Doing Something

Sometimes, sitting around talking about stuff is really important. A lot of people these days do things without talking about them first, which rather implies that they haven’t thought much about them either. And doing things without thinking/talking them through can be ill-advised at best. (A related problem is people who say things without thinking about them, too ― more on those people later.) Talking about things gets other people’s opinions into the open. It also opens up one’s own thought processes to public scrutiny, kind of like having someone proof-read a paper before it gets turned in. With a few friends, a favorite beverage, and a couple of hours, there’s almost no problem that can’t be “solved” ― at least, to the satisfaction of those in the room.

Sometimes, however, sitting around talking about stuff is less-than-constructive. It may even give the illusion that “something is being done” about a problem or concern when, in fact, nothing is happening. At such times, action is required rather than mere words. One can’t help but be reminded of the P.F.J. meetings in Monty Python’s classic Life of Brian ― “this calls for immediate discussion!”

At any rate, this blog has been opened to deal with both of the above situations. It is, above all, a place for me to talk about stuff that is important to me, with the hope that family, friends, and a wider community of readers might find what I have to say interesting, helpful, thought-provoking, and perhaps paradigm-shifting. But even more than just talking, as the blog’s title indicates, the goal of this writing will usually be action.

Sometimes, the action will be nothing more than staying informed and helping others to do the same. It might not be a specific action right now ― as a teacher, I’m quite used to imparting information that won’t get used for a long time into the foreseeable future ― but eventually, in most of these areas of life, there will come a time when we are called upon to do something.