Jujitsui-Generis: Scaling Back

Jujitsui-Generis began in October 2004 with four writers. With time, and for a variety of reasons, the rest moved on and now I am the only one left.  Over the past year, I have written close to 500 posts.  Reading back through the archives I still find some entertaining, some cogent and well-argued, some overly-emotional or silly, and a few still relevant and well written.

I did not expect this site to catapult me to fame, to place me among the ranks of the super-bloggers, like Andrew Sullivan or Glenn Reynolds (though that would have been fine).  For me, J-G was and is merely an exercise and an outlet.  I say exercise because the very act of writing and thinking critically every day on a wide range of issues has forced me to flex analytical muscles that would otherwise atrophy.  One does not typically have such far-ranging conversations with friends and family.  But this site has also served as an outlet, a place for me to think aloud and to join the conversation going on all across the world.  Similarly, reading others has pushed me into reexamining deeply held beliefs.  Working on this site has forced me to alter some of those beliefs, thought it has strengthened and more fully articulated others.  But I cannot continue at this pace.

My fellow travelers well know the effort and time that go in to maintaining a fully-functioning web log, the constant reading, writing, and reflection.  There's limited time in a day and so such immersion invariably means that other activities are neglected, or given up entirely.  For some it's easier.  They have the time and/or resources to spend countless hours perched in front of the screen reading and writing.  I do not.  I have a full time job, a life, and interests outside the political.  It takes me longer to turn ideas over and sometimes even longer to get them on the page.  And so keeping up with the blogosphere is, for me, often exhausting.

This past year has been mostly good to me.  Writing and maintaining J-G has been more fulfilling than I ever imagined.  But I was also promoted in my real, full-time job and I have now joined the ranks of the corporate cheerleaders. I rarely leave the office before 6:30 or 7:00, and jumping straight from dinner to the happenings of the world leave time for little else.  I have neglected my physical health this past year.  Until just recently I had not been to the gym in six months.  I have always been an avid reader, but this year I have read only a handful of books.  Instead, I have read mostly articles and news publications (and other bloggers) as part of my ongoing race with the world, my attempt to keep up with events and to remain relevant.  That is going to change.

I have always tried to keep J-G regularly updated, posting every other day when possible and at least several times a week.  Effective immediately, however, Jujitsui-Generis will be scaled back.  I will attempt to post at least once a week, though sometimes more time than that may pass.  Because my postings will be less frequent, they will often be longer and more thoughtful.  And they may not always be topical; they will not always address the latest political scandal.  While my posts will still be on the social and political, they will be more reflective, more abstract, more social, and more concerned with the philosophical over the timely.  I love this effort far too much to surrender it completely.  It is my hope that the new format - one I know very well will probably cost readership - will allow me to continue this exercise and to participate in the conversation on my own terms

I will be taking the next few days off.  I need to spend the remaining weeks of the year enjoying the holidays and catching up with friends and family.  I will be back at the start of the new year.  Happy Holidays, and thanks for reading.

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