Bad Blogger!

Al Franken used to appear on Saturday Night Live as a character named Stuart Smalley. A low grade new age self help guru, Stuart had an access cable show called "Daily Affirmation." On the show, Stuart would often refer to a "shame spiral" he found himself trapped in for one reason or another. A shame spiral (as I understand it) is one of those situations where you, say, put something off and feel guilty about it. So you try to comfort yourself about that and do something that makes you feel even more guilty. To get over that, you commit another guilt-inducing act. And so on. Or you can be so frozen with fear, self-pity and guilt, you do nothing at all.

Well, folks, that's where I find myself today with this blog. This is my first post in nearly four months. Though not quite as far gone as a full blown shame spiral, I must admit I'm pretty embarrassed. When I started this blog, I launched with guns blazing, no shortage of ideas for posts and a certain amount of enthusiasm (in my own unique jaded way). And there have been pauses, to be sure ... but four months is an awfully long time to keep such avid fans waiting. Now I know how Britney feels -- releasing her first album in almost four years. Her fans have suffered enough -- don't you agree?

And so, dear readers, I am pledging here and now to never, ever make you wait so long for a post. Four months is a ludicrous amount of time in our instant gratification culture. If a customer service rep told you an air conditioner repairman couldn't be at your house for four months, you certainly wouldn't accept it, would you? So, readers, I promise that you will wait, oh, let's say no more than THREE months for a post from me at any given time. After all, you've suffered enough.