Thursday, October 1, 2020. Hard to believe we’re in the last quarter of the year.

Today is a bit of a milestone for me because I’ve just completed six months of regularly blogging here at DaveOlsson.com. I started on April Fool’s Day in part to underscore the challenge of embarking on this project.

I’ve learned a few things so far. One is that producing a daily op-ed is time consuming. I have a day job so almost every one of these gets written in the evenings on my own time. I average about 3-4 hours on each one, meaning that sometimes I’m up really (really) late.

That’s not a complaint. I like what I’m doing, but whatever discretionary time I had before is almost non-existent. Sometimes I get done at a decent hour, but more often than not, it’s way past my “normal” bedtime.

The lack of discretionary time also means that I don’t do as much book reading as I used to. I’ve got a pile of them that I haven’t started, and those that I did start some time ago are just sitting there with the bookmark sticking out. I don’t even know where I left off on some of them.

I’ve also discovered that I don’t know as much as I think I do. I tend to read a lot to stay current with what’s happening in the world, but I’ve been surprised by how much research some of my essays have required. I genuinely try to base my opinions on fact as much as possible, but to be conversant on a subject means more than reading a set of articles once.

I’ve also been developing a rhythm with these columns. I knew I had to get used to writing each day, which I had never done, but that was only the first step. I also knew that my initial approach wouldn’t last, but I would have to adjust and evolve as time went on. I can see the progress I’ve made as I refine my approach and tackle a new topic each day.

I write a Daily Broadside five days a week on some subject that interests me. That’s a good, challenging pace for me. Eventually, I’d like to be writing more and develop some other topic that I can frequently write about. I’ve got some ideas, but not the time.

In some respects, this is a personal journal that I’ve invited the whole world to read. I don’t think I’m the wisest guy or the smartest guy or the most entertaining guy you could read. What I do think is that I represent a segment of average American citizens who have a viewpoint on contemporary politics, culture and faith, and I try to articulate that as clearly as I can.

For those who come to the site regularly, thanks for engaging. For those of you who get this delivered to your mailbox each morning, thanks for subscribing! And to everyone who is reading and commenting, I appreciate your input.

As with anyone who does something for the “public,” I’d like to have a growing audience. If that doesn’t happen, I’ll still write. However, if you like what you’re reading and think others in your circle of relationships would benefit from it too, please consider recommending DaveOlsson.com to them. Many thanks in advance.

Here’s to the next six months!