I just finished a long, impassioned entry about Obama and health care reform…and then decided not to post it. It drives me crazy that I can’t write about political subjects here without endangering my job, but such is the life of a journalist. Suffice to say that I have very strong opinions, but you’ll never get them out of me in writing.
Dave said the other day he thought I should be more opinionated in my blog -- that it would gain me more readers. I know I probably come across pretty blandly, but I just can’t be opinionated about matters of public policy. And I don’t want to be too snarky, because I think snarkiness hurts people.
So, gee…what about this weather?
I’m going to New Jersey tonight to hang out with Dave and his friend Kellee, who’s visiting from Michigan. And I had lunch today with my friend Stuart -- of the Sag Harbor house. I hadn’t seen him in months, so it was nice to catch up.
(Photo: Trash day in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, March 2009)
You are SO not bland!! For heaven's sake.
ReplyDeleteI'm so curious to hear your opinions about health care. I have no idea what to think. Every time I try to understand what's going on, I get dizzy.
I agree that you give us plenty to think about without having to touch on those topics that might endanger your job. Your daily life issues are much more interesting that public policy any day. And I think they have more of a chance of being solved!
ReplyDeleteAs for getting readers, I think the secret is being a reader and it takes more work that I'm obviously willing to invest right now. I'm lucky to make the rounds of those currently on my link list and never seem to have the time or interest to cultivate new readers. Maybe that comes with the territory after a few years of Blogging...
You should work for government. I hear about how everything is somehow my fault, or my department's fault, and there's nothing I can say about it. I could NEVER engage some of these misguided diatribes that get brandied about. Just sit back and take it...and then somehow I'm expected to put it all aside when those same people who burned me the day before need me today!
ReplyDeleteSometimes we all have to hold our tongue.
I'm surprised that your employer (a private company and one I would think upholds the rights of freedom of speech and expression) would create an atmosphere where employees fear losing their jobs if they voice their opinions on 'political' topics and public policy in their personal forums such as blogs! but then, what do I know!
ReplyDeleterest assured we enjoy anything and everything you share on shadows and light and many of us loyal readers are quite good about 'reading between the lines'
but you have no worries, as reya stated, steve, you are far from bland!
regarding hc reform ....i find it amazing that there is this snarky movement of nasty vocal opponents of hc reform going around disrupting public forums and doing everything they can to derail improving our broken hc system. I mean really what kind of person is against trying to guarantee that everybody has access to decent health care!
have fun in nj!!
xx
I don't get people who go crazy over this healthcare biz. It seems to me that many people are behaving selfishly.
ReplyDelete