Senex redux - What's up??

Corpus: You da man. Keep up the great work, kind sir, to the extent you have the time and inclination. It has been, is, and always will be very highly valued in this corner, and obviously in most others on this board.

THANK YOU.

Hey everyone, I hope you and yours are all doing well and had a very enjoyable, blessed Thanksgiving.

RE the post topic--what is wrong with the board???--part of me does have to chuckle just a tad, because we go through this every year. However, I DO sense that this year is a bit more "challenged" (at least out of the gate), but I can't possibly speak to universal reasons for that. I can only speak to my own reasons for a) not commenting nearly as frequently as I normally do by this time into a given season; and b) for not commenting with nearly as much substance or "quality" of insight or provocation as I might normally TRY to do.

For me, it's simple, and multi-layered:

* The pull of young-venture work is much more taxing and time-consuming than I wish it were...but I enjoy the work and so there's that, but it doesn't leave nearly as much time for "side" pursuits

* The notion that time pulls and crunches get "easier" as your kids get older is pure bunk, or at least it is for me. Mine are now 14 and 12, and just their year-round sports (two sports each) places immense demands on me as a a parent. (It's no longer enough to simply attend games and shuffle them to myriad practices, now there is scorekeeping, announcing, helping with fundraisers, traveling for tourneys, etc. etc.) And that's just sports! There's also music concerts, volunteering, and helping them when they have questions for homework. Add in the regular family time and it just requires a lot. I wouldn't trade any of that for the world, and I am beyond thankful for it (knowing full well that it is fleeting and to be enjoyed to the hilt). But it also takes time away from commenting here.

* The election campaign this time around ABSOLUTELY DRAINED ME. It was by far the most debilitating, gutter-bound, sophomoric, mind-numbing, intelligence-challenging, truth-be-damned fiasco of a campaign that I have ever experienced since I have walked on this planet. It matters not one iota which way I voted (in a lousy-choice election). The point here is that I've never seen a campaign like this, and that's speaking as simply a citizen voter as well as a KU-trained (and later GW grad school-trained) political scientist and historian. It was literally a "brothers/sisters/parents/children/friends torn apart" type of election, and it pretty much exhausted what little amount of excess energy and "fumes" I had. Not only that, but it led right up to the start of the KU hoops season, making it very hard to disengage from the former to enjoy the latter. I DID get to watch all KU games, mind you (you all know me well enough to know THAT will always remain true), but once they were over I didn't have much time or energy left in the tank to come on here and offer up anything meaningful. All the more so when, as Peter so vividly described, the games often were finishing so darn late.

I think the country is still emerging from somewhat of an "election hangover," and it has bled over into simple things like how to carry on civil conversations at Thanksgiving and so forth. That's as close to a "universal" excuse as I can come up with for the board's "low energy" at the moment. (Pardon the inadvertent "low-energy" parroting of Trump vis-a-vis Jeb Bush from the primaries! See, there it is again! Distracting!) That and just the fact that people are busy and perhaps also because the board membership has always tilted toward a bit more "mature" or sophisticated/cerebral hoops types. It's not a quick-hit bunch here, but that means the pool of contributors is far lower, and when they post less it feels more like the board is ailing.

Beyond those potential universals, the aforementioned individualistic factors are also in play for me. It makes it tough.

I can assure you this, though, speaking just for me. Even if I can't post as much as I'd like, I'm still here. Reading the posts and contributing when I can. And my love and passion for KU hoops is just as fervent as it's ever been. I love the school, the tradition, the pride, the passion, the excellence. I think this year's team can be truly special, if health holds up all season long (and at the right time in March-April) and we get the necessary development and contributions from some nascent pieces that we'll need. I think we're in the top 5 candidate pool to cut down the nets, so I for one am keeping a very positive, hopeful attitude. And I'll be watching each and every game, if the Lord is willing and the creek don't rise. (Hat tip to Hank, Sr.)

Last comment: I appreciate you all. Very much. And I know it's a mutual thing among all board members here when it comes to this homey, comfortable, hospitable, and enlightened gathering place. Keep the fires burning, to the extent you have the time and capacity.

Rock Chalk...

It's still only November.

Along with the election campaign and hangover this year, we're in the multi-holiday swing period. That creates a lot of pulls on folks' time, and typically the games during that stretch aren't all that competitive. Once we get to the new year, KU will be in conference play and things will start getting "real." I suspect activity will pick up then.

Of course, if you have a dog in the fight in the NFL playoff chase -- which I certainly do with the Chiefs -- that could mean split energy and focus, reducing some time and capacity for routine posting on the Hawks.

Bottom line: everyone has choices--post exclusively here as often as you can; post here even while you frequent less civil or interesting boards; or just lurk. Be part of the solution or part of the problem.

Regardless, unless and until Dave says otherwise, the board will still be here.

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"Keys for Kansas: Show up."