Introductory Post

At some point, once upon a time, someone of some importance to me regularly utilized the phrase, "As if it really matters,” as an addendum to a statement, observation, question, or answer. That I don't precisely recall who this was is a puzzlement to me in that the phrase has stuck with me throughout many trips around the sun; a leveler, of sorts, in my consideration of whatever it is I might be thinking.

As an initial reaction, it comes off as a rather flippant remark connoting disregard, lack of concern, or even disdain for whatever thought or utterance preceded it, but to leave it at that is a mistake; one I initially made during my earlier years.  Further consideration, I believe, reveals the phrase to be one possessing remarkable versatility.  It can, indeed, be used in the manner described above, but it can also:

• Ask a question demanding further inquiry - Could individuals, items, or events be affected, one way or another, if the subject matters?
• Ask a question regarding relevance - Does the subject relate to the matter at hand or is it merely a sidebar or diversionary comment?
• Ask a question regarding importance - Does the subject really matter and, if so, does it matter on a general/global level or only a personal level?

It is the final item (3), which I think is of most importance with respect to this site.  What will be contained here, for the most part, will be my musings on various ideas, people, events, and things that have found a current within which to float in my stream of thought.  I readily admit, engaging in such writing is a quite selfish endeavor, allowing me therapeutic and learning moments as I, metaphorically, wrestle with putting pen to paper or fingers to keyboard.  

I have no idea whether any of the content will be of interest to a reader, but this really isn’t my point of publication in a blog.  Publication simply makes me take the content selection, thought process, and writing more seriously.  I am rather data-centric, empirical, pragmatic, and skeptical in my approach to life, ideas, and things.  In such a project, however, it is difficult to avoid being subjective, theoretical, and a diver into the deep end of the pool that is personal opinion and sometimes conjecture.  This will most certainly occur within these posts.  You, the reader, can: draw your own conclusions or not; enjoy or not; respond or not; as if it really matters.