Reece linked to this post by Marco Arment and this bit stood out for me:
And I can’t help but feel that maybe we were better off before we knew everyone’s hot takes on everything.
No, not maybe — definitely. Social media is one of the worst things to ever happen to humanity, creating terrible animosity even between friends and neighbors, to feed the coffers of the few rich people behind the websites and applications.
It's a genie that needs to be put back in its bottle.
The about page of this blog talks about detaching from drama, and starting from a better headspace. I failed miserably in that, in more ways than one, but the beauty in all of this is that a fresh start can happen at any time. The best time for that is now, as I hit the publish button on this post.
Hickson said it best:
It's a lesson you should heed,
Try, try again.If at first you don't succeed,
Try, try again.Then your courage should appear,
For if you will persevere,
You will conquer, never fear,
Try, try again.Once or twice, though you should fail,
Try, try again.If you would at last prevail,
Try, try again.If we strive, 'tis no disgrace,
Though we do not win the race;
What should you do in that case?
Try, try again.If you find your task is hard,
Try, try again.Time will bring you your reward,
Try, try again.All that other folk can do,
Why, with patience, should not you?
Only keep this rule in view,
Try, try again.
I never understood college football, until I understood college football. Prodded by Joanna Jordan to give it a try a few years back I did, and I love it. That the conversation happened just as my son was heading off to the University of Illinois it seemed like a good team to follow was Illinois. What a time to start following! 2024 was the first time the team had 10 wins since 2001. Last season ended in a 9-4 record.
Last night, with an insane new video screen (the largest in college football at 17k-ish square feet), Joey Chestnut on the air raid siren to start the game, the 2026 season got off to a nice start with a 42-23 win over UAB. Hell of a performance for new QB Katin Houser.
Today would have been my mom's 91st birthday. It's the first in my 55 years she hasn't been here. Happy Birthday Mom! Miss you.