the times they are a'changin

Dear avid consumers of this digital self-publication,

I miss writing here. And, by the looks of my logs, the search spiders miss me too. So, I'm just going to have to take it up again-- if only for the bots, and the children. Don't forget the children.

However--as with seasons, wind, start-up strategies, and the state of romantic love-- things are going to change. Still, here, at least I can exercise god-like control (and isn't that what the appeal of blogging is all about?).

So, what comes next..?

Tangential philosophical and literary interlude: "A goal without a plan is just a wish," once said author Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. Others have countered with a commonsensical, "the best laid schemes o’ mice and men aft gang awry,” but I find that rather depressing, though true. Still, plans help, so long as we're willing to grow along with the changing facts. But, enough with 18th-century Scottish poets and whimsical French writers, this blog is about political-economy for Smith's-sake! Or, is it? Short answer: not anymore.

“When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir?" to quote John Maynard Keynes.

And the fact, here, is that my interests and compulsions to write are just far to diverse to limit this blog to political-economics. Besides, covering that subject matter deserves too Smith-damn time, which I am not able to give. I've just taken up a Blog Editor position at Hyphen magazine and my posts will start popping-up elsewhere too. In addition, I'll be developing a new website, which--for the sake of indulging some childlike wonderment--will hence be referred to by the codename Bright-Eyed-Ninja (or, BEN). I might sometimes post about goings-on on BEN's development.

Moreover, this site will become a catch-all for rants of my choosing. Topics will become less serious, more vainglorious, and generally more amusing (at least to me).

Alas, this will probably mean this site will no longer appear as a Google result for ChevronTexaco employees with search terms like "best female economist used to be a man" (I kid you not). That honor will just have to go to someone else. So, before the fame subsides, here are a few of the most eyebrow-raising topics for which Google.com once provided this site as a go-to source.

search term // rank // approx. date of search ranking

Macroeconomic Indicators of 2007 // 1 // 4/06
why is it important to trade // 4 // 4/06
The only way for a woman, as for a man, to find herself, to know herself as a person, is by creative work of her own. There is no other way. // 4 // 2/06
superheroes of the renaissance // 1 // 5/06
how to hack facebook // 5 // 5/06
infosthetic // 3 //5/06
"homeland security ineffective" // 4 // 12/06
che bello // 3 // 7/06
duopoly // 2 // 5/06

Not so bad for a little site. With a little traction, it also picked up a Feedster-of-the-Day nod, a 'Blogs of Note' Blogger award, and some notable incoming links. Hopefully, the site will keep growing and they'll be more of that to come. Hope? Let's plan on it, or at least move towards it.

Ciao,
Melanie