The first three "column sightings" identify me as a "syndicated columnist," which I still believe is technically untrue, and yet, I'm not sure the distinction I place on being "distributed" via Howard Scripps versus . . . whatever it would take to call me syndicated matters whatsoever to these local papers (I feel like if I were truly syndicated, the papers would have a spot automatically reserved for me X times a week versus having the choice to pick me up or not). It's an intriguing concept, especially when entertained over a holiday, to think about just blogging, writing columns, penning pieces for magazines and cranking a book every two years. Do the speeches, yes, because they pay nicely. But just let it go at that. But I find myself pulling back from that scenario at this time in my life. I don't just want to be a commentator, with the excitement factor being TV time (which I feel is ultimately self-destructive to systematic reasoning). I like being a practitioner more. I like the direct influence, attached to choices, as opposed to the indirect influence, attached to descriptions. Plus, DeAngelis is a machine, a pure driving force of nature. He gives a strong vector and serious immediacy to everything. Introduce Steve to the right people with the right problems, and they don't just walk away with my vision, they walk away with solutions. I'm visionary-as-conceptualizer, but Steve's visionary-as-applied-scientist. It would just seem stupid not to combine our strengths at this point in our lives (we're roughly the same age), especially since we both entertain the notion of influencing political developments over time (Steve, from center-right, me from center-left). Plus, while I know there will come a time when I slow down this cruel pace of travel and work, two things need to be in place for that to work: 1) secure income and 2) secure access. Right now, no one helps me move toward either better than Steve and Enterra. Confronting self doubts? Always. Testing waters mentally? Of course. The end of the year naturally pushes such thinking. Your current set-up should always be your best option, otherwise you should be swapping out--then and there, with no apologies. That's just the individual version of the market dynamics we trust to improve our lives in the macro.